patulin Biochem.
(ˈpætjʊlɪn)
[f. L. patul-um, specific epithet of the mould, neut. of patulus (see patulous a.): see -in1.]
A colourless crystalline antibiotic compound, C7H6O, that was obtained from the mould Penicillium patulum and afterwards found to be identical with clavacin and claviformin.
| 1943 H. Raistrick in Lancet 20 Nov. 625/1 Some time ago a metabolic product of Penicillium patulum Bainier which had not been previously encountered here was isolated and shown to have antibacterial properties; it has now been identified as anhydro-3-hydroxymethylene⁓tetrahydro-γ-pyrone-2-carboxylic acid, and has been given the shorter name of ‘patulin’. 1947 Sci. News V. 98 In 1943 there was a report that a substance..called patulin had proved powerful in treating colds. Further tests on more people showed no significant improvement, however. 1953 [see clavatin]. 1965 New Scientist 28 Oct. 253/2 He also worked out the structure of the remarkable mould product patulin, which, because of its unusual properties, was at that period a substance of considerable interest. |