Definition of "anthraquinone" []

• A yellow crystalline powder, C14H8O2, that is insoluble in water and used chiefly in the manufacture of dyes. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "In addition, it is rich in the compound anthraquinone, which may reduce fat absorption in the intestines and help rhubarb function as a mild laxative."
• "The mechanism of action of anthraquinone glycosides involves the systematic deposition of these compounds to the site of action in the intestine, enzymatic cleavage of the sugar groups and the slow oxidation of the resulting compounds, thus releasing the free anthraquinones which act on the intestines to produce peristalsis (Fairbairn, 1964)."
• "Fluctuation of the radioactivity in the anthraquinone constituents occurred throughout the passage suggesting that biosynthesis and biotransformation were occurring simultaneously."