Digitalis: medicinal properties and use in medicine

An ornamental herbaceous plant of digitalis, whose medicinal properties were noticed by Chinese healers several centuries before scientific medicine proved their effectiveness, belongs to the family Podorozhnikovye. This botanist named the "digitalys" for this charming plant, which in the people was called "forest bells", "thimbles", "wineglass", "wolf foxglove" or "bells" (in the shape of its flowers).

This herb is poisonous, but it is a very valuable medicinal raw material. Medications made on its basis help in the complex treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

What does a miraculous ornamental grass look like?

The herbaceous perennial or biennial plant of the family Podorozhnikovaya digitalis, the medicinal properties of which are caused by the presence of a multitude of glycosides in its leaves, prefers the soil with a high acidity in the wild, and meets along the banks of streams, rivers, in stony foothills and near roadside ditches. For the decoration of the garden by breeders, low varieties of digitalis with a long flowering period are derived, they decorate curbs or use for edging paths.

"Mountain buttercup", "fox" (this is the name for this flower in the North Caucasus), or "snubber", "creeper" (in the Urals), combines 25 species (together with garden varieties), the main of which are: red foxglove Purple, purple), which can be purple, pink, white and even yellow; Another is a large-flowered foxglove, the third is rusty (or "foxglove" of Shishkin), the fourth is woolly. Outwardly they differ, but the chemical composition and medicinal properties of varieties of the same plant are approximately the same. The stem of any of these plants is hard and tall, its length can be from one and a half to two meters. Healing (but very poisonous) leaves have a lanceolate shape, a regular arrangement, gradually turning into leaves with a spicate inflorescence, consisting of beautiful bells-colors of various colors. Contrasting crotch on the lower lip of each flower shades it, giving a special charm to each of the tender "thimbles".

The flowering period of this unpretentious plant begins in the middle of summer and ends in autumn. Ripened numerous seeds in the boxes keep their germination for three years.

Chemical composition of the thimble grass

Herbalists recommend for therapeutic purposes to collect flowers and leaves "bells" in the summer (the second year after planting). At this stage of vegetation, the number of cardiac glycosides in the leaves of the plant reaches a maximum. These very useful substances are famous for digitalis. The healing properties of glycosides are expressed in their toning action on the work of the heart muscle, it helps to eliminate the arrhythmia. The content of these unique substances, which are beneficial for the work of the heart, depends on the plant species.

Cardenolides (cardiac glycosides) are also found in the flowers and stems of the plant, but for plant matter, stems are generally not used. In the seeds and leaves of digitalis, scientists have identified the content of steroid saponins: digitonin, tigonin, gitonin, acetyl digitoxin and sarsapogenin. Digilanides, lanthosides E, C, B, D, A, purpereaglycosides A, B, flavonoids, choline, caffeic acid and other organic acids, aglycones, sugars and mineral salts have also been detected.

Healing properties

Even in the eighteenth century, official medicine recognized the high biological effectiveness of a plant such as digitalis. The healing properties of this unique herb made it possible to successfully combat many cardiovascular ailments. From the middle of the 19th century, preparations on the basis of the thimble grass began to be produced by the Russian, and then - the Soviet, pharmaceutical industry. They have analgesic, cardiotonic, hemostatic, hypertensive, laxative, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and sedative effects. The unique composition of the plant makes it possible to use it in the complex treatment of virtually all cardiovascular diseases, including severe forms of circulatory disorders, as well as chronic forms of heart failure.

Shortness of breath, swelling, arrhythmia (increased heart rate) - symptoms that help to remove drugs, which contain digitalis. In the disorder of cardiac activity and to regulate the work of the heart muscle, doctors often prescribe medicines based on digitalis in combination therapy. In CNS disorders, during a fit of hysteria or for wound healing, powder from the dried and crushed leaves of this healing plant is used.

