Abstract

Kalanchoe pinnata (Family: Crassulaceae) is an important plant which has many traditional medicinal uses. The main objective of this literature review was to give advance information for the drug discovery research for K. pinnata. It was found that this plant showed various pharmacological activities such as anthelmentic, immunosuppressive, wound healing, hepatoprotective, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic, nephroprotective, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, analgesic, anticonvulsant, neuropharmacological and antipyretic. Anthelmentic activity was found due to the presence of tannins of the extract of K. pinnata and steroid glycosides such as bufadienolide showed wound healing activity. It was also found that the different flavonoids, polyphenols, triterpenoids and other chemical constituents of the plant were responsible for the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic properties. Quercetin had a marked protective effect on cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity and possessed potent oral efficacy against cutaneous leishmaniasis. The two new novel flavonoids such as 5I Methyl 4I, 5, 7 trihydroxyl flavone and 4I, 3, 5, 7 tetrahydroxy 5-methyl 5I-propenamine anthocyanidines could be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of K. pinnata. Five bufadienolides (1-5) isolated from the leaves of K. pinnata were potential cancer chemopreventive agents. Quercitrin, a flavonoid, is a critical component of K. pinnata extract against an extreme allergic reaction. This literature review gave the evidence-based information regarding the phytoconstituents and pharmacological activity of the medicinal plant, K. pinnatawhich could help researchers for more advanced qualitative research.

Key words: Kalanchoe pinnata, phytochemical, nephroprotective, immunosuppressive, neuropharmacological.