Author/Editor		Mlinarič, Aleš
Title		Naprstec
Translated title		Foxglove
Type		članek
Source		Herbika Ljubl
Vol. and No.		Letnik 2, št. 2
Publication year		2001
Volume		str. 28-9
Language		slo
Abstract		The best known plant from the Digitalis genus is the common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), which is often also a decorative plant. The common and Grecian foxgloves (Digitalis lanata) are grown in order to isolate cardiotonic glycosides. These compounds are characterised by a narrow therapeutic index, which means that the difference between a safe and toxic dose is very small. Cardiotonic glycosides increase the contractibility of heart muscles; they also influence the autonomous nervous system. Poisonings with cardiotonic glycosides in the world are not rare, but it is true that most cases involve suicide attempts or an overdose of drugs containing isolated digitoxin or digoxin.
Descriptors		PLANT POISONING DIGITALIS DIGITALIS GLYCOSIDES