purpurin Chem.
(ˈpɜːpjʊərɪn)
Also (in commercial use) -ine.
[f. L. purpur-a purple + -in1.]
A red colouring matter, C14H5O2(OH)3, used in dyeing, orig. extracted from madder, hence called madder-purple; also prepared artificially by the oxidation of alizarin.
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 785 Purpurine, the crude substance from which they profess to extract alizarine, is a richer dye than this pure substance itself. c 1865 J. Wylde in Circ. Sc. I. 421/2 Other principles may be extracted from madder, such as purpurine, alizarine, xanthine. 1868 Watts Dict. Chem. IV. 749 Purpurin. |
b. Path. (See quots.)
| 1858 in Mayne Expos. Lex. 1890 Billings Med. Dict., Purpurin, Prout's name for the red coloring matter found in the urine of some rheumatic patients. 1897 Syd. Soc. Lex., Purpurin,..2. A red colouring-matter sometimes present in the urine, and supposed by some to be indicative of rheumatism or hepatic derangement. |