Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Polycyclic Hydrocarbons > Steroids > Cardanolides Terms and Definitions
Cardanolides
Medical Definition: | The aglycone constituents of CARDIAC GLYCOSIDES. The ring structure is basically a cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene nucleus attached to a lactone ring at the C-17 position. |
Guide Notes: | do not confuse with CARDENOLIDES |
Cardenolides - C(23)-steroids with methyl groups at C-10 and C-13 and a five-membered lactone at C-17. They are aglycone constituents of CARDIAC GLYCOSIDES and must have at least one double bond in the molecule. The class includes cardadienolides and cardatrienolides. Members include DIGITOXIN and DIGOXIN and their derivatives and the STROPHANTHINS. | |
Cardiac Glycosides - Substances obtained from species of Digitalis, Strophanthus, and other plants that contain specific steroid glycosides or their semisynthetic derivatives and used in congestive heart failure. They increase the force of cardiac contraction without significantly affecting other parameters, but are very toxic at larger doses. Their mechanism of action usually involves inhibition of the Na(+)-K(+)-exchanging ATPase and they are often used in cell biological studies for that purpose. |
Cardanolides Medical Definitions and Terms
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