Psoralens

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Naturally occurring organic compounds found in plants that sensitize skin to ultraviolet radiation and are used in photochemotherapy treatments
2. Plant-derived chemical substances that enhance the skin's reactivity to UV exposure and are employed medically to treat certain dermatological conditions
3. Organic molecules present in various plants that amplify skin's response to sunlight and have applications in treating psoriasis and vitiligo

Etymology: Psoralens are a family of naturally occurring furocoumarin compounds, and the plural form simply names more than one of them. The singular "psoralen" is the base term, so the plural follows the usual English pattern of adding "s" to a noun. Each member of the group shares the same chemical core, and they differ only in the small groups attached to it. Any deeper origin of the root "psoralen" would need to be checked against a dedicated reference before it is repeated.