Adverse Effects
Overdoses of digitalis alkaloids can cause vomiting, diarrhea, bradycardia, atrioventricular heart block, confusion, and visual disturbances . Foxglove has caused serious poisonings, and anti-digoxin Fab fragments are not particularly effective in treating foxglove poisoning. Most cases of toxicity have been caused by wild-food gatherers mistaking the plant for comfrey .
An apparently accidentally adulterated mixture of herbs meant for “internal cleansing” (a code phrase for laxative effects) resulted in two cases of digoxin poisoning .