Popular names: red foxglove, yellow bell, mountain buttercup, thimble, foxglove.

Purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea L.)Biennial or infrequently perennial herbaceous plant of the family Scrophulariaceae, up to 2 m in height, with a short rhizome and fibrous roots. Stems solitary, erect, leafy, covered with simple and glandular hairs. Leaves up to 30 cm long, up to 15 cm wide, broadly lanceolate, velvety, crenate, rarely serrate, dark green above, wrinkled, below with strongly prominent reticulate veins, densely covered with hairs. The flowers are large (up to 40 mm long), tubular-bell-shaped, collected in a dense one-sided brush and have the shape of a thimble or swollen bell. They are purple on the outside, white on the inside with purple dots and four stamens. The fruit is an oval golden hairy capsule with two wings. Seeds are oval, very small (up to 0.9 mm), numerous, brown, wrinkled. Blooms in June – July, fruits ripen in July – August. It grows wild in Central and Western Europe, North Africa. The plant is poisonous! There are many legends associated with foxglove flowers. One of them tells about little people – forest elves, who are very fond of the flowers of this plant: they sleep in foxglove bells, put them on their hats. Another tells of an orphan girl who lovingly kept two thimbles given to her by her mother. The evil stepmother took them away and buried them in the garden. The girl was very sad, and in the spring, an extraordinary plant grew in the place where the thimbles were buried. Already in 1650, purple foxglove was included in the English pharmacopoeia. Physicians of those times considered foxglove to be a laxative and emetic on the grounds that it seemed to “purify the body from top to bottom.” It was prescribed for a variety of diseases, tuberculosis, etc. Patients took it in huge doses (up to 10 g per day), which could not but cause poisoning (sometimes fatal), as a result of which doctors became afraid to use it. Therefore, in 1746 it was excluded from the pharmacopoeia and forgotten. In the 18th century, the English doctor Weisering found foxglove tincture in a deceased healer, and after a 10-year scientific test, it was again introduced into medical practice and acquired world significance. In Russia, by order of Peter I, it began to be cultivated since 1730 in the Poltava province, and it was included in the first edition of the Russian Pharmacopoeia in 1866 and has since been included in all subsequent pharmacopoeias. The main studies on the pharmacological properties of purple foxglove were carried out by Russian scientists S. P. Botkin and I. P. Pavlov. It’s about foxglove C.P.

COLLECTION AND DRYING OF RAW MATERIALS

Leaves serve as medicinal raw materials. In the 1st year of life, plants are harvested 1-3 times during the summer (the length of the leaf during collection must be at least 20 cm), in the 2nd year – no more than 1 time immediately after flowering (rosette leaves are cut with sickles, stem – break off). Late harvesting of leaves is unacceptable, because at this time they have a reduced physiological activity. Cleaning should be carried out in dry sunny weather, as in the dark glycosides quickly break down. Foxglove leaves, collected before sunrise, contain only a non-cordial amount of glycosides and are physiologically almost inactive. Then their activity increases and reaches a maximum in the second half of the day. Dry immediately in the sun or in a dryer at a temperature of 50-60 ° C, laying out a thin layer and constantly stirring. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 years. The State Pharmacopoeia considers dried foxglove leaves suitable for use, containing not less than 50 and not more than 60 ICE per 1 g of raw material. The smell of dry leaves is weak, but strong and characteristic when infused in hot water. The taste is bitter, nasty. The State Pharmacopoeia, along with purple foxglove, allows the use of large-flowered foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora Mill.), which grows wild in the European part of the CIS, the North Caucasus and the Urals. Large-flowered foxglove is a plant 120 cm high, with oblong-lanceolate, pubescent leaves along the edge and veins. Flowers up to 4 cm long, yellow, inside with brown veins. Blooms in June – July. The smell of dry leaves is weak, but strong and characteristic when infused in hot water. The taste is bitter, nasty. The State Pharmacopoeia, along with purple foxglove, allows the use of large-flowered foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora Mill.), which grows wild in the European part of the CIS, the North Caucasus and the Urals. Large-flowered foxglove is a plant 120 cm high, with oblong-lanceolate, pubescent leaves along the edge and veins. Flowers up to 4 cm long, yellow, inside with brown veins. Blooms in June – July. The smell of dry leaves is weak, but strong and characteristic when infused in hot water. The taste is bitter, nasty. The State Pharmacopoeia, along with purple foxglove, allows the use of large-flowered foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora Mill.), which grows wild in the European part of the CIS, the North Caucasus and the Urals. Large-flowered foxglove is a plant 120 cm high, with oblong-lanceolate, pubescent leaves along the edge and veins. Flowers up to 4 cm long, yellow, inside with brown veins. Blooms in June – July. which grows wild in the European part of the CIS, the North Caucasus and the Urals. Large-flowered foxglove is a plant 120 cm high, with oblong-lanceolate, pubescent leaves along the edge and veins. Flowers up to 4 cm long, yellow, inside with brown veins. Blooms in June – July. which grows wild in the European part of the CIS, the North Caucasus and the Urals. Large-flowered foxglove is a plant 120 cm high, with oblong-lanceolate, pubescent leaves along the edge and veins. Flowers up to 4 cm long, yellow, inside with brown veins. Blooms in June – July.

PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Digitalis purpurea glycosides are the most persistent in the body compared to other cardiac glycosides when used internally. For example, with the internal use of digitoxin, the cardiotropic effect develops only after 2-4 hours. Despite the slow absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, plant glycosides, when taken orally, gradually accumulate in the body and have a high degree of cumulation. The most important pharmacological property of cardiac glycosides, digitalis purpurea in particular, is their high efficacy in a pathological model of heart failure. Under the influence of cardiac glycosides, general peripheral vascular resistance is reduced, blood supply to tissues and the process of oxygenation are improved,

APPLICATIONS IN MEDICINE

Leaves. Purple foxglove preparations are used for all degrees of chronic heart failure of various origins: with mitral defects, coronary cardiosclerosis, hypertension, and myocardial dystrophy. It is also used for atrial fibrillation, paroxysmal and nodal atrioventricular tachycardia and other heart rhythm disturbances.

DOSAGE FORMS, METHOD OF APPLICATION AND DOSES

Purple digitalis leaf powder (Pulvis foliorum digitalis). Crushed leaves, green powder. Activity 50-66 ICE per 1 g. Adults are prescribed 0.05-0.1 g per dose 2-3 times every day. It can also be prescribed in candles. Children under the age of 1 year are prescribed 0.005-0.01 g; from 2 to 5 years – 0.02-0.03 g each; from 6 to 12 years – 0.03-0.06 g per reception. Higher doses for adults: single – 0.1 g, daily – 0.5 g. Higher doses for babies: from the age of 5 months. – single – 0.005 g, daily – 0.02 g; from 6 months up to 1 year – single – 0.01 g, daily – 0.04 g; at the age of 2 years – single – 0.02 g, daily – 0.08 g; 3-4 years – single – 0.03 g, daily – 0.12 g; 5-6 years – single – 0.04 g, daily – 0.16 g; 7-9 years – single – 0.05 g, daily – 0.2 g; 10-14 years – single – 0.05-0.075 g, daily – 0.2-0.3 g. Produced in the form of powder and tablets containing 0.05 g of foxglove powder. Store the powder with care in small, top-filled, tightly stoppered, and paraffin-embedded orange glass jars. Each jar indicates the activity of the powder (the number of units in 1 g). The digitalis leaf infusion (Infusum folii Digitalis) is prepared at the rate of 0.5-1 g of raw material per 180 ml of water. Assign adults 1 tablespoon 3-4 times every day. For babies, an infusion is prepared at the rate of 0.1-0.4 g per 100 ml of water; give 1 teaspoon – 1 dessert spoon 3-4 times every day. The infusion can also be prescribed in enemas. Digitoxin (Digitoxinum) is the most active digitalis purpurea glycoside and is a white powder consisting of colorless rectangular crystals of bitter taste, hardly soluble in water, well – in alcohol. One of the most important advantages of digitoxin over other digitalis purpurea products is its always the same activity, which does not change during storage. As a result, it is dosed gravimetrically and does not require biological standardization to clarify the activity. Already 25 minutes after taking digitoxin, its effect is manifested, the maximum effect is observed after 4-12 hours. Digitoxin is prescribed for chronic heart failure of various etiologies (heart defects, cardiosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial dystrophy), it can also be used in acute heart failure. The product is most effective in diseases accompanied by tachyarrhythmia fibrillation and in some forms of paroxysmal tachycardia, as well as in stage II circulatory failure. Satisfactory results are also observed in stage III deficiency, not often in cases where other products (strophanthin) are ineffective. Digitoxin is prescribed orally. Due to the high cumulative potential of the product, treatment with digitoxin must be highly individualized. However, there are also schemes for using the product. The most common is the following: on the 1st day – 6-8 tablets of 0.1 mg (4 tablets immediately and 1-2 tablets every 6-8 hours), 2nd and 3rd days – 4-5 tablets. When the desired effect occurs (reduction of shortness of breath, slowing of the pulse, positive diuresis), the patient is prescribed a maintenance dose (1 tablet every day); sometimes alternate: one day – 2 tablets, the other – 1 tablet. There is another scheme for using the product: 5-6 tablets for 3 days, and then maintenance dose – 1-2 tablets every day. In some cases, 1 tablet every day is enough. Possible complications and precautions are the same as when using other substances of foxglove purpurea. The possibility of hypersensitivity to the product should be kept in mind; due to its high ability to accumulate, some authors recommend using digitoxin