Digitoxin

Digitoxin

Clinical data
ATC code	C01AA04 (WHO)
Identifiers
IUPAC name 5β,20(22)-Cardenolide-3β,14-diol-3- (O-2,6-dideoxy-β-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl- [1→4]-O-2,6-dideoxy-β-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl- [1→4]-2,6-dideoxy-β-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl)oxy
CAS Number	71-63-6
PubChem CID	3061
E number	{{#property:P628}}
ECHA InfoCard	{{#property:P2566}}
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C41H64O13
Molar mass	764.939 g/mol

WikiDoc Resources for Digitoxin
Articles
Most recent articles on Digitoxin Most cited articles on Digitoxin Review articles on Digitoxin Articles on Digitoxin in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ
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Evidence Based Medicine
Cochrane Collaboration on Digitoxin Bandolier on Digitoxin TRIP on Digitoxin
Clinical Trials
Ongoing Trials on Digitoxin at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Digitoxin Clinical Trials on Digitoxin at Google
Guidelines / Policies / Govt
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Digitoxin NICE Guidance on Digitoxin NHS PRODIGY Guidance FDA on Digitoxin CDC on Digitoxin
Books
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Commentary
Blogs on Digitoxin
Definitions
Definitions of Digitoxin
Patient Resources / Community
Patient resources on Digitoxin Discussion groups on Digitoxin Patient Handouts on Digitoxin Directions to Hospitals Treating Digitoxin Risk calculators and risk factors for Digitoxin
Healthcare Provider Resources
Symptoms of Digitoxin Causes & Risk Factors for Digitoxin Diagnostic studies for Digitoxin Treatment of Digitoxin
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
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International
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Business
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Experimental / Informatics
List of terms related to Digitoxin

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Digitoxin is a cardiac glycoside. It has similar structure and effects to digoxin (though the effects are longer-lasting). Unlike digoxin (which is eliminated from the body via the kidneys), it is eliminated via the liver, so could be used in patients with poor or erratic kidney function. However, it is now rarely used in current Western medical practice. While several controlled trials have shown digoxin to be effective in a proportion of patients treated for heart failure, the evidence base for digitoxin is not as strong, although it is presumed to be similarly effective.

Toxicity

Digitoxin exhibits similar toxic effects to the more commonly used digoxin, namely: anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, visual disturbances, and cardiac arrhythmias. Antidigoxin antibody fragments, the specific treatment for digoxin poisoning, are also effective in serious digitoxin toxicity.

History

The first description of the use of foxglove dates back to 1775. For quite some time, the active compound was not isolated. Oswald Schmiedeberg was able to obtain a pure sample in 1875. The modern therapeutic use of this molecule was made possible by the works of the pharmacist and the French chemist Claude-Adolphe Nativelle (1812-1889). The first structural analysis was done by Adolf Otto Reinhold Windaus in 1925, but the full structure with an exact determination of the sugar groups was not accomplished until 1962.