Alkaloid used in medicine

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 (context uncountable organic compound English) A sweet, crystalline compound (not an alkaloid), trimethylammoniumacetate, found in sugar beet and similar plants, sometimes used to treat muscular degeneracy; the zwitterion (CH 3 ) 3 N + CH 2 COO - 2 ...

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Betaine \Be"ta*ine\, n. [From beta, generic name of the beet.] (Chem.) A nitrogenous base, C5H11NO2 , produced artificially, and also occurring naturally in beet-root molasses and its residues, from which it is extracted as a white crystalline substance; ...

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
A betaine (BEET-ah-een, ) in chemistry is any neutral chemical compound with a positively charged cationic functional group such as a quaternary ammonium or phosphonium cation (generally: onium ions) which bears no hydrogen atom and with a negatively charged ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. a sweet tasting alkaloid that occurs in sugar beets