Glucoside

[Sarah]

One of a large series of amorphous or crystalline substances,occurring very widely distributed in plants, rarely in animals, andregarded as influental agents in the formation and disposition of thesugars. They are frequently of a bitter taste, but, by the action offerments, or of dilute acids and alkalies, always break down intosome characteristic substance (acid, aldehyde, alcohol, phenole, oralkaloid) and glucose (or some other sugar); hence the name. They areof the nature of complex and compound ethers, and ethereal salts ofthe sugar carbohydrates.