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Question 76 of 92

Q.From the following secondary metabolites which one is used as cardiac tonic ?

(a) Capsaicin
(b) Quinine
(c) Codeine
(d) Digoxin
Puducherry TnboardTamil Nadu HSC (DGE) Board 2020MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★
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Digoxin, a Digitalis-derived cardiac glycoside, is the secondary metabolite used as a cardiac tonic.

Digoxin belongs to a class of plant secondary metabolites called cardiac (cardenolide) glycosides, obtained from the leaves of Digitalis purpurea and related foxglove species. It acts directly on heart muscle by inhibiting the Na+/K+-ATPase pump, which increases intracellular calcium and strengthens the force of cardiac contraction (a positive inotropic effect), while also helping to control heart rate in arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation -- this is precisely why it is described as a 'cardiac tonic' in traditional pharmacognosy terminology. The other listed secondary metabolites serve entirely different medicinal purposes: capsaicin (from Capsicum/chillies) produces the pungent, …

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