Sedum

Location

Common in arid or semiarid (temperate) regions, usually in stony soil or on rock outcrops.  Some species are found at very high elevations or latitudes and in tropical mountains (Walters 2006).

Description

Sedum includes some 400 species, is the largest genus of the Crassulaceae family, and is the most widespread genus of Crassulaceae in temperate North America. Sedum species vary from herbs to shrubs. Usually, Sedum has succulent leaves and a cymose inflorescence. Fruit tends to be a cluster of follicles; it is rarely capsules (Walters 2006).

History

Sedum sarmentosum has been frequently used in Asian folk medicine for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases including chronic viral hepatitis in China and Korea (Moon 2009).  In addition to medicinal uses, countries prize a variety of Sedum species for its taste in salads and soups.  East Asians include the leaves and flowers of Sedum sarmentosum in “namul,” a popular vegetable dish.  Alexander von Humboldt, an early 19th century German naturalist and explorer, put Sedum reflexum in one of his favorite soups (Faccida 1998).  This same species was used by the Dutch in tossed green salads for its slightly astringent sour taste.  In the far west, North Americans cut young shoots of Sedum rhodanthum to add to their salads.  Lastly, Sedum species have served as popular ornamental plants in homes and gardens.

Current medicinal uses

The most widespread and popular use of Sedum is to treat pain and inflammation.  Current research is aimed at revealing its anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive mechanism of action. Sedum species contain alkaloids, tannins, and cyanogenic compounds, but it is thought that its flavanoid collection probably confers its anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive properties (De Melo 2005). No randomized controlled trials were identified.  In vitro studies have shown that Sedum sarmentosum acts as an ACE inhibitor and prevents loss of collagen cartilege tissues in murine models (Oh 2004, Kim 2005).  Proposed mechanisms include suppression of nitric oxide and prostaglandin synthesis, prevention of reactive oxygen species formation, and through anti-angiogenic activity (Jung 2008 & De Melo 2005).

Current environmental uses

There is a hyperaccumulating ecotype of Sedum alfredii, a south China native, that is capable of sequestering and storing high concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) in its shoots.  The ability to accumulate and tolerate toxic concentrations of metals from the soil is promising for phytoremediation projects.  The mechanism by which Sedum alfredii hyperaccumulates is being sought after for the possibility of transferring the hyperaccumulation traits into crop species for use in biofortification (Tian 2009).

Adverse effects

From 1998 to 2007, there have been 41 case reports coming from national medical journals of hepatic veno-occlusive disease caused by Sedum aizoon, a species of sedum that is not used medicinally (Wu 2008).

References

De Melo, Giany O.; Malvar, David do C.; Vanderlinde, Frederico A.; Pires, Priscilla A.; Côrtes, 

Wellington S.; Filho, Pedro Germano; Muzitano, Michelle F.; Kaiser, Carlos R.; Costa, 

Sônia S. “Phytochemical and pharmacological study of Sedum dendroideum leaf juice.” 

Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 102(2): 14 November 2005, pgs. 217-220.

Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia II, A Source of Edible Plants. Vista: Kampong Pub., 1998.

Jung, Hyun-Joo; Kang, Hyun-Jung; Song, Yun Seon; Park, Eun-Hee; Kim, Young-Myeong; 

Lim, Chang-Jin. “Anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and anti-nociceptive activities of 

Sedum sarmentosum extract.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 116(1): 28 February 2008, 

pg. 138-143.

Kim, WH.; Park, YJ.; Park, MR.; Ha, TY.; Lee, SH.; Bae, SJ.; Kim, M. “Estrogenic effects of 

Sedum sarmentosum Bunge in ovariectomized rats.” Journal of Nutritional Science & 

Vitaminology. 50(2): 2004 Apr., pgs. 100-5.

Lu, Ling-li; Tian, Sheng-ke; Yang, Xiao-e; Li, Ting-qiang; He, Zhen-li. “Cadmium uptake and xylem loading are active processes in the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii.” Journal of Plant Physiology. 166(6): 1 April 2009, pgs. 579-587.

Moon, Sung Chae; Park, Sang Chul; Yeo, Eui Ju; Kwak, Chung Shil. “Water Dropwort 

(Ostericum sieboldii) and Sedum (Sedum sarmentosum) Delay H2O2-Induced Senescence 

in Human Diploid Fibroblasts.” Journal of Medicinal Food. 12(3): 2009, 485–492.

Oh, H.; Kang, DG.; Kwon, JW.; Kwon, TO.; Lee, SY.; Lee, DB.; Lee, HS. “Isolation of 

angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory flavonoids from Sedum sarmentosum.”

Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 27(12): 2004 Dec., pgs. 2035-7.

Tian, Sheng-Ke; Lu, Ling-Li; Yang, Xiao-E; Labavitch, John M.; Huang, Yu-Ying; Brown, 

Patrick. “Stem and leaf sequestration of zinc at the cellular level in the hyperaccumulator 

Sedum alfredii.” New Phytologist. 182(1): 2009, pgs. 116-126.

Walters, Dirk R., Keil, David J., Murrell, Zack E. Vascular Plant Taxonomy, 5th ed. Dubuque: 

Kendall/Hut Publishing Co., 2006.

Wu, GL.; Yu, GY.; Chen, J. “Clinical analysis of hepatic veno-occlusive disease induced by 

Sedum aizoon.” Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 33(20): 2008, pgs. 2402-4.

Disclaimer 

Information on this website is for educational purposes only. Many herbs historically used for medicine are considered too toxic to use today; some of these herbs have caused deaths. Do not ingest these herbs based on information on this website. We have not provided sufficient information for the safe medicinal use of any of these herbs, nor sufficient information for treatment of poisoning. All recreational use of these herbs is dangerous.