Synthesis of New Substances as Starting Materials in the Preparation of Compound with Physiological Activity

Abstract

(First paragraph) From plants of the Apocynaoiac and Scrophulariaceae order, substances are extracted which are heart poisons. Small doses of such substances stimulate deseased heart to a greater contractional activity and the result is a decrease in the rate and an increase in the intensity of the heart beat. These substances are made of a complicated polynuclear radical of the steroid type called aglucon or genin and a chain of sugars such as glucose rhammose, digitoxose, cymarose, digitalose etc. attached to the aglucon by a glucosidic linkage. These types of substances are called cardiac glycosides. The glycosides of therapeutic value are found in the digitalis plant commonly known as fox glove.