xanthopsia

An often described, but rarely seen, adverse effect of digoxin is a disturbance of color vision (mostly yellow and green) called xanthopsia.

Xanthopsia refers to the predominance of yellow in vision due to a yellowing of the optic media of the eye.

Also, xanthopsia (yellow vision), a burning sensation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, and gastrointestinal tract and respiratory paralysis can occur.

This has been disputed, however, most notably by Arnold and Loftus (1991) who have noted the santonin content would have been insufficient to cause xanthopsia.

Edmund Rose is remembered for his research of color blindness, xanthopsia and the drug Santonin, and how Santonin affected color vision.

It has been suggested that Digitalis-derived digoxin, used to treat heart failure, induced xanthopsia responsible for the yellow tinting exhibited by many of Van Gogh's works.

It has been speculated by some parties that Impressionist art-in particular, Van Gogh's artwork-may have been inspired not by thujone and its presumed psychotropic effects, but on the "yellow vision" or xanthopsia which is a known side effect of santonin.

Nearly every formulary and herbal which lists santonin or santonin-containing plants lists the real risk of yellow vision and of fatal reactions; even small doses of santonin cause disturbances of vision, usually yellow vision or perhaps green (xanthopsia or chromatopsia).

Depending on the severity of the toxicosis, the victim may later suffer irregular and slow pulse, tremors, various cerebral disturbances, especially of a visual nature (unusual colour visions (see xanthopsia) with objects appearing yellowish to green, and blue halos around lights), convulsions, and deadly disturbances of the heart.