What Role Does Digitalis Serve in Medicinal Cardiovascular Treatments?

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What Role Does Digitalis Serve in Medicinal
Cardiovascular Treatments?

• by Brennan Barkley

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Overview

• Digitalis is often used to describe cardiac
  glycosides (Digoxin/Digitoxin)
• Other active ingredients Digitalin, Digitalein,
  Digitonin
• These compounds are isolated from plants of the
  genus Digitalis or Foxglove

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Structure
Digoxin (C41H64O14)
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Where Does it Come From?

• The extractions are taken from the leaves of the
  plant
• Only green, perfect leaves picked
• Unpleasant odor, bitter taste

Digitalis purpurea
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Early History

• The earliest use of cardiac glycosides dates back
  to the Roman Empirered squill
• William Withering, 1785introduced Digitalis into
  medicine
• Charles Darwin

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Modern Use

• Used to increase cardiac contractility
• (positive inotrope)
• Also used as an antiarrhythmic agent

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Mechanism?
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Disadvantages

• Digitalis intoxication
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Anorexia
• Diarrhea
• Excessive amounts can lead to further heart
  problemsirregular pulse, convulsions
• XanthopsiaVincent Van Gogh

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In the News

• In 2003, Charles Cullen admitted to killing
  nearly forty hospital patients with overdoses of
  compounds such as Digoxin

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Research

• Lin H. Juang, Taiwanprostate cancer
• University of Sevilla, Department of
  Pharmacology, Spainanti-tumor activity
• J. Haux Institute of Cancer Research and
  Molecular Biology, Norwegian University of
  Science and Technology, Trondheimanti-cancer
  research

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Conclusions

• Glycosides isolated from the genus Digitalis have
  been used since the mid 18th century to treat
  cardiac afflictions
• The extractions are taken from healthy leaves of
  the plant
• Mechanism of actionaffects Na/K pump
• Excess amounts of the drug can have severe side
  effects or even be fatal

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Bibliography

• http//www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/f/foxglo30
  .html
• http//www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?ident
  ifier4537
• http//www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic137.htm
• http//www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/Wilson/481/medbot/b
  ot2.htm
• http//www.yofast.org/d/digitalis/info.html
• http//fourfoldhealing.com/2007/12/30/digitalis/
• Google Image Search