For D.Pharm Part - I Students. Unit V - Cardiotonics.

1. CARDIOTONICS
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Prep ared By: Ms . Div ya Kan oj iya
Assistant Professor in Pharmacognosy
Su man d eep V id yap eeth Deemed to b e Un ivers ity

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 Content:
 Biological source, Chemical constituents and
Therapeutic efficacy of the following category of crude
drugs:
 Digitalis, Arjuna
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DIGITALIS LEAVES
 Synonyms: Digitalis, purple foxglove,
finger flower, lady’s glove, Foxglove
Leaves, Folia Digitalis.
 Biological Sources: Digitalis consists of
dried leaves of Digitalis purpurea Linn.,
belonging to family Scrophulariaceae.
 Geographical Sources: It is mainly
found in England, Germany, France,
North America, India, Iraq, Japan,
Kurdistan, Mexico, Nepal, Spain, Turkey.
Figure: Digitalis Purpurea Leaf
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Morphology:
Size 10–30 cm long and 4–10 cm wide
Shape Ovate-lanceolate to broadly ovate. Leaves have a subacute apex,
decurrent base and crenate or dentate margin.
The upper surface of leaf is hairy, slightly pubescent, dark green and
little wrinkled. The lower surface of leaf is hairy, greyish-green and very
pubescent.
Color Dark greyish green in color
Odor Odorless
Taste Bitter
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Figure: T.S. (schematic) of Digitalis Leaf
Figure: Digitalis
Purpurea Leaf
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A T.S. of Folia D. purpurea shows dorsiventral nature.
Following are the important tissues in the lamina and the midrib region:
LAMINA
• Upper Epidermis: single layered with more or less rectangular cells having a distinct
cuticle. Abundant covering and glandular trichomes emerge from the upper epidermal
layer.
• Covering trichomes are uniseriate, multicellular (3-5-7 celled), mostly straight, warty and
with blunt tips. Certain cells of the covering trichomes are collapsed, thus forming a
diagnostic feature for the identification.
• Glandular trichomes are with both unicellular and multicellular (though rare) stalk having
unicellular or bicellular terminal gland.
• Few stomata are also seen on the upper epidermis.
Microscopy: 6

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• Mesophyll is differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma.
• Calcium oxalate crystals of any type are absent.
• Palisade one layered, compact with radially elongated cells.
• Spongy Parenchyma 4-6 layered and many distinct obliquely cut veinlets are seen.
• Lower Epidermis similar to upper epidermis and has many stomata and more trichomes
compared to those of upper epidermis.
MIDRIB
• The dorsal surface of the midrib is strongly convex and as usual the epidermal layers of
lamina continue over the midrib.
• Below the upper epidermis and above the lower epidermis are seen thin strips of
collenchyma.
• Rest of the midrib is filled with cortical parenchyma.
• An arc shaped vascular bundle is present more towards the ventral surface (upper
epidermis) of the midrib.
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• The vascular bundle is surrounded by a distinct endodermal layer, the cells of
which contain abundant starch. Within the endodermis, appears a band of
collenchymatous pericycle.
• Distinct phloem tissue can be seen on the dorsal surface and well developed
xylem tissue towards the ventral surface of the midrib.
• Surface preparation shows Ranunculaceous type of stomata, less wavy walls of
upper epidermal cells and more pronounced wavy walls of lower
epidermis and trichomes.
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Figure: Transverse section of Digitalis Leaf
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Digitalis leaves contains 0.2–0.45% of both primary and secondary
glycosides.
Purpurea glycosides A and B and glucogitoloxin are primary glycosides.
Because of greater stability of secondary glycosides, and lesser absorption
of primary glycosides a higher content of primary glycosides are not
considered ideal and secondary glycosides are used.
Purpurea glycosides A and B are present in fresh leaves and by their
hydrolysis digitoxin and glucose or gitoxin and glucose are obtained
respectively.
Digitoxin yields on hydrolysis digitoxigenin and three digitoxose.
Digitalis leaves also contains glycosides like odoroside-H, gitaloxin, verodoxin
and glucoverodoxin.
Chemical constituents: 10

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• Digitalis glycosides having five membered lactone ring answers positive
for the following tests which are due to the intact lactone.
1. Baljet Test: To a thick section of the leaf sodium picrate reagent is
added. Yellow to orange colour indicates the presence of glycoside.
2. Legal Test: Glycoside is dissolved in pyridine and sodium nitroprusside
solution is added to it and made alkaline. Pink to red colour is produced.
3. Keller–Killiani Test: The isolated glycoside is dissolved in glacial acetic
acid and a drop of ferric chloride solution is added followed by the
addition of sulphuric acid which forms the lower layer. A reddish-brown
colour is seen in between two liquids and the upper layer becomes
bluish green.
Chemical test:
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1. The foxglove is a widely used herbal medicine with a recognized stimulatory
effect upon the heart.
2. It is also used in allopathic medicine in the treatment of heart complaints.
3. It has a profound tonic effect upon a diseased heart, enabling the heart to
beat more slowly, powerfully and regularly without requiring more oxygen.
At the same time it stimulates the flow of urine which lowers the volume of
the blood and lessens the load on the heart.
4. It has also been employed in the treatment of internal haemorrhage, in
inflammatory diseases, in delirium tremens, in epilepsy, in acute mania and
various other diseases.
5. Digitalis has a cumulative effect in the body, so the dose has to be decided
very carefully.
Uses: 13

