Medicinal Plants: Heart and Circulatory System-Cardiotonic

Question 1

Foxglove

HISTORY AS A MEDICINAL PLANT:

Answer 1

• European folk medicine
  
  • Spread by word of mouth
  • European herbals list foxglove as poisonous
• Treatment of “dropsy”-accumulation of bodily fluids in the body cavity and limbs, grotesque swelling
  
  • Symptoms-damaged, weakened heart; blood returns to the heart at very low pressure, resulting in fluids leaking from capillaries into surrounding tissue; compromised kidney efficiency leading to weakened heart; painful swelling, increased stress on the heart, congestive heart failure
• William Withering
  
  • Studied medicine at Edinburgh-surgery and anatomy
  • Botanical Arrangement of all the Vegetables Naturally Growing in Great Britain-first complete English book on plants
  • Famous medical botanist
  • Found a decoction with extracts from a number of plant species but determined the active principle was from foxglove-administered standardized, controlled doses
  • Developed a systematic regimen of experimental medical treatment (clinical trials)

Question 2

Foxglove

MODERN UTILIZATION:

Answer 2

• Cardiac glycosides-digoxin and digitoxin
  
  • Treating incurable diseases of the heart and circulatory system
  • Treat congestive heart failure caused by hypertension and arteriosclerosis and to restore normal heart rhythm
  • Increases the contractibility of heart muscle, reducing but strengthening heartbeat, slowing wildly beating ventricles to normal levels, improving heart action

Question 3

Foxglove

SEMI-SYNTHETICS:

Answer 3

• Lanatoside C, acetyldigitoxin, and deslanoside
• Whole leaf extracts more effective than any single isolated cardiac glycoside
• Doses vary among patients
• Provide temporary relief and must be taken regularly
• Side effects-nausea, excessive salivation, headache, and fatigue