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Foxglove Digitalis purpurea.
Common name: Witch's gloves, dead men's bells, fairy's glove, gloves of Our Lady, bloody fingers, Virgin's glove, fairy caps, folk's glove, fairy thimbles, fair women's plant.
Occurrence:
indigenous and widely distributed throughout Great Britain and Europe.
Parts used:
the leaves, which contain four important glucosides-digitoxin, digitalin, digitalein and digitonin-of which the first three listed are cardiac stimulants.
Medicinal uses:
cardiac tonic, sedative, diuretic. Administering digitalis increases the activity of all forms of muscle tissue, particularly the heart and arterioles. It causes a very high rise in blood pressure and the pulse is slowed and becomes regular. Digitalis causes the heart to contract in size, allowing increased blood flow and nutrient delivery to the organ. It also acts on the kidneys and is a good remedy for dropsy, particularly when it is connected with cardiac problems. The drug has benefits in treating internal haemorrhage, epilepsy, inflammatory diseases and delirium tremens. Digitalis has a cumulative action whereby it is liable to accumulate in the body and then have poisonous effects. It should only be used under medical advice. Digitalis is an excellent antidote in aconite poisoning when given as a hypodermic injection.
Administered as: tincture, infusion, powdered leaves, injection.
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