DIGISTALIS

Synonym                                  :  Digistalis-leaves , Foxglove-leaves .

Biological source                      :  Digistalis consists of dried leaves of Digistalis perpurea

                                                   and Digistalis Lanata  ( both are the species ) .

Scientific name              :  Digistalis perpurea .

Family                                      :  Scarphulariaceae .

Geographical distribution           :  Holland , England , North-America, India ( Kashmir) .

Organoleptic/Morphological Evaluation

No.	Parameters	Digistalis perpurea	Digistalis lanata
1	Shape	Ovate , Lanceolate	Oblong
2	Colour	Dark , Greyish-green	Green
3	Odour	Charecteristic	Faint
4	Taste	Bitter	Bitter
5	Margin	Dentated	Entire
6	Apex	Grounded	Acuminate

Chemical Constituents : Digitalis contains 0.2-0.45% mixture of both primary and

                                        secondary Cardiac glycosides ( one of the phytochemical

                                        constituents) are made-up of two moitis ( i)  Sugar-part

                                                                                                        ( ii)  Non-Sugar-part .

No.	Name	Example
1.	Digistalis Perpuria( Primary-glycoside)	Perpuria glycoside - A , Perpuria glycoside - B
2	Digitalis Perpuria ( Secondary-glycoside)	Digitoxin , Gitoxin.
3	Digitalis lanata( Primary-glycoside)	Lanotoside –A , Lanotoside – B, Lanotoside-C .
4	Digitalis Lanata( Secondary-glycoside)	Digitoxin , Gitoxin , Gigoxin .

Identification Test :

( I ) Killer Killoni Test –

                       

Powdered sample / dried ( dried leaf of digitalis perpuria & Digitalis lanata) 

                                                                    +

                                               Alcohol ( Ethyl or methyl )

                                                                    ↓ filter

                                               Filtrate + lead substrate + water

                                                                    ↓  shake gently & filter

                                                       Filtrate + Chloroform (        )

                                                                    ↓ shake again

                                    Aquous layer ( heat gently to remove chloroform if present)

                                                                    ↓ cool it

                                    Add glacial-acetic-acid + Conc . sulfuric acid (      ) {1-2 drops}

                                                                    ↓

Reddish brown colour at the junction and upper layer slowly become bluish-green which

                                         darkens on standing ( due to cardiac-glycosides )

( II ) Belgett’s Test –

            Powdered sample + Sodium picrate [ Picric-acid + Sodium hydroxide{     }]

                                          ↓

            Yellow to orange colour ( Cardiac glycosides/ Cardinoloides)

( III )    Legal’s Test –

            Powdered sample + Pyridine + sodium Nitroprusside

                                         ↓

                 Filtrate + Alkali ( NaOH or KOH )

                             ↓

                Pink to Red colour ( Cardiac glycoside ) .

Therapeutic Uses :

i)                    It is used in the treatment of Congestive Cardiac Failure .

ii)                   It is used in slowing ventricular-route , Atrial-fibrillation , Atrial-flutter , Trachycardia .

 It also have diuretic activity ( Having the power to promote the flow of urine ) .