Daigremontianin
Encyclopedia
Daigremontianin is a bufadienolide. Bufadienolides are steroids and cardiac glycoside
aglycone
s (meaning that they bind with carbohydrate
s to form cardiac glycosides) that are similar to cardenolide
s, differing only in the structure of the C-17 substituent on the D ring. This chemical has been found to be toxic in experiments on mice. It is one of five bufadienolides that have been isolated from Kalanchoe daigremontiana
.
are one of the prime sources of bufadienolide cardiac glycosides (including daigremontianin) responsible for an estimated 33% of cattle mortalities related to plant poison
ing in South Africa
. Crassulacean bufadienolides cause cardiac poisoning, but repeated small doses cause a condition called cotyledonosis an intoxication affecting nervous
and muscular system
s of small animals, particularly, sheep in the Karoo
area of South Africa.
effects. Two of the five Kalanchoe daigremontiana glycosides - daigremontianin and bersaldegenin 1,3,5-orthoacetate have shown to have sedative
effect and with an increase in the dose an increasing effect on the central nervous system
besides having strong positive inotropic effect associated with cardiac glycosides.
Cardiac glycoside
Cardiac glycosides are drugs used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia. These glycosides are found as secondary metabolites in several plants, but also in some animals, such as the milkweed butterflies. -Function:...
aglycone
Aglycone
An aglycone is the non-sugar compound remaining after replacement of the glycosyl group from a glycoside by a hydrogen atom. The spelling aglycon is sometimes encountered .Classes of phytochemicals found in the aglycone and glycosides forms :...
s (meaning that they bind with carbohydrate
Carbohydrate
A carbohydrate is an organic compound with the empirical formula ; that is, consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with a hydrogen:oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 . However, there are exceptions to this. One common example would be deoxyribose, a component of DNA, which has the empirical...
s to form cardiac glycosides) that are similar to cardenolide
Cardenolide
Cardenolide is a type of steroid. Many plants contain derivatives, collectively known as cardenolides, including many in the form of cardenolide glycosides...
s, differing only in the structure of the C-17 substituent on the D ring. This chemical has been found to be toxic in experiments on mice. It is one of five bufadienolides that have been isolated from Kalanchoe daigremontiana
Kalanchoe daigremontiana
Kalanchoe daigremontiana syn. Bryophyllum daigremontianum also called Devil's Backbone, Alligator Plant, Mexican Hat Plant or Mother of Thousands is a succulent plant native to Madagascar. This plant is distinguished by its ability to propagate via vegetative propagation...
.
Toxicity
CrassulaceansCrassulaceae
Crassulaceae, or the orpine family, are a family of dicotyledons. They store water in their succulent leaves. They are found worldwide, but mostly occur in the Northern Hemisphere and southern Africa, typically in dry and/or cold areas where water may be scarce...
are one of the prime sources of bufadienolide cardiac glycosides (including daigremontianin) responsible for an estimated 33% of cattle mortalities related to plant poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ing in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Crassulacean bufadienolides cause cardiac poisoning, but repeated small doses cause a condition called cotyledonosis an intoxication affecting nervous
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
and muscular system
Muscular system
The muscular system is the anatomical system of a species that allows it to move. The muscular system in vertebrates is controlled through the nervous system, although some muscles can be completely autonomous.- Muscles :...
s of small animals, particularly, sheep in the Karoo
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
area of South Africa.
Traditional medicine
In traditional medicine Kalanchoe species are used to treat several ailments, e.g. infections, rheumatism and inflammation. Kalanchoe sp. extracts have immonosuppressiveImmunosuppressant
An immunosuppressant is any substance that performs immunosuppression of the immune system. They may be either exogenous, as immunosuppressive drugs, or endogenous, as ,e. g., testosterone...
effects. Two of the five Kalanchoe daigremontiana glycosides - daigremontianin and bersaldegenin 1,3,5-orthoacetate have shown to have sedative
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
effect and with an increase in the dose an increasing effect on the central nervous system
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
besides having strong positive inotropic effect associated with cardiac glycosides.