2.3.2.1 Digitalis Lanata The drug is almost three times more potent in comparison to Digitalis purpurea discussed earlier.
Synonyms Wooly Foxglove leaf, Grecian Foxglove; Austrial Digitalis.
Biological Source The dried leaves of Digitalis lanata Ehrhart, belonging to family Scrophularineae.
Geographical Source It is a biennial or perennial herb which being indigenous to Southern and Central Europe. It is also cultivated abundantly in India, Holland, United States and Ecuador.
Preparation The preparation of D. lanata leaves is quite similar to the one described under section 2.3.1 earlier.
Description The leaves are usually 5-15 cm in length, sessile, linear lanceolate to oblong lanceolate; margin- entire apex-acute; veins leave the mid-rib at an acute angle.
Chemical Constituents Stoll and Jucker* (1955) first isolated from its leaves three chemically pure primary glycosides usually termed as Lanatoside A, Lanatoside B, and Lanatoside C. These primary glycosides are also known as Digilanid A, Digilanid B, and Digilanid C respectively. However, the inter-relationship of digitalis glycosides found in Digitalis lanata may be represented in the following flowchart.
* Stoll, A.; and E. Jucker, ‘Modern Methods in Plant Analysis’, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1955
