A medicinal preparation of plant origin used in place of mercury; any of the plants used in this way; especially mudar, a plant of the genus Calotropis, and the manaca, Brunfelsia (formerly Franciscea) uniflora (now chiefly historical).
Origin
Mid 17th century.
Definition of vegetable mercury in US English:
vegetable mercury
noun
A medicinal preparation of plant origin used in place of mercury; any of the plants used in this way; especially mudar, a plant of the genus Calotropis, and the manaca, Brunfelsia (formerly Franciscea) uniflora (now chiefly historical).