Kingdom: Plantae

Sub kingdom: Tracheobionta

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class:  Liliopsida 

Subclass: Grecidae 

Order: Grales 

Family: Araceae juss.  

Genus: Dieffenbachia schott

Species: Dieffenbachia seguine

• The common name dumb-cane derives from the acrid and poisonous juice numbs the tongue. Considered analgesic, aphrodisiac, caustic, contraceptive, cyanogenic, insecticidal, rodenticide, vesicant. Studies have suggested antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antioxidant, rodenticidal, and amylase inhibitory properties. 

• The most common cultivated Dieffenbachia species of the Philippines. Usually grown as a potted plant for its handsome foliage. It is Native to Brazil. In some places in Nigeria, it is considered an invasive species, forming extensive mats and displaced native flora. 

Present in extracts of leaves and stem: 

• Alkaloids 

• Saponins 

• Phenol 

• Flavonoids 

• Resins 

Absent in extracts: 

• Tannins 

• Steroids 

• Terpenoids

Industrial Use: 

• Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia spp.) is primarily used as an ornamental indoor plant due to its attractive foliage and air-purifying qualities. It contains calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause irritation if ingested, making it a subject of interest in toxicity studies.

Pharmaceutical Use: 

• Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia spp.) shows promise in pharmaceutical applications due to its various bioactive properties. Toxicity tests, such as the brine shrimp lethality test, reveal higher toxicity levels in the leaf essential oils compared to the stem. Its essential oils exhibit appreciable antimicrobial activity against several pathogens, including E. coli, S. aureus, and Candida albicans. Additionally, dumb cane demonstrates significant antioxidant activity in DPPH assays, surpassing that of α-tocopherol, indicating potential use as a free radical scavenger. However, caution is necessary due to the plant’s toxicity, as the juice from chewed leaves can cause severe oral edema and respiratory complications. 

Pharmacological Use: 

• Reduces edema caused by the plant's toxic juice 

• Antipyretic properties 

• Weak antiproliferative activity against human colon cancer cells 

• Amylase inhibitor activity against human salivary amylase and Bacillus subtilis α-amylase 

• Rodenticide activity against black rats