Is Cardiac glycosides legal in the United Kingdom?

Two 2019 papers reported that cardiac glycosides kill senescent cells in culture and in mice. Digoxin separately has one of the largest outcome trials in cardiology, 6,800 patients, which measured heart failure and not senescence. These are two different bodies of evidence and they do not transfer to each other.

Cardiac glycosides inhibit the sodium-potassium ATPase pump. Two independent groups reported in 2019 that this makes them senolytic: senescent cells sit slightly depolarised with a higher internal hydrogen ion concentration, so pump inhibition tips them into apoptosis at concentrations that spare normal cells.

Mechanism: Established in human cells in culture and in mice: inhibition of the sodium-potassium ATPase depolarises the membrane and acidifies the cell. Senescent cells are already partially depolarised, which is the proposed basis of selectivity, and ouabain additionally induces the pro-apoptotic protein NOXA.

Regulatory history: Digoxin is an FDA-approved prescription drug for heart failure and atrial fibrillation; openFDA lists current prescription products plus several discontinued ones. No cardiac glycoside is approved anywhere for a senolytic or ageing indication. Ouabain is not marketed as a medicine in the United States.

Licenses medicines for the UK market. A compound without a marketing authorisation is an unlicensed medicine, which can only lawfully be supplied for human use through a prescriber under the specials scheme, not sold as a research product.

The classification above is the The Longevity Archive reading of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency listings for Cardiac glycosides at the reviewed date, not a legal opinion. Rules change, and importing, prescribing and possessing a compound can each be treated differently. Check the regulator directly before acting on anything here.