Toad venom is regarded as the main source of bufadienolides; however, synthesis of these substances takes also place in a variety of other animal and plant organisms, including ethnomedicinal plants of the Kalanchoe genus. Chemically, bufadienolides are a group of polyhydroxy C-24 steroids and their glycosides, containing a six-membered lactone (α-pyrone) ring at the C-17β position. From the pharmacological point of view, bufadienolides might be a promising group of steroid hormones with cardioactive properties and anticancer activity. Most of the literature concerns bufadienolides of animal origin; however, the medicinal use of these compounds remains limited by their narrow therapeutic index and the risk of development of cardiotoxic effects. On the other hand, plants such as Kalanchoe are also a source of bufadienolides. Kalanchoe pinnata (life plant, air plant, cathedral bells), Kalanchoe daigremontiana (mother of thousands) and other Kalanchoe species are valuable herbs in traditional medicine of Asia and Africa. The present review focuses on the available data on chemical structures of 31 compounds, biological properties and prospects for therapeutic use of bufadienolides from Kalanchoe species. Furthermore, it presents some new investigational trends in research on curative uses of these substances.

中文翻译：

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长寿花蟾蜍二烯内酯：化学结构、生物活性和药理用途前景的概述。


蟾蜍毒液被认为是蟾蜍二烯内酯的主要来源；然而，这些物质的合成也发生在多种其他动植物有机体中，包括长寿属的民族药用植物。从化学角度来看，蟾蜍二烯内酯是一组多羟基 C-24 类固醇及其糖苷，在 C-17β 位点含有六元内酯（α-吡喃酮）环。从药理学的角度来看，蟾蜍二烯内酯可能是一组有前途的类固醇激素，具有心脏活性和抗癌活性。大多数文献涉及动物来源的蟾蜍二烯内酯；然而，这些化合物的医学用途仍然受到其治疗指数狭窄和产生心脏毒性作用的风险的限制。另一方面，长寿花等植物也是蟾蜍二烯内酯的来源。长寿花（生命植物、空气植物、大教堂钟声）、长寿花（万千之母）等长寿花属植物，是亚洲和非洲传统医学中的名贵草药。本综述重点关注来自长寿物种的蟾蜍二烯内酯的 31 种化合物的化学结构、生物特性和治疗用途前景的现有数据。此外，它还提出了这些物质的治疗用途研究中的一些新的研究趋势。