Applying Digitalis

"Thimble" and preparations based on it are used to improve the vascular resistance, strengthen the walls, normalize the general hemodynamics, supply tissues and muscles with blood, including cardiac. They help from cardiosclerosis and mitral defects, from heart failure and hypertension, from atrial fibrillation and myocardial dystrophy, from various types of tachycardia. Specialists note that digitalis medicinal stimulates cardiac output and contributes to a decrease in the level of excitability of the cardiac system, an increase in the concentration of calcium in the plasma and an increase in diastole. This action helps normalize the circulatory process in the myocardium and stimulate blood flow in the vessels. In addition, saponins and digitonin facilitate the absorption of other glycosides, which the patient takes as prescribed by the doctor in parallel.

Dosage forms

Red, purple and large-flowered herb digitalis, the medicinal properties of which have a momentary effect on the body, allows you to quickly remove negative symptoms, taking drugs in emergency situations. These include: "Digitoxin", "Gitoxin" and "Cordygite" in tablets, "Gitalen" in solution and green powder from the dried leaves of the plant. By chemical composition and action on the human body rusty digitalis is almost identical to its purple "friend." The solutions, which are produced today by the pharmaceutical industry on the basis of this plant, are called "Digalen-Neo" and "Succudifer". Woolly digitalis, whose effect on the heart and blood vessels has a smaller cumulative effect, is safer for the body, even with prolonged use. The intake of drugs on its basis in medical (recommended) doses rarely leads to toxic side effects.

Tablets "Digoxin" - the most common medicine for heart diseases abroad. The raw material for its production is rusty leaves of the foxglove. In addition to this drug, today you can also find in the pharmacy "Celanide" (powder), tablets - "Abitsin" and "Acetil digitoxin", solutions - "Dilanizid" and "Lantozid" (alcohol).

Folk medicine: prescriptions from digitalis

People have long planted in their garden unpretentious, but very beautiful plant - digitalis, which is known on the territory of our country as a digitalis. Photos of spectacular flowers in the form of thimbles with a variety of bright hues often stimulates gardeners to plant the plant to decorate lawns, alpine slides or curbs. Learning about his miraculous medicinal properties, many housewives are trying to prepare a healing potion of leaves and flowers. But the independent preparation of decoctions, tinctures and other preparations, as well as the intake of cardiac glycosides based on a toxic plant, threatens not only their accumulation in the body, but can also lead to poisoning and even death (especially in children). Therefore, intravenous administration of glycosides (during seizures) is performed in a medical institution, and tablets for the treatment of chronic forms of heart diseases are taken most often under the supervision of a doctor in a hospital.

Digitalis: medicinal properties and contraindications

There are diseases and conditions in which poisonous herpes can be contraindicated: acute myocardial infarction and compensated heart defects, complete atrioventricular blockade and some other manifestations of severe bradyarrhythmia, endocarditis and active rheumatic carditis, as well as stenosis of the aortic valve. Do not take drugs on the basis of this plant to people suffering from chronic diseases of the respiratory system, myocarditis, angina, pericarditis, gastric tachycardia.

It is forbidden to use any means with this medicinal herb for pregnant and young children. The cumulative effect characteristic for digitalis, which allows accumulating cardiac glycosides in tissues, can play a negative role, causing poisoning and even cardiac arrest.

Precautionary measures

A poisonous plant of digitalis, the use of which is associated with a whole host of serious side effects, requires special attention during the reception. If symptoms of poisoning have appeared - nausea, diarrhea, heart palpitations, headache, dizziness, suffocation, blue lips, trembling and severe pain in the body, urgently need to call an ambulance, immediately clean the intestines, stomach, take activated charcoal or other sorbent. In severe cases, convulsions, hallucinations, and acute mental disorders may occur. A lethal dose for a person is considered to be only 2.25 grams of digitalis. When entering the hospital, patients who are poisoned with digitalis (or with an overdose of the drug on its basis) are prescribed "Atropine", caffeine, potassium chloride and "Unitiol." Any use of medicines based on this decorative and very effective plant must be agreed with the attending physician!