Background
- Foxglove is a common name for plants belonging to the Digitalis species, including Digitalis purpurea and Digitalis lanata. Traditional medicine has used foxglove to treat heart conditions, fevers, wounds, swelling or inflammation, sores, ulcers, cancer, edema, and infections.
- Reports describe foxglove leaves as being similar to those of other species, such as Inula conyza (ploughman's spikenard), Inula helenium (elecampane), Symphytum officinale (comfrey), Verbascum thapsus (great mullein), and Primulaceae (primrose).
- Foxglove is rarely used for modern medical purposes because of its toxic effects, including nausea, vomiting, green-yellow vision, and death. Still, foxglove and other Digitalis species contain cardiac glycosides, agents known to increase the strength and speed of heartbeats, making it seemingly useful for treating certain heart disorders. However, scientific studies on the safety and efficacy of the crude herb are lacking. However, the modern drug digoxin is extracted from Digitalis lanata and is used to treat certain heart conditions. However, digoxin, unlike crude samples of foxglove, is standardized in controlled laboratory settings.
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