Digoxin INN

International Nonproprietary Name

An International Nonproprietary Name is the official nonproprietary or generic name given to a pharmaceutical substance, as designated by the World Health Organization...

 (icon), also known as digitalis, is a purified cardiac glycoside

Cardiac glycoside

Cardiac glycosides are drugs used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia. These glycosides are found as secondary metabolites in several plants, but also in some animals, such as the milkweed butterflies. -Function:...

 and extracted from the foxglove plant, Digitalis lanata

Digitalis lanata

Digitalis lanata is a species of foxglove that is part of the Plantaginaceae family. It gets its name due to the texture of the leaves. Digitalis lanata, like some other foxglove species, is highly toxic in all parts of the plant...

. Its corresponding aglycone

Aglycone

An aglycone is the non-sugar compound remaining after replacement of the glycosyl group from a glycoside by a hydrogen atom. The spelling aglycon is sometimes encountered .Classes of phytochemicals found in the aglycone and glycosides forms :...

 is digoxigenin

Digoxigenin

Digoxigenin is a steroid found exclusively in the flowers and leaves of the plants Digitalis purpurea, Digitalis orientalis and Digitalis lanata , where it is attached to sugars, to form the glycosides Digoxigenin (DIG) is a steroid found exclusively in the flowers and leaves of the plants...

, and its acetyl

Acetyl

In organic chemistry, acetyl is a functional group, the acyl with chemical formula COCH3. It is sometimes represented by the symbol Ac . The acetyl group contains a methyl group single-bonded to a carbonyl...

 derivative is acetyldigoxin

Acetyldigoxin

Acetyldigoxin is a cardiac glycoside. It is an acetyl derivative of digoxin. Its positive cardioinotropic effect starts after 3-4h and maximizes after 6-8h. It is prescribed for congestive chronic cardiac failure class II, III and IV from different reasons, tachysystolic form of fibrillation and...

. Digoxin is widely used in the treatment of various heart conditions

Heart disease

Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...

, namely atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia . It is a common cause of irregular heart beat, identified clinically by taking a pulse. Chaotic electrical activity in the two upper chambers of the heart result in the muscle fibrillating , instead of achieving coordinated contraction...

, atrial flutter

Atrial flutter

Atrial flutter is an abnormal heart rhythm that occurs in the atria of the heart. When it first occurs, it is usually associated with a fast heart rate or tachycardia , and falls into the category of supra-ventricular tachycardias. While this rhythm occurs most often in individuals with...

 and sometimes heart failure that cannot be controlled by other medication

Medication

A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...

. Digoxin preparations are commonly marketed under the trade name

Trade name

A trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes, although its registered, legal name, used for contracts and other formal situations, may be another....

s Lanoxin, Digitek, and Lanoxicaps.