Devil's-Backbone

Botanical Overview

Devil’s-Backbone (Kalanchoe daegrimontiana) is a species in the Crassulaceae family. This species belongs to the Crassulaceae family, a group of flowering plants. Although comprehensive ethnobotanical records are limited, phytochemical studies have identified 13 compounds in this species, suggesting potential medicinal value.

Family Context

The Crassulaceae family is widely distributed. Notable medicinal members include:

Active Compounds

Phytochemical research has identified 13 compounds in this species, including a diverse array of phytochemical classes (see the Complete Chemical Inventory below for the full list).

The identified compounds include the following categories:

  • Sterol: cholesterol-like compounds with anti-inflammatory properties

Research Status

Although this species has documented phytochemical constituents, its ethnobotanical and clinical documentation remains incomplete. Additional phytochemical investigation could identify novel bioactive compounds in this plant.

ⓘ Information
Information on this page is compiled from Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases (USDA ARS), a public domain resource. Consult a healthcare professional before using any herbal preparation.

Complete Chemical Inventory

CompoundFormulaMW
25(27)-DEHYDRO-PORIFERASTEROL
BERSALDEGIN-1,3,5-ORTHOACETATE
BERSALDEGIN-1-ACETATE
CLEROSTEROLC₂₉H₄₈O412.7 Da
DAIGREDORIGENIN-3-ACETATE
DAIGREMONTIANINC₂₆H₃₀O₉486.5 Da
FUMARIC-ACIDC₄H₄O₄116.07 Da
ISOCITRIC-ACIDC₆H₈O₇192.12 Da
MALIC-ACIDC₄H₆O₅134.09 Da
OXALIC-ACIDC₂H₂O₄90.03 Da
QUINIC-ACIDC₇H₁₂O₆192.17 Da
SHIKIMIC-ACIDC₇H₁₀O₅174.15 Da
SUCCINIC-ACIDC₄H₆O₄118.09 Da

Data from PubChem (NIH/NLM, public domain).


References & Further Reading

External Research Links

Data Sources