Foxglove
Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea
AKA: American foxglove, Dead man’s bells, Digitalis, Fairies’ gloves, Fairy fingers, Lion’s mouth, Purple foxglove
Portrait: Biennial. Indigenous to western Europe, especially Britain. Naturalized in the central and northwest regions of North America. Bell-shaped, crimson to purplish-pink, drooping flowers bloom from June to September. The leaves are gathered during the summer as needed.
Medicinal Element: Leaves
Herbal Properties: Cardiac, diuretic
Summary: Foxglove is the botanical source of the cardiac drug digoxin, the most widely used of the digitalis drugs. Foxglove, specifically its cardiac components, acts to both increase the force of heart muscle contraction and slow down abnormal nerve impulses within the heart. It enables the heart to function more efficiently without requiring additional oxygen when prescribed in the precise dosage. An extremely effective diuretic, foxglove also helps decrease cardiac load by aiding in the excretion of excess fluid in the body. Highly toxic and lethal in overdose, the therapeutic level of foxglove is extremely close to the toxic level and is therefore not commonly used by modern herbalists. Do not use this herb without medical supervision.
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