Digitalis viridiflora extract

Digitalis viridiflora extract is a botanical preparation derived from the aerial parts of the Balkan foxglove, *Digitalis viridiflora* Lindley. The extract contains a complex mixture of bioactive secondary metabolites, most notably cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) and phenylethanoid glycosides. In preclinical pharmacological studies, the extract has demonstrated potent and selective cytotoxic activity against several human cancer cell lines, including HeLa (cervical cancer), HEp-2 (laryngeal cancer), and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma). Its primary mechanism of action is attributed to the inhibition of the Na+/K+-ATPase pump, a characteristic effect of Digitalis-derived glycosides, which disrupts cellular ion homeostasis and triggers apoptotic pathways in malignant cells. Research indicates that the extract exhibits a high degree of selectivity, showing significantly greater potency against tumor cells compared to non-cancerous fibroblast cell lines such as 3Y1.

Other names

D. viridiflora extractDigitalis viridiflora aerial part extract