Digitalis purpurea
    n 1: tall leafy European biennial or perennial having
         spectacular clusters of large tubular pink-purple flowers;
         leaves yield drug digitalis and are poisonous to livestock
         [syn: common foxglove, fairy bell, fingerflower,
         finger-flower, fingerroot, finger-root, Digitalis
         purpurea]

Foxglove \Fox"glove`\, n. [AS. foxes-gl[=o]fa,
   foxes-cl[=o]fa,foxes-clife.] (Bot.)
   Any plant of the genus Digitalis. The common English
   foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a handsome perennial or
   biennial plant, whose leaves are used as a powerful medicine,
   both as a sedative and diuretic. See Digitalis.
   [1913 Webster]

         Pan through the pastures oftentimes hath run
         To pluck the speckled foxgloves from their stem. --W.
                                                  Browne.
   [1913 Webster]

digitalin \dig"i*ta`lin\, n. [Cf. F. digitaline.]
      (a) (Medicine, Pharmacy) Any one of several extracts of
          foxglove (Digitalis), as the "French extract," the
          "German extract," etc., which differ among themselves
          in composition and properties. Both Digitalis lanata
          and Digitalis purpurea have been used to prepare
          such extracts.
      (b) (Chem.) the distinctive chemical substance, a steroid
          glycoside, which is the essential ingredient of the
          extracts of foxglove. It is a white, crystalline
          substance (C36H56O14), and is a 3-substituted
          diglucoside of a steroid. It is a powerful cardiac
          stimulant and is used as a cardiotonic for treatment
          of certain heart conditions, such as congestive heart
          failure. Chemically it is

          (3[beta],5[beta],16[beta])-3-[6-Deoxy-4-O-[beta]-D-glucopyranosyl-3-O-methyl-[beta]-D-galactopyranosyl)oxy]-14,16-dihyroxy-card-20
          (22)-enolide. The related compounds digitoxin and
          digoxin are also extracted from the foxglove. The
          class of steroid glycosides having cardiotonic
          properties are refered to as the cardiac glycosides.
          --MI11

   Syn: digitalinum verum, Diginorgin, Schmiedeberg's digitalin,
        digitalis, digitalis glycoside. [1913 Webster +PJC]

Digitalis \Dig`i*ta"lis\, n. [NL.: cf. F. digitale. So named
   (according to Linn[ae]us) from its finger-shaped corolla.]
   1. (Bot.) A genus of plants of the family
      Schrophulariaceae, including the foxglove.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Med.) The dried leaves of the purple foxglove (Digitalis
      purpurea), formerly used in heart disease, disturbance of
      the circulation, etc. Its use has been largely replaced by
      that of the pure active ingredient, digitalin. See
      digitalin.
      [1913 Webster]

digitoxin \dig`i*tox"in\ (d[i^]j`[i^]*t[o^]k"s[i^]n), n. (Chem.)
   A steroid glycoside, one of the cardiotonic chemical
   substances which is extracted from the foxglove. It is a
   white, crystalline substance (C41H64O13), and is a
   3-substituted triglucoside of a steroid, related structurally
   to digitalin and digoxin. It is used as a cardiotonic for
   treatment of certain heart conditions, such as congestive
   heart failure. Chemically it is

   (3[beta],5[beta])-3-[(O-2,6-Dideoxy-[beta]-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(1[rarr]4)-O-2,6-dideoxy-[beta]-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(1[rarr]4)-2,
   6-dideoxy-[beta]-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl)oxy]-14-hydroxy-card-20(22)-enolide.
   The related compounds digitalin and digoxin are also
   extracted from the foxglove (Digitalis lanata and
   Digitalis purpurea). The class of steroid glycosides having
   cardiotonic properties are refered to as the cardiac
   glycoside group. --MI11
   [PJC]

digoxin \di*gox"in\, n. (Chem.)
   a steroid glycoside, one of the cardiotonic chemical
   substances which is extracted from the foxglove. It is a
   white, crystalline substance (C41H64O14), and is a
   3-substituted triglucoside of a steroid, related structurally
   to digitalin and digitoxin. It is used as a cardiotonic for
   treatment of certain heart conditions, such as congestive
   heart failure. Chemically it is

   (3[beta],5[beta],12[beta])-3-[(O-2,6-Dideoxy-[beta]-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(1->4)-O-2,6-dideoxy-[beta]-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(1->4)-2
,  6-dideoxy-[beta]-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl)oxy]-12,14-dihydroxy-card-20(22)-enolide.
   The related compounds digitalin and digoxin are also
   extracted from the foxglove (Digitalis lanata and
   Digitalis purpurea). The class of steroid glycosides having
   cardiotonic properties are refered to as the cardiac
   glycosides. --MI11
   [PJC]

fingerroot \fingerroot\ n.
   tall leafy European biennial or perennial (Digitalis
   purpurea) having spectacular clusters of large tubular
   pink-purple flowers; -- its leaves yield the drug digitalis
   and are poisonous to livestock.

   Syn: common foxglove, fairy bell, fingerflower, Digitalis
        purpurea.
        [WordNet 1.5]