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Foxglove and the Circulatory System
Name: Andrew Wilson
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
My name is Andrew Wilson. I have begun a project involving plants and their uses in making medicines. I know that the foxglove cures a cardiac disease
known as dropsy. I found foxglove interesting since I enjoy learning
about the circulatory system. I would like to know more about the herb foxglove and what part of it affects the circulatory system/dropsy.
Also, do you know of a project that a seventh grader could do?
Replies:
The drug in foxglove is digitalis (funny thing: the scientific name
for foxglove is _Digitalis purpurea_ !! ;-) Digitalis is usually
refined into digoxin, digitoxin, and lanatoside C which are used to
improve the action of a failing or inefficient heart and to reduce
dangerously fast heart rates. Dropsy, or *edema*, is the accumulation
of fluids in body tissue leading to swelling. There can be many causes,
one of which is heart failure.
We get many requests for project ideas here. It is very difficult to
even *suggest* an idea without knowing what your resources are, be they
your own personal resources (knowledge, experience, equipment, and,
*especially* interests) or the resources of your school and classroom.
Talk to your teachers. You might even consider talking to other
teachers at your school that you aren't even taking classes from
(what a totally outlandish idea!! ;-)
Jade Hawk
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Update: June 2012
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