Bufadienolide is a chemical compound with

steroid A steroid is an organic compound with four fused compound, fused rings (designated A, B, C, and D) arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes t ...

structure. Its derivatives are collectively known as bufadienolides, including many in the form of bufadienolide

glycosides In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...

(bufadienolides that contain structural groups derived from sugars). These are a type of

cardiac glycoside Cardiac glycosides are a class of organic compounds that increase the output force of the heart and decrease its rate of contractions by inhibiting the cellular sodium-potassium ATPase pump. Their beneficial medical uses include treatments for ...

, the other being the

cardenolide A cardenolide is a type of steroid. Many plants contain derivatives, collectively known as cardenolides, including many in the form of cardenolide glycosides (cardenolides that contain structural groups derived from sugars). Cardenolide glycoside ...

glycosides. Both bufadienolides and their glycosides are

toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...

; specifically, they can cause an atrioventricular block,

bradycardia Bradycardia, also called bradyarrhythmia, is a resting heart rate under 60 beats per minute (BPM). While bradycardia can result from various pathological processes, it is commonly a physiological response to cardiovascular conditioning or due ...

(slow heartbeat),

ventricular tachycardia Ventricular tachycardia (V-tach or VT) is a cardiovascular disorder in which fast heart rate occurs in the ventricles of the heart. Although a few seconds of VT may not result in permanent problems, longer periods are dangerous; and multiple ...

(a type of rapid heartbeat), and possibly lethal

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...

Etymology

The term derives from the toad genus '' Bufo'' that contains bufadienolide glycosides, the suffix ''-adien-'' that refers to the two double bonds in the lactone ring, and the ending ''-olide'' that denotes the lactone structure. Consequently, related structures with only one double bond are called ''bufenolides'', and the saturated equivalent is ''bufanolide''. Bufanolide structure

Classification

According to MeSH, bufadienolides and bufanolides are classified as follows: *

Polycyclic compound In the field of organic chemistry, a polycyclic compound is an organic compound featuring several closed ring (chemistry), rings of atoms, primarily carbon. These ring substructures include cycloalkanes, aromaticity, aromatics, and other ring ...

s **

Steroid A steroid is an organic compound with four fused compound, fused rings (designated A, B, C, and D) arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes t ...

s *** Cardanolides ****

Cardiac glycoside Cardiac glycosides are a class of organic compounds that increase the output force of the heart and decrease its rate of contractions by inhibiting the cellular sodium-potassium ATPase pump. Their beneficial medical uses include treatments for ...

s *****Bufanolides (includes bufenolides, bufadienolides, bufatrienolides) ****** Proscillaridin ****** Daigremontianin *****

Cardenolide A cardenolide is a type of steroid. Many plants contain derivatives, collectively known as cardenolides, including many in the form of cardenolide glycosides (cardenolides that contain structural groups derived from sugars). Cardenolide glycoside ...

Etymology

Classification

References

Further reading