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Herb library · Herb · Bryophyllum pinnatum (Kalanchoe pinnata)

Bryophyllum (wonder of life)

A succulent native to Madagascar. It is a Caribbean yard remedy for coughs and foot wounds and a medicine in European anthroposophic practice. A few small trials exist; none is large enough to show a clear benefit.

Traditional use

In Trinidad the leaves are infused, or heated and squeezed for their juice, for colds and coughs, high blood pressure and as a "cooling" drink, and they are laid on diabetic foot wounds. In anthroposophic medicine, a European tradition since the early 1900s, it is given for preterm labor, restlessness and sleep problems.

What studies show

  • Limited

    Overactive bladder: in a 2013 randomized, double-blind trial of 20 postmenopausal women, bryophyllum capsules showed a trend toward fewer trips to urinate over 8 weeks that did not reach significance against placebo; side effects were similar. The authors call for further study.

  • Insufficient

    Preterm labor: two randomized trials were stopped early, and their short report has no abstract to summarize here. A 2016 review by the research group that ran these studies says current data support its use for preterm labor, restlessness and sleep problems, but that further studies are needed.

  • Insufficient

    Diabetic foot infections: a 2014 study in Trinidad found similar amputation and death rates in patients who used the leaves on their feet and in those who followed medical care; it was not a trial.

Be careful of

Cautions

  • NoteBryophyllum species contain bufadienolides, compounds that a 2016 review flags as potentially toxic.
  • ConditionDiabetic foot wounds: in Trinidad, patients who used the leaves waited an average of 9 days before seeking medical care. A foot wound in someone with diabetes needs prompt medical attention.
  • PregnancyIt is studied as a medicine for preterm labor, which means it can act on the womb. Use it in pregnancy only under the care of your obstetric clinician.
  • Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using this if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are giving it to a child.

Sources

  1. Bryophyllum pinnatum and related species used in anthroposophic medicine: constituents, pharmacological activities, and clinical efficacy (Planta Med, 2016) — PubMed record (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  2. Randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial with Bryophyllum pinnatum versus placebo for the treatment of overactive bladder in postmenopausal women (Phytomedicine, 2013) — PubMed record (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  3. Two randomised clinical trials on the use of Bryophyllum pinnatum in preterm labour: results after early discontinuation (Complement Med Res, 2018) — PubMed record (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  4. Wonder of Life (Kalanchoe pinnata) leaves to treat diabetic foot infections in Trinidad & Tobago: a case control study (Trop Doct, 2014) — PubMed record (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026
  5. An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Trinidad (J Ethnobiol Ethnomed, 2015) — full text on PubMed Central (opens in a new tab) · NIH · read September 25, 2026

Reviewed September 25, 2026.