A toxic peptide compound found in the salivary glands of certain octopus and squid species, related to venom and used in scientific research.
From the scientific name Eledone (a genus of small octopuses) + -in (chemical compound suffix). The substance was first isolated and named in the 1960s when scientists studied cephalopod venom.
Eledoisin is a perfect example of how ocean creatures' poisons become human medicine—this octopus toxin is now used in research to understand how nerve signals work, and it's even being explored as a potential pain medication.
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