Pharmacognostical review of digitalis

1. Department of Pharmaceutics
Nagpur College of Pharmacy
Wanadongri,Hingna Road,Nagpur.

2. CARDIOVASCULAR DRUGS
By
Priya V.Nikam
Assistant Professor
Nagpur College of Pharmacy

3.  Main Purpose of the class:-
To Understand the concept of Cardiotonics and heart related
activities with their treatment.

4.  Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lecture, Students should be able to know:
• The definition of Cardiovascular drugs
• Monograph of Digitalis and Arjuna.

5.  Content:
• Definition of Cardiovascular drugs
• Classification of cardiovascular drugs
• Monograph of digitalis
• Monograph of Arjuna

6.  Definition:
Cardiovascular drugs are used for their action on Heart or other part
of vascular system to modify the total output or the distribution of
blood.
 Classification:
1. Cardiotonics drugs
2. Antiarrythmics(Cardiac Depressants)
3. Antianginal drugs

7. 1.Cardiotonics:
The drugs act on the force, rate and the rhythm of the heartbeat .
They have stimulating effect on cardiac muscle and thus increase the
contractile force,decrease the rate and regularise the heart beat by increasing
the renal blood flow.
2. Antiarrythmics:
Antiarrythmia is lack of regular heartbeat. It is due to development in the heart
muscles of new pacemakers .
Cardiac arrythmia are caused by disturbance in the condition of impulse
formation. Antiarrythmic agents are used in condition of disturbed rhythm of
heart.
3.Antianginal Drugs:
Antianginal dilate coronary artery and increase coronary efficiency in angina
pectoris.

8. DIGITALIS
 SYNONYMS :
Digitalis Leaves, Foxglove Leaves
 BIOLOGICAL SOURCE :
Digitalis consists of dried leaves of Digitalis purpurea belonging to
the family Scrophulariaceae, dried at a temperature below 60oC,
immediately after collecting the leaves. The leaves should contain not
more than 5% of moisture.

9.  Organoleptic Characters:
Colour: Dark greyish-green.
Odour: Slight.
Taste: Bitter.
Size: 10 to 40 cm long ang 4 to 20 cm wide.
Shape: Ovate-lanceolate to broadly ovate, with irregularly crenate
Or serrate or ocassionally denate margin.

10.  CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
The products of hydrolysis of purpurea glycoside A and purpurea
glycoside B, the chief active constituents of the drug are as under
Purpurea glycoside A Purpurea glycoside B
enzymatic enzymatic
hydrolysis hydrolysis
Digitoxin + Glucose Gitoxin + Glucose
hydrolysis hydrolysis
Digitoxigenin + Digitoxose Gitoxigenin + Digitoxose

11.  USES
•Digitalis increases excitability of Cardiac muscles and produces
more powerful contractions.
•It is effective in Congestive cardiac failure to increase cardiac
output and to relieve venous congestion. Hence it is described as a
Cardiotonic.
•The improvement of circulation through kidney results in diuresis
and loss of Oedema.
•The major disadvantage of Digitalis is that it has cumulative effect
and therefore, in prolonged treatment one has to watch the patient
carefully.

12. ARJUNA
 Synonym: Arjuna bark
 Botanical Source :
Dried stem bark of Terminalia arjuna
 Family : Combretaceae
 Geographical source:
Native of India ,In India Chota-Nagpur, Dehradun

13.  Organoleptic Characters:
Colour : Outer side & inner side of the
bark is greyish - brown
Odour : None
Taste : Astringent
Size : about 15 x 10 x 1cm
Shape : flats
Fracture : short

14.  Chemical constituents:
• It Contains 15% Tannins,Triterpenoid saponins
• Arjunolic acid
• Arjunic acid
• Arjunogenin
• Beta-sitosterol
• Ellagic acid
• Arjunic acid
• Arjunine & Arjunetine
• Calcium, Aluminum andMagnesium salts
• Sugar

15.  Chemical tests :
Expose the bark to Ultra-violet light
Pinkish fluorescence

16.  USES:
• Cardiotonic
• Styptic
• Febrifuge
• Anti-dysentric
• Diuretic

17.  Summary:
In this class we learnt about :
• Definitions of various cardiovascular agents
• Classification of Cardiovascular drugs
• Monograph of Digitalis drug
• Terminalia arjuna belongs to the family Combretaceae
• Contains Tannins and Triterppenoid saponins
• Used as Cardiotonic, Styptic, Febrifuge and
• Antidysenteric.

18. Bibliography:
1) S.B.Gokhale,C.K.Kokate,A.P.Purohit, A TEXTBOOK OF
PHARMACOGNOSY,Nirali Prakashan,P.No. 9.18-9.24.
2) N.M.Patel,V.C.Jain,Atul Kabra,PHARMACPGNOSY, Pee Vee
Books,P.No.72-76.

19.  Frequently Asked Questions
1)What is Cardiotonics and antianginal drugs.
2)Give two examples for Cardiotonics.
3)Give the chemical constituents and uses of Arjuna bark.
4) Write the biological source of Arjuna bark along with their family.
5) Give the biological source,chemical constituent and uses of digitalis.