atropine

n. Atropine (C₁₇H₂₃NO₃) is a muscarin antagonist derived from the belladonna plant and used to prevent heart stoppage under anesthesia and in eye surgery to dilate the pupil and stop the blinking reflex. In medieval Italy wide pupils were perceived as beautiful and so women in that era used belladonna extract containing atropine to widen their pupils so as to make themselves more attractive.