1. Presented by
KIRAN.B
3rd
B-pharma
SSCP, Tumkur

2.  Digitalis Leaves
 Fox Glove Leaves
FAMILY
Scrophulariaceae

3.  Digitalis is a biennial herb
grows wild in European
countries.
 For medicinal purposes, the
plant is cultivated in
Holland, England, France,
Germany & North America.
 In India it is cultivated in
Kashmir region.

4.  Digitus (Latin)- Finger
 Purpurea – refers to the purple
colour of the flowers.

5.  Digitalis consists of dried leaves of Digitalis purpurea
containing not less than 0.3% of total cardenolides
calculated as Digitoxin.
 After collection, leaves are dried immediately at a
temperature not exceeding 60 degree & stored in a
moisture proof container, the drug is required to contain
not more than 5% of moisture.

6.  General apperance: Usually broken
& crumpled
 Type: Simple
 Colour: Dark Greyish-Green
 Size: 10-40cm long & 4-20cm wide
 Base: Tapering, decurrent(winged
petiole)
 Margin: Crenate or Serrate, also
Dentate
 Apex: Obtuse or Rounded

7.  Venation:Pinnate venation,
prominent on the lower surface
& close network of veinlets
 Upper surface: Dark green &
minutely hairy
 Lower surface: Greyish green,
very pubescent
 Shape: Ovate-lanceolate to
broadly ovate
 Odour: Characteristic
 Taste: Bitter

8.  Digitalis mainly contain Cardiac glycosides
i.e,Cardenolides (C-23)
 Saponin glycosides:Gitonin, Digitonin
 Digitalis contains 0.2-0.45% mixture of both primary
& secondary cardiac glycosides
(Enzymatic hydrolysis)
 Primary glycoside Secondary glycoside
(Acid Hydrolysis)
 Secondary glycoside Aglycone
 Digitalis also contains several other glycosides
such as Odoroside H, Glucogitaloxin, Gitaloxin,
Verodoxin and Glucoverodoxin.

9. Primary Glycosides Secondary Glycosides Aglycone
 Purpurea Digitoxin Digitoxigenin
glycoside A (EH) +Glucose (AH) +3Digitoxose
 Purpurea Gitoxin Gitoxigenin
glycoside B (EH) +Glucose (AH) +3Digitoxose
 Glucogitaloxin Gitaloxin Gitaloxigenin
(EH) +Glucose (AH) +3Digitoxose
EH - Enzymatic Hydrolysis Enzyme:Digipuridase
AH - Acid Hydrolysis
 The primary glycosides are less absorbed & less stable
than secondary glycosides

11.  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 edema.

12.  Keller-Kiliani’s Test:
Boil 1gm of drug with 70% of alcohol for 2-3min. Filter, to the filtrate
add 10ml of water+0.5ml of strong lead acetate solution. Shake &
filter. Filtrate is shaken with chloroform & allow to separate.
Chloroform layer is seperated and evaporated gently in porcelin dish.
Dissolve the cooled residue in 3ml of glacial acetic acid containing 2
drops of 5% Fecl3. Carefully transfer this solution to 2ml of Con.H2SO4
A reddish brown layer forms
at the junction of two liquids, & the upper layer slowly becomes bluish
green darkening with standing.

13.  Balget Test:
Glycosidal extract+ Sodium picrate
Yellow to orange colour
 Legals Test:
The extract is dissolved in pyridine
+sodium nitro prusside soln.
to make alkaline Pink to Red
 Keddes Test:
Glycoside extract+2% 3,5 dinitro benzoic acid in
methanol+ KOH soln. Blue or violet
colour that fades out(Cardenolide aglycone
present)

14. Digitalis lanata
 The leaves of Digitalis lanata
have 3-4 times greater activity
than Digitalis purpurea.
 The leaves of Digitalis lanata
used as commercial source of
the most widely used cardio
active glycoside Digoxin.

15.  Wolly fox glove leaf , Austrial Digitalis.
SOURCE
 These are the dried leaves of Digitalis
lanata, belonging to family Scrophulariacece,
& contain 1%-1.4%
of a mixture of
cardiac glycosides.

16.  Leaves are sessile, linear lanceolate.
 Size:
25-30cm long &
4-5cm wide
 Margin:
Entire
 Apex :
Acuminate

17.  Lanatosides A, B, C & E. lanatosides
resembling those of Digitalis purpurea
but are acetylated at the Digitoxose
moiety adjacent to terminal glucose.
 The greater activity of Digitalis lanata is
due to Digoxin.
(On hydrolysis)
 Digoxin Digoxigenin,
contain a hydroxy (OH) group in the 12th
position.

19.  Mullein Leaves
 Comfrey Leaves
 Primrose Leaves
Other species of Digitalis containing
Cardiac glycosides
 Digitalis scubalpina, Digitalis dubina,
Digitalis grandiflora, Digitalis ferruginea,
Digitalis mertonensis,,etc

20.  Digitalis purpurea
 Epidermis: Wavy anticlinal walls.
 Stomata: Ranunculaceous or anomocytic.
 CoveringTrichomes: Multicelluar & finely
warty with blunt tips. Certain cells of
covering trichomes are collapsed.
 Glandular Trichomes: Rare, unicellular &
multicellular stalk having unicellular or
bicellular head.
 Note: Calcium oxalate crystals are absent.

22.  Epidermis: Irregular beaded walls
 Stomata: Anomocytic or Ranunculaceous.
 Trichomes: very rare
 Note: Calcium Oxalate crystals are absent. If
covering trichomes are present they are
long(10-14 celled) & glandular trichomes with
unicellular stalk & bicellular head or
multicellular stalk with unicellular head.