A toxic chemical compound found in digitalis plants, used historically in small amounts as a heart stimulant but dangerous in larger doses.
From 'digitalis' (the foxglove plant) plus the chemical suffix '-ein,' used in German pharmaceutical nomenclature. The 'digitalis' part comes from Latin 'digitus' meaning 'finger,' referring to the flower's finger-like shape.
Digitalein is one of several poisonous compounds in foxglove—medieval people discovered by accident that tiny amounts could slow a racing heart, making it one of the first drugs that worked by targeting a specific body system rather than just causing vomiting or sweating.
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