Domestic plant poisons

We are searching data for your request:

Forums and discussions:

Manuals and reference books:

Data from registers:

Wait the end of the search in all databases.
Upon completion, a link will appear to access the found materials.

Thimble (Digitalis purpurea)

The red foxglove is at home in forests and gardens in Central Europe. It only grows in soils that are poor in lime.

In the leaves of the red foxglove there is about 0.1% glycosides digitoxin, C₄₁H₆₄O₁₃, and about 0.2% gitoxin, C.₄₁H₆₄O₁₄, contain. The sugars associated with the aglycon and the composition and amount of the glycosides can vary greatly in the different foxglove species.

Poisoning manifests itself as arrhythmias, diarrhea and vomiting and can lead to death from cardiac arrest.

The digitoxin contained in the red foxglove is one of the cardiac glycosides. It is used as a drug for heart muscle weakness and cardiac arrhythmias.

For more information on glycosides, see: Glycosides and Heart Glycosides