Gitoformate Explained

Gitoformate (INN, or pentaformylgitoxin, trade name Dynocard) is a cardiac glycoside, a type of drug that can be used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).^[1] Produced by Madaus, it is not available in the US, and does not seem to be available in Europe either.

Chemistry

Gitoformate is a derivative of the glycoside gitoxin, with five of the six free hydroxyl groups formylated, one on the aglycon and four on the sugar.^{[2] [3]} Gitoxin, a cardiac glycoside from the woolly foxglove (Digitalis lanata), has an aglycon of the cardenolide type named gitoxigenin, which is also the aglycon of lanatoside B, another Digitalis lanata glycoside.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Rietbrock N, Woodcock BG, Hrazdil U . [Gitoformate and digitoxin as alternatives to kidney-dependent glycosides in the therapy of cardiac insufficiency] . Arzneimittel-Forschung . 34 . 8 . 915–917 . 1984 . 6541927 .
2. Dei Cas L, Affatato A, Buia E, Casciarri G, Faggiano P, Giunti G, Metra M, Pelagatti T, Quinzanini M . 6 . [Plasma levels of gitoxin (by RIA and rubidium-86 uptake) and systolic time after treatment with a single dose of gitoformate] . Cardiologia . 29 . 5–6 . 291–300 . 1984 . 6542412 .
3. Web site: Gitoxin . PubChem . U.S. National Library of Medicine .
4. Book: Foye WO, Lemke TL, Williams DA . Foye's principles of medicinal chemistry . 699 . 978-0-7817-6879-5 . 2008 . Lippincott Williams & Wilkins .