Selamectin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A veterinary medication used to prevent and treat parasitic infections such as fleas, ticks, heartworms, and ear mites in animals, applied topically to the skin
2. A topical drug administered to pets for the control of internal and external parasites including heartworms, fleas, and mites, ensuring animal health and comfort
3. A parasiticide applied onto the skin of animals, effective against a range of parasites like ticks, fleas, and certain worms, used as a preventative and treatment measure

Etymology: Selamectin is a modern pharmaceutical coinage with no older history behind it. The name was created for a drug, so there is no older word to trace. Its ending, "-ectin," marks it as a member of the avermectin family, a group of antiparasitic compounds named after "Streptomyces avermitilis," a soil bacterium that produces them. The drug is a semisynthetic derivative of avermectin, altered in the lab to improve how it works on animals. Its brand-name form is applied to the skin of pets, where it acts against parasites such as fleas, heartworm, and some mites and worms.