Digitalis lutea

Digitalis lutea
Family:Digitalis lutea; Cardiac; Diuretic; Stimulant; Tonic.
Common name:Yellow foxglove
Yellow foxglove is little used in herbal medicine but is in fact a less toxic alternative to the purple and woolly foxgloves (D. purpurea and D. lanata) which are widely used in the treatment of heart complaints. The yellow foxglove has similar medical actions but its alkaloids are more readily metabolized and flushed out of the body. The leaves are cardiac strongly diuretic stimulant and tonic. They are used in the treatment of a weakened or failing heart increasing the strength of contraction slowing and steadying the heart rate and lowering blood pressure by strongly stimulating the flow of urine - which reduces overall blood volume. The leaves of plants in their second year of growth are harvested in the summer and dried for later use. This remedy should be used with caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner excessive doses can prove fatal.

Herbal Database

01.01.2005 02:52 []