MeSH definition : Cyclopentanophenanthrenes with a 5- or 6-membered lactone ring attached at the 17-position
and SUGARS attached at the 3-position. Plants they come from have long been 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.;
Cyclopentanophenanthrenes with a 5- or 6-membered lactone ring attached at the 17-position
and SUGARS attached at the 3-position. Plants they come from have long been 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.