Table 1.
Kalanchoe species in ethnomedicine (a compilation of data)
| Species (with English names) | Traditional uses and geographical region and/or country |
|---|---|
| Kalanchoe crenata (Andrews) Haw. (Never-die) | Medicinal plant, used during pregnancy by Anyi-Ndenye women (Eastern Ivory Coast, Africa) (Malan and Neuba 2011) Leaves are recommended to heal umbilical cord wounds in newborns (Mabira Central Forest Reserve, Uganda) (Tugume et al. 2016) |
| Kalanchoe daigremontiana Raym.-Hamet & H. Perrier, syn. Bryophyllum daigremontianum Raym.-Hamet & H. Perrier. (Mother of Thousands) | One of the most frequently prescribed anthroposophic medications, administered against psychic agitation, restlessness, and anxiety—studies conducted at Hospital Havelhoehe, Germany (Süsskind et al. 2012) |
| Kalanchoe densiflora Rolfe | For the treatment of wounds (Samburu of Mt. Nyiru, South Turkana, Kenya) (Bussmann 2006) |
| Kalanchoe germanae Raym.-Hamet ex Raadts (Air plant) | Removal of ganglion—the pound leaves are used on ganglion area (Kenya) (Kipkore et al. 2014) |
| Kalanchoe glaucescens Britten | Leaves are used to treat cough (Mabira Central Forest Reserve, Uganda) (Tugume et al. 2016) |
| Kalanchoe gracilis Hance, syn. Kalanchoe ceratophylla Haw. | To cure injuries, pain, fever and inflammation (Taiwan) (Lai et al. 2010) |
| Kalanchoe laciniata L. (Christmastree plant) | Juice from the leaves is used externally for joint pain (Southern India) (Karuppuswamy 2007) Powdered leaves are administered to alleviate cough, to cure colds and inflammation and for healing of boils and wounds (Southern India, Malaysia) Headache (Philippines) Crushed leaves are applied externally to decrease body temperature and to heal ulcers (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam) To cure wounds, inflammation and diabetes (India) (Deb and Dash 2013) |
| Kalanchoe lanceolata (Forsk.) Pers. | Anti-malarial remedy (Kenya) (Njoroge and Bussmann 2006) The leaf juice is administered during dysentery (India) (Bapuji and Ratnam 2009) |
| Kalanchoe marmorata Bak. | Boiled juice is used as eye drops for treatment of eye infections (eastern Ethiopia) (Belayneh and Bussa 2014) |
| Kalanchoe petitiana A. Rich. | Leaf juice is applied on the fractured for bone setting (Ethiopia) (Ragunathan and Abay 2009) |
| Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers., syn. Bryophyllum pinnatum Lam., Bryophyllum calycinum Salisb. (Life plant, air plant, love plant, Canterbury bells, Cathedral bells) | In the treatment of urinary bladder stones (India, Trinidad and Tobago) (Lans 2006; Sen et al. 2008) Leaf extract is used to cure amoebic dysentery (North Bengal) (Mitra and Mukherjee 2010) Wounds, bruises, swellings and insect bite (Himalaya) (Hussain and Hore 2007) Diarrhea (India) (Dash and Padhy 2006) Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory remedy (Vietnam) (Nguyen et al. 2004) Internally: to cure acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and others respiratory tract infections, fever; externally: to treat dermatomycosis (Nigieria) (Okwu and Nnamdi 2011) Leaves are recommended for treatment of cough in adults and children (Kibale National Park, Uganda) (Namukobe et al. 2011) Inflammation, dermatosis, skin problems, wound healing, arthritis, asthma, bruises, diabetes, infections, tumours and ulcers—worlwide (Quazi Majaz et al. 2011a, b) Paste from macerated leaves is used externally for muscle and joint pain (Bangaldesh) (Tumpa et al. 2014) Preparations from leaves are used to treat digestive disorders (India) (Barukial and Sarmah 2011) Decoction from leaves is administered to remove kidney stones (Bangladesh) (Afroz et al. 2013) Leaves are chewed with salt as a remedy for dissolving of gall bladder stones (Bangladesh) (Rahmatullah et al. 2011) Herbal preparation from roots and leaves is administered to women for recovering after childbirth (West Java) (Sihotang 2011) Leaf paste is applied externally to treat scorpion bite (India) (Vaidyanathan et al. 2013) Leaf juice is recommended to treat cholera, diarrhea and dysentery (Bangladesh) (Khan et al. 2015) Leaves are used to treat urinary problems, incl. kidney and gall bladder stones (Bangladesh) (Bhowmik et al. 2014) Raw laves are chewed with sugar to treat dysentery and diarrhea; leaf juice is recommended to cure jaundice; leaf paste is used externally to heal skin infections and pimples (Bangladesh) (Das and Choudhury 2012) |
| Kalanchoe tubiflora Raym.-Hamet, syn. Bryophyllum delagoense (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Druce (Chandelier plant) | One of the most common medicinal plants used for wound healing (Brazil) (Hsieh et al. 2012) |