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1. Verbascum Thapsus: Also known as Mullelin leaves. These leaves are
covered with large woolly branched candelabra trichomes.
2. Primula vulgaris (Primrose leaves): Can be detected by the presence
of long eight- to nine-celled covering trichomes in them.
3. Symphytum officinale (Comfrey leaves): This leaves contains
multicellular trichomes forming hook at the top.
4. Inula conyza (Ploughman’s Spikenard): May be distinguished by
their greater roughness, the less-divided margins, the teeth of which
have horny points and odour when rubbed.
Adulterants: 14

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• It is one of the ingredients of the preparation known as
Lanoxin tablets (Glaxo Smith Kline).
Marketed products: 15

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 Synonym: Grecian Foxglove.
 Biological Source: It consists of the
dried leaves of Digitalis lanata J. F.
Ehrh., belonging to family
Scrophulariaceae.
 Geographical Source: It is mainly found
in Central and Southern Europe,
England, California and India.
DIGITALIS LANATA
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Figure: Digitalis Lanata Leaf

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Morphology:
Size 30 cm long and 4 cm broad with entire margin and apex is
acuminate.
Shape Linear-lanceolate
Color Dark greyish green in color
Odor Odorless
Taste Bitter
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• Digitalis lanata contains cardiac glycosides like lanatoside A, B, C
and E.
• Lanatosides A and B are acetyl derivatives of purpurea glycosides
A and B respectively. Hydrolysis of Lanatoside C yields digoxin, a
crystalline active glycoside.
Chemical constituents:
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1. It has gained much importance in recent years because of the less
cumulative effect and three to four times greater activity than D.
purpurea.
2. They have the same actions as that of the D. purpurea.
3. It is the commercial source of digoxin.
4. Employed in the treatment of auricular fibrillation and congestive heart
failure.
5. Their use should always be supervised by a qualified practitioner since in
excess they cause nausea, vomiting, slow pulse, visual disturbance,
anorexia and fainting.
Uses:
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ARJUNA BARK
• Synonyms: Arjun bark, arjun.
• Biological Source: Arjuna consists of
dried stem bark of the plant known as
Terminalia arjuna Rob, belonging to
family Combretaceae.
• Geographical Source: The tree is
common in Indian peninsula. It is
grown by the side of streams and
very common in Chotta Nagpur
region.
Figure: Arjuna bark
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Figure: Morphology of Arjuna bark
Figure: Arjuna bark powder
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Morphology:
Size The pieces of various-sizes, about 15 × 10 × 1 cm
Shape Flats
Color Color of the outer side, as well as, inner side of bark is greyish-
brown.
Odor None
Taste Astringent
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• The dry bark from the stem contains about 20 to 24% of tannin, whereas
that of the bark obtained from the lower branches is up to 15 to 18%.
• The tannins present in arjuna bark are of mixed type consisting of both
hydrolysable and condensed tannins.
• The tannins are reported to be present are (+) catechol, (+) gallocatechol,
epicatechol, epigallocatechol, and ellgic acid.
• The flavonoids such as arjunolone, arjunone, and baicalein have been
reported from the stem bark. The triterpenoid compounds arjunetin,
arjungenin, arjunglucoside I and II, and terminoic acid have also been
reported from the bark.
• The root contains number of triterpenoids such as arjunoside I and II,
terminic acid, oleanolic acid, arjunic acid, arjunolic acid, etc.
Chemical constituents:
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• Chemical Test:
1. Ethereal extract of arjuna shows pinkish fluorence under ultra-violet
light.
• Uses:
• Arjuna bark is used as a diuretic and astringent.
• The diuretic properties can be attributed to the triterpenoids present in
fruits. It causes decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. It is used in the
treatment of various heart diseases in indigenous systems of medicines.
• The bark was extensively used in the past by the local tanneries for tanning
animal hides. It yields a very firm leather of a colour which is similar
babool tanned leather.
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• The dried bark of the plant Terminalia tomentosa is used as an
adulterant for the drug. However, it can be distinguished from arjuna
bark by fluorescence test. Ethereal extract of arjuna gives pink
fluorescence, whereas T. tomentosa gives pale blue.
• It is one of the ingredients of the preparations known as Abana,
Geriforte, Liv 52, Mentat (Himalaya Drug Company), Arjun Ghrita,
Arjun churna (Baidyanath Company), and Madhudoshantak (Jamuna
Pharma).
Marketed products:
Adulterants: 26

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Plant your dreams and let
them grow!
Thank you!
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