noun
Atropine
An alkaloid extracted from the plant deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and other sources, such as the seeds of the Thorn-apple. Though overdoses would be fatal it is used as a drug in medicine for its paralytic effects (e.g. in surgery to relax muscles, in dentistry to dry the mouth, in ophthalmology to dilate the pupils).
Le médecin a utilisé des gouttes ophtalmiques d'atropine pour dilater les pupilles du patient pendant l'examen de la vue, ce qui a permis une meilleure visualisation de la rétine.