only in a hospital setting. It is available in tablets of 0.1 mg and suppositories of 0.15 mg. Gitoxin (Gitoxinum) is a fine-grained white powder of a bitter taste, insoluble in water, hardly soluble in alcohol. In 1 g of gitoxin there are 1000 KED, or 8330 ICE. According to the degree of biological activity, the product is close to digitoxin, but somewhat inferior to it. Gitoxin is not destroyed when taken orally, is quickly and completely absorbed, accumulates well, somewhat inferior in this to digitoxin, it does not irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. Its activity does not change during storage. The drug has a pronounced cardiotonic effect. The product is prescribed for heart failure II and III stages of various etiologies; it is recommended to use the product mainly in forms accompanied by atrial tachyarrhythmia. Gytoxin is administered orally starting from 0.0003-0.0004 g/day with subsequent dose reduction to 0.0002-0.0001 g/day. After achieving the effect, an individually maintenance dose is selected, which patients take for a long time. Possible complications and precautions are the same as when using other digitalis substances. Available in tablets of 0.2 mg.Cordigitum (Cordigitum) – a purified extract from the dried leaves of purple foxglove, containing the amount of glycosides (digitoxin, gitoxin, etc.). Slightly yellowish amorphous powder. Difficultly soluble in water, easily soluble in alcohol, chloroform, acetone. Contains in 1 g 6000-8000 ICE. When prescribing the product, the therapeutic effect is noted already on the 1st day, even with severe congestion (sharply enlarged liver, ascites). The action of cordigit is similar to that of digitoxin, which is almost 100% absorbed, regardless of the severity of congestion. The drug is prescribed 1/2-1 tablet 2-4 times every day or 1 suppository 1-2 times every day. Release form: tablets containing 0.0008 g (0.8 mg) of the product (corresponds to the activity of 0.1 g of standard foxglove leaves); candles containing 0.0008 or 0.0012 g of cordigite. Cordigite has a less cumulative effect than digitoxin. Contraindications are common to the digitalis purpurea product group. Store with caution in a place protected from light. Gitalen (Gitalenum). It is produced in vials, the highest single dose for adults is 27 drops, the daily dose is 54 drops. cooking at home decoctions and infusions from the leaves of foxglove purple. Plant treatment should be carried out only as directed and under the strict supervision of a physician. Severe poisoning may occur if digitalis purpurea products are overdosed or if therapeutic doses are used for too long, which are based on the selective action of cardiac glycosides on the heart. The main symptoms of poisoning with cardiac glycosides: a sharp slowdown in the pulse, the occurrence of extrasystole, bigeminia. The appearance of bradycardia or single pulse drops, as well as paired extrasystoles, requires immediate withdrawal of the product in order to avoid complete atrioventricular blockade. Sometimes with an overdose of digitalis, nausea, vomiting and a decrease in diuresis are observed. With toxic phenomena, the use of potassium chloride, atropine, caffeine, unithiol is indicated. Contraindications to the appointment of digitalis are coronary insufficiency (especially with sclerosis of the coronary vessels of the heart), acute myocardial infarction, severe bradycardia, complete atrioventricular blockade, active endocarditis and rheumatic heart disease (danger of embolism). Digitalis is not indicated for compensated heart defects. Caution should be given to digitalis products for aortic defects (especially stenoses), accompanied by persistent bradycardia. With bradycardia developing from small doses of foxglove, the product can be administered together with belladonna.

APPLICATIONS IN OTHER FIELDS

Digitalis is very decorative, used for planting along alleys and near buildings; spectacular in groups on lawns, mixborders, rocky areas (however, since all foxgloves contain a poisonous glycoside in flowers, leaves and stems, they are undesirable on playgrounds). Used for cutting.

ELEMENTS OF AGROTECHNICAL CULTIVATION

Digitalis reproduces by seeds, which are sown in May – early June in beds or in greenhouse boxes. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the fall or spring of the next year at a distance of 25-30 cm. Self-seeding is observed. Drought-resistant. They grow well and bloom in a sunny place. Prefer loose, fertile, permeable soils. Under production conditions, they are propagated by seeds by surface sowing (without incorporation into the soil). Seeding rate is 6-7 kg/ha, row spacing is 45-60 cm.

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