noun
- plural of scammony; climbing plants of the morning glory family, or the dried resin obtained from their roots used medicinally as a purgative
Usage: botanical; medical
Examples
- The herbalist collected scammonies from the Mediterranean hillsides.
- Ancient physicians used scammonies as powerful laxatives.
- Several species of scammonies grow wild in coastal regions.
- The apothecary ground the dried scammonies into powder.
- Scammonies were once commonly prescribed for digestive ailments.