Digitalis purpurea glycosides

Dlgltoxin. Digitoxin is a cardiac glycoside obtained from Digitalis purpurea. Digitoxin is indicated in the treatment of atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, and supraventricular tachycardia. Its electrophysiologic and adverse effects are similar to those described for digoxin (87). 

Digitalis glycosides Digitalis purpurea L., D. Cardiotonic glycosides... 

Glycosides isolated from leaves of various types of foxglove Digitalis lanta. Digitalis purpurea, and strophanthus Strophantus kombe, and also a number of other plants (hhes, periploca, oleander, hellebore, erysimum, jute, Irish ballon), which exhibit a direct effect on the myocardium and which strengthen its contractions. 

That which is usually extracted from both types of Digitalis is made up of already partially hydrolyzed glycosides. Purpureaglycoside A and B are natural glycosides contained in Digitalis purpurea that are broken down by enzymes into digitoxin and glucose, or... 

Cardiac steroids, or cardenoUdes, are steroid glycosides. Their effect has been known since the time of the ancient Egyptians. In more recent times, the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and its effect were described in 1785 by William Withering, who knew of its use in folk medicine. 

Ikeda Y, Fujii Y, Nakaya I and Yamazaki M (1995) Quantitative HPLC analysis of cardiac glycosides in Digitalis purpurea leaves. J Nat Prod 58, 897-901. 

The positive benefits of extracts of two species of Digitalis purpurea (foxglove and lanata) were recognized long before the active constituents were isolated and structurally characterized. The cardiac glycosides, which include digoxin, digitoxin, and deslanoside, exert a powerful and selective positive inotropic action on the cardiac muscle (see Chapter 35). 

Figure 1.8 Schematic view of the ecological roles of plant SM. Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) produces cardiac glycosides, which are very toxic to animals (vertebrates, insects) because they inhibit Na+, K -ATPase, one of the most important transporters in animal cells. Cardiac glycosides are additionally toxic to microbes because the molecules have detergent properties and disturb membrane fluidity. (See Plate 7 in colour plate section.)...

Franz, G. and Hassid, W. (1967) Biosynthese of digitoxose and glucose in the purpurea glycosides of Digitalis purpurea (L.). Phytochemistry, 6,841. ... 

Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Cardioactive glycosides in ripe seeds, leaves, flowers Bradycardia, A-V block, miosis Digitalis ianata is major source of digoxin in the United States. 

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