DIGITAL

DIGITAL

Castilian: digital.

Known only from the xvl1 century, there are no references to the use of digital up to a hundred years later, when in 1776 the British naturalist William Whitering analyzed infusing an elderly woman who used to cure a heart condition, and concluded that the healing properties were due to our plant. Nine years later, in 1785, became the most popular drug in England as a regulator of cardiac activity. By then received the names of "opium of the heart 'and' machine's heart. ".

FEATURES: herbaceous plant, who lives two years (sometimes more) The first year produces a rosette of leaves simple, whole, which are spread over the floor. In its center is raised, for the second year, a stalk of a meter in height, but which may extend to two, with leaves alternate, so variable, wider or narrower, but oval, without exceeding the petiole. The stem ends with a beautiful tenon cry bell, hanging with the appearance of a thimble, red, lined with small black spots of white on the inside of the hood. The stamens, which stand out, reminiscent of bell clapper. The fruit is a capsule that opens up and contains lots of seeds. It is also known as the gauntlet, foxglove, glove of Our Lady, the Virgin glove.

LOCATION: Lives in mountainous areas of Europe, on land siliceous rich in minerals, especially iron and magnesium, uncultivated places. From the wild strains has been able to adapt their crops in controlled growth in non - mountainous areas of Europe and even America.

Medicinal properties: It acts on the circulatory system, decreasing the heart activity when the heart is overexcited (tachycardia) but in excessive doses, instead of slowing down the heart rate is the opposite feature, that is, even more accelerated. On the blood vessels, raises blood pressure, but as with the heart, increasing the dose produced the opposite effect. It also exerts a mild diuretic action.

COLLECTING: Although the leaves can be cut at any time, the time is recommended during flowering in summer, and are preferable in the lower and younger, but always taking into account the production cycle and destruction of the digitalina, ie that the leaves should be cut in the afternoon, before sunset, when the concentration of the drug is highest.

USES AND APPLICATIONS: The digital applies to regulate cardiac cycles and the pressure on the blood vessels (blood) and as a result of the control of blood circulation in the kidneys to regulate urination. However, their use is extremely dangerous homemade, and we must adjust the dose of understanding to this effect and may be different in each individual.

Their names related to Jesus Christ or the Virgin just want to remind us that the digital saved from death to those who, sick of heart, there was no more than pray, for them, the discovery of properties of digital was like a reward for their prayers. However, if there is no use in the appropriate dosage, can become a deadly poison.

The content in the digital digitalina increases gradually while the sun shines, reaching a maximum before dusk.

A major application of the digitalina is its action on the circulatory system, calming the tachycardia and raising blood pressure.

Part Used: The leaves.

Active Principles: Heterósidos cardiac (0. 30%) from the digitoxigenina (digitoxin and others) and the gitoxigenina and gitaloxigenina (gitoxina, etc. Flavonoids. Saponósidos.

Pharmacological Action: Action cardiotonic, due to heterósidos: contractibilidad increases and decreases cardiac excitability, conductivity and rhythm. Diuretic, an action favored by the flavonoids.

Directions: Heart failure.

Contraindications: treatment with other cardiac, quinidine and Anthraquinone laxatives.

Caution / Poisoning.

Digoxin is renal elimination, while the digitoxin is removed by the liver (hence will have to adjust especially in patients with impaired kidney function) If the removal is slowing, toxic symptoms cumulation by: gastroenteritis, headache, drowsiness, pain in the extremities, skin rash, eosinophilia, gynecomastia, confusion, aphasia, delirium. The cause of poisoning is caused by ingestion of excessive doses, for variations in the uptake by the consequent decrease in potassium to the administration of laxatives or diuretics Anthraquinone disposers potassium, for hyperphosphatemia, for elevated calcemia, decline in magnesemia, parathyroid disease or for hyperthyroidism. It is therefore necessary to know the status kidney, liver, thyroid and electrolytic patient before prescribing digitalis.

Very toxic drug with little therapeutic can be produced easily exaggeration or inversion of the desired effects.

On the notable differences in terms of composition and activity of the drug, depending on the plant used, the pharmacopoeias have adopted the use of digitalis semisynthetic, with the advantage of having a more predictable, facilitating its strength and reducing the possibility of effects undesirable.

Galenica forms / Dosage.

The therapeutic level of digoxin in the blood is 1 - 2 nanograms / ml.

The absorption of oral metildigoxina is almost 100%, compared with 75% of digoxin, which in practice metildigoxina equivalent of 0. 1 mg to 0125 mg of digoxin.

We recommend prescribe heterósidos semi - standardized (digoxin, digitoxin, acetildigitoxina, or metildigoxina C. lanata Consult pharmacopoeias and forms to use.

Exclusive use by prescription and under medical specialist.

Bibliography.

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