Shivani Kagra* & K.L. Dahiya**

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* Pursuing Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgeory; Lal Bahadur Shastri Mahila Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Bilaspur (Yamuna Nagar), Haryana, India

** Kurukshetra Global City, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India

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Vernacular name:