Chemical Properties
white crystalline powder
Uses
Natural surfactant useful for receptor solubilization and cell permeabilization, e.g., blood platelets, hepatocytes, yeast or tumor cells
Uses
enhances membrane permeability
Uses
Digitonin has been used in a study to assess a procedure for isolating mitochondria from ascites tumor cells. It has also been used in a study to investigate its effect on the cytotoxicity of plant secondary metabolites in cancer cells. This mild nonionic detergent can be used to solubilize receptors and permeabilize cellular and nuclear membranes.
Uses
Clinical reagent (cholesterol determination).
General Description
Crystals or white powder.
Air & Water Reactions
Forms soapy aqueous suspension .
Reactivity Profile
DIGITONIN is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents and strong acids. (NTP, 1992
Fire Hazard
Flash point data for DIGITONIN are not available; however, DIGITONIN is probably combustible.
Safety Profile
Poison by ingestion,
intravenous, intraperitoneal, and
subcutaneous routes. Mutation data
reported. See also DIGITALIS. When
heated to decomposition it emits acrid
smoke and irritating fumes.
Purification Methods
This digitoxin hexa-glycoside can be recrystallised from aqueous 85% EtOH or MeOH/diethyl ether. It is purified by preparative paper chromatography and developed with the upper phase of a mixture of nBuOH/H2O/AcOH (4:5:1), and the spot (RF 0.36) is eluted with 25% CCl3CO2H in CHCl3. It has also been purified by countercurrent distribution. It forms an ethanolate, and complexes with cholesterol and other sterols. [Ruhenstroth-Bauer & Breitenfeld Hoppe Seyler's Z Physiol Chem 302 111 1955, Grisvold J Am Pharm Assoc 23 664 1934, Beilstein 19 IV 1243.]
