STUDY OF CARDIOTONIC ACTIVITY OF SOME

HERBAL DRUGS

INTRODUCTIONThe cardiotonics are drugs used to increase

the efficiency improve the contraction of the heart muscle, which leads to improve blood flow to all tissues of the body.

The drugs have long been used to treat CHF, a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the tissue needs of the body.

DEFINATIONCardiotonic is defined as having a favorable or

tonic effect towards the heart's action. It also means increasing the tonus of the muscle of the heart.

Cardiotonic drugs that increases the force of contraction

Having tonic effect on heart.

Cardio tonic Agent- Agent that have a strengthening effect on the heart

or that can increase cardiac output. Two groups of cardio tonic agent: 1) Cardiac glycoside 2)Phosphodisterase inhibitorCardiac Glycosides: The glycosides having cardiac

action are known as cardiac glycosides. They have both beneficial and toxic effects. Plants containing cardiac glycosides have been used as poison and heart drugs. The extract of the drug are used as diuretics and heart tonics. They are also used in the treatment of congestive heart failure.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Common clinical disorder in which the heart fails to provide an adequate blood flow to the peripheral tissue of the body.

Symptoms:o Blood pressure overloado Volume overloado Loss of heart muscle o Decreased contractibilityo Disturbances in filling the heart

Risk FactorAgeSex Family historySmokingPoor dietHigh blood pressureHigh blood cholesterol levelPhysical inactivityHigh stressPoor hygiene

Mechanism of Action of Cardio tonicsBlocks Na-K ATPase pump of cardiac muscleIntracellular conc. Of Na increasesCauses release of Ca from sarcolemma More forcefully contraction of myocardiamBrushing action of proteins actin & myosin is

enhancesGreater output per beatComplete empting of heartEdema is flushed out

PLANT UNDER STUDY1) Digitalis2) Indian squill3) Strophanthus4) Thevetia nerifolia5) Nerium oleander6) Terminalia arjuna

DIGITALISSynonym : digitalis leaves, foxglove leaveBiological source: Dried leaves of digitalis

purpurea Family: ScrophulariaceaePart used: LeavesChemical constituents: Primary glycoside:

purpurea A & B Glucogitaloxin. Secondary glycosides: digitoxin, gitoxin, gitaloxin.

INDIAN SQUILLSynonyms: Jangle pyaj,seaonion,scilla Biological source: Urginea consists of dried

slices of bulbs of Urginea indica kunth Family: LiliaceaePart used: BulbsChemical constituent: Indian squill contain

0.3% of cardiac glycosides . Scillaren A and scillaren B major glycosides .

STROPHANTHUSSynonym: Semino strophanthi, arrow poisonBiological source : Dried ripe seeds of

Strophanthus kombe Oliver Family: ApocynaceaePart used:Chemical constituent: K strophanthin. K-

Strophanthoside. Mucilage. Resin. Choline. Fixed oil.

THEVETIA NERIFOLIASynonym: Lucky nut tree Biologic source : dried seeds of Thevetia

peruviana Family: ApocynaceaePart used: SeedsChemical constituent:  Thevetin which is

mixture of thevetin A and thevetin B. Cerberin Neriifolin Theveneriin Peruvosidic acid Peruvoside

NERIUM OLEANDER Synonyms: Nerium indicumBiological sources-Dried seeds of nerium

oleanderFamily: Apocynaceae Part used: SeedsChemical constituents: odoroside,Oleandrin,

Gluco oleandrin flavanoides rutin, quercetin, adigoside.

TERMINALIA ARJUNA Synonym-Arjuna bark,Dhavala,KakubhaBiological source : Arjuna consists of the dried

stem bark of Terminalia arjuna W.& A.Family : CombretaceaePart used: BarkChemical constituents: Tannins, arjunic acid,

arjunolic acid, arjungenin, arjunglycosides.

CONCLUSION According to WHO’s Reports, 29.2% of total

global deaths are due to coronary heart disease (CHD). Around 80% of CHD deaths take place in low and middle income countries. Heart disease has no geographic, gender and socioeconomic boundaries’. In general, herbal preparations are relatively safe to use in CHD. In this context, it is necessary to work out for an alternative medicine at an affordable constant relatively with low or no side effects to meet this CHD problem indigenously.

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10)WCSP (2011), World Checklist of Selected Plant Families , The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2011-11-08 , search for "Scilla"

11)Jump up ^ "Nerium oleander L.". Germplasm Resources InformationNetwork. United States Department of Agriculture. 1998-03-09. Retrieved 2010-06-26.

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13)Copyright© 2002 Thorne Research, Inc. All rights reserved. Alternative Medicine Review Monographs

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