digitoxin and Drug-Hypersensitivity

Topics: Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Death, Sudden; Digitalis; Drug Hypersensitivity; Humans; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic

To clarify the cause of hypersensitivity to digitoxin, an experiment was carried out with cats. The most potent hypersensitivity to digitoxin has been observed 48 hr after the injection of a loading dose. However, 1 hr after this injection, the cats failed to show the hypersensitivity. One, 24 and 48 hr after the injection of 3H-digitoxin, the contents of digitoxin and its metabolites in subcellular fractions of hearts were measured. Digitoxin contents in microsomal fractions 48 hr after the injection only slightly decreased. while those in mitochondrial and nuclear fractions markedly decreased as compared with the check at 1 hr. An increase of sodium ions and a decrease of potassium ions in the hearts were seen 48 hr after the injection. These facts may be related to the cause of hypersensitivity.

Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Biotransformation; Cats; Cell Nucleus; Digitoxin; Drug Hypersensitivity; Female; Male; Myocardium; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; Subcellular Fractions; Time Factors

Radioimmunoassay is a simple method for estimating the concentration of cardiac glycosides in the blood. The technique is described. An condition of the accuracy of the estimation is that the drug levels in blood and tissue have reached equilibrium, since only then will the blood concentration accurately reflect the drug level in the tissues. The therapeutic plasma levels are 0.7 to 2.0 ng/ml for digoxin and 10-30 ng/ml for digitoxin. Indications for estimating the plasma glycoside levels are reviewed; they include suspected digitalis poisoning or intolerance, interaction of glycosides with other drugs and suspected negligence on the part of the patient to take the prescribed dose.

Topics: Albumins; Antibody Formation; Cardiac Glycosides; Digitoxin; Digoxin; Drug Hypersensitivity; Drug Interactions; Humans; Methods; Patient Compliance; Radioimmunoassay

Topics: Ampicillin; Blood; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Digitalis; Drug Hypersensitivity; Female; Fever; Furosemide; Humans; Lidocaine; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Phytotherapy; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Procainamide; Quinidine; Urine; Vomiting

Topics: Chlordiazepoxide; Digitoxin; Drug Hypersensitivity; Drug Interactions; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Female; Humans; Hydrochlorothiazide; Hyperkinesis; Hypokalemia; Iatrogenic Disease; Male; Medication Errors; Middle Aged; Nausea; Trifluoperazine

Topics: Aged; Atrial Fibrillation; Digitalis; Drug Hypersensitivity; Electric Countershock; Humans; Male; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Quinidine; Thiopental

Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Breast; Diarrhea; Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Dogs; Drug Hypersensitivity; Endocrine Glands; Eye Manifestations; Hyperkalemia; Hypertrophy; Neurologic Manifestations; Toxicology

Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Circumcision, Male; Colistin; Digitalis; Drug Hypersensitivity; Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infusions, Parenteral; Injections, Intramuscular; Kanamycin; Male; Nalorphine; Novobiocin; Nurseries, Infant; Penicillins; Punctures; Resuscitation; Sulfonamides; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Tetracycline; Vitamin K

Topics: Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Drug Hypersensitivity; Drug Tolerance; Humans; Plant Extracts