MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Foxglove

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Foxglove

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative names Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms	Home Treatment Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

Illustrations

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

Alternative names Return to top

Willow-Leaved Foxglove; Revebjelle

Definition Return to top

Poisoning in children occurs from sucking the flowers or eating the seeds, stems, and/or leaves. In adults it usually results from overdosing of any of the digitalis glycosides (digitoxin, deslanoside, and digoxin).

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

deslanoside
digitoxin
digoxin
digitalis glycosides

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Where Found Return to top

Flowers, leaves, stems, and seeds of the foxglove plant.

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms Return to top

body as a whole
- weakness
- headache
- depression
- hallucinations *
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- blurred vision
- halos around objects (yellow, green, white) *
skin
- rash
- hives
gastrointestinal
- loss of appetite *
- vomiting or nausea
- abdominal pain (lower stomach)
- diarrhea
heart and blood vessels
- irregular or slow heartbeat
- low blood pressure
nervous system
- drowsiness
- confusion
- depression *
- headache
- fainting
- lethargy
- disorientation

* Usually only seen in chronic overdose cases

Home Treatment Return to top

Call Poison Control.

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

Determine the following information:

the patient's age, weight, and condition
the name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known) or plant
the time it was swallowed
the amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number Return to top

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container or plant with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room Return to top

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

induce vomiting
use gastric lavage
administer activated charcoal
monitor vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, and so forth)
monitor EKG (monitors heart function)
blood samples drawn to determine digitalis levels, as well as magnesium and potassium levels
administration of antidote and other medication to correct problems resulting from the overdose if needed
correction of electrolyte (potassium, magnesium) imbalances

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

The prognosis (probable outcome):
If the individual survives the first 24 hours their chances of survival are very good.

Update Date: 2/23/2004

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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