[Digitalic therapy. Historical outline].
The action of medical drugs obtained from many vegetables aroused a great interest of naturalists and physicians in all time. Moreover, it was always required that those persons destined to medical practice have a good knowledge of botany. Among the medicinal plants utilized by ancient peoples of the Anahuac, yoloxochitl or heart flower (Talauma mexicana) is mentioned, which seems to have a digitalis-like action. Research in our century demonstrated a positive inotropic and bradycardic effect of the leavels of Magnolia grandiflora or Talauma mexicana extract. Since the end of the XVIII century, digitalis was employed. It was considered initially as a diuretic and later as a cardiotonic agent. The action of digitalic glycosides upon the cardiac tissues was studied experimentally in Mexico. At the present-time there are positive inotropic agents derived from pyridine, as is the case of Milrinone, which have a beneficial action on the failing human myocardium. However, following the opinion of distinguished pharmacologists, "in the case of heart failure associated to atrial fibrillation, digitalis cannot be substituted".
de Micheli-Serra
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Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Departamento de Farmacología, México, D.F.
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000266:history* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004070:Digitalis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004071:Digitalis Glycosides / Q000266:history* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D008800:Mexico; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D010947:Plants, Toxic
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004071:Digitalis Glycosides