This herb is a powerful, beautiful, potentially deadly & invaluable when used properly. Foxglove contains substances that are among the most potent heart treatment drugs used today, but they can be lethal if used incorrectly.
Foxglove is a classic example of why you should be educated about herbs before making any herbal preparations of your own.
Foxglove has been employed in the treatment of internal haemorrhage,inflammatory diseases,delirium tremens, epilepsy & acute mania.
It is for strengthening the heart & regulating heartbeat.
Foxglove also causes an irregular pulse to become regular.
The action of the drug on the kidneys is of importance only second to its action on the circulation.
In small or moderate doses, it is a powerful diuretic & a valuable remedy in dropsy, especially when this is connected with affections of the heart.
Foxglove is an excellent antidote in Aconite poisoning, given as a hypodermic injection.
Extracts from the foxglove plant, especially from the leaves are extremely effective in increasing the functionalities of all forms of muscle tissue, but more importantly that of the heart & the arterioles.
In cases of cardiac dilatation the use of foxgloves improves the nutrition of the heart by increasing the amount of blood.
In the earlier days, foxglove was used in Ireland as treatment to skin disorders for boils & ulcers.
Also in treating headaches as well as paralysis.
Very toxic, those suffering an overdose of digitalis may experience anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea & sometime xanthopsia (jaundiced or yellow vision) with the appearance of halos or blurred outlines. Bradycardia can also occur.
Depending on the species, it may contain several deadly physiological & chemically related cardiac & steroidal glycosides which lead to the folk names “Dead Man’s Bells”& “Witches Gloves”.
The entire plant is toxic including roots & seeds.
A nibble can be enough to cause death.
Symptoms include but are not limited to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, wild hallucinations, delirium, severe headache, irregular & slow pulse, tremors, various cerebral disturbances, especially of a visual nature, convulsions, & deadly disturbances of the heart.
The plant is toxic to animals including all classes of livestock & poultry, as well as felids & canids.
Northern legends stating that bad fairies
gave these blossoms to the fox so that
she might put them onto their toes to soften
tread when prowling among the roosts.
Other legends state that the blossoms are
to mark where the elves had placed
their fingers or that they were warning signs
for the baneful juices secreted by the plant
as in Ireland’s name for it as
“Dead Man’s Thimbles”.
There is a tradition in the Scottish Borders of putting foxglove leaves in a newborn baby's cradle to protect it from becoming bewitched.
Foxglove was used throughout the UK for working magic, as a symbol for protection & communicating with fairies, woodland spirits such as elves.
The name Goblin's Gloves is of Welsh origin. There foxglove was thought to attract the hobgoblins who wore the foxglove bells on their fingers to bring magical properties.
Foxglove, Digitalis, is used in fairy magic & for the evocation of elves or earth elementals. The leaves are said to grant release from fairy enchantment. Planting foxglove is an invitation to fairies to enter your garden.
Wearing foxglove is a charm to attract fairy energy. The juice of the plant is said to be effective in breaking fairy enchantments, which are sometimes naughty & downright cruel, as in the stealing of babies & children.
Placed in front of the house, Foxglove is believed to protect the occupants from evil influences.
Picking Foxglove from the garden & bringing it inside, is believed to anger the Fairies.
Placed in a charm or talisman, a piece of Foxglove flower is believed to keep one inside protective Fairy light.