hepatic

1. not comparableOf or relating to the liver.
2. not comparableActing on or occurring in the liver.
3. not comparableOf a deep brownish-red color like that of the liver.

   Polyhydrite, a silicate of oxide of iron from Breitenbrun, Saxony, is of a hepatic color, vitreous lustre and opaque...

   1842, Dr. Lewis Feuchtwanger, “Mineralogical Notices”, in The American journal of science and arts, page 386

   3 more examples

   In the coal district of Ou-ma-too, a manufacture of sulphate of iron, or green vitriol, is established. A quantity of hepatic iron pyrites, mixed with an equal amount of coal, both being broken into small similar-sized fragments, is accumulated into a pyramidal form, and coated carefully over with lime-plaster. By this process much heat is generated and extricated, and the heap remains untouched until the smoke has totally subsided. The mixture is then removed, thrown into water, and submitted to heat, when crystals of sulphate of iron are obtained by evaporation.

   1800, George Newenham Wright et al., China..., page 65

   In fact his weakness was for alcoholic stimulants. Hence his liver was carefully examined. It was not of the usual hepatic color ; in this case it presented a deep purple-black...

   1872, “Remarks on Longevity”, in The Medical and surgical reporter, page 104

   Among the most striking to the internal modifications is the gradual change of the liver from the characteristic hepatic color to a bright green.

   1893, The Wilder Quarter-Century Book: A Collection of Original Papers, page 438

plural hepatics

1. Any compound that acts on the liver.
2. A liverwort (kind of plant)

   There is now such an immense "microliterature" on hepatics that, beyond a certain point I have given up trying to integrate (and evaluate) every minor paper published—especially narrowly floristic papers.

   1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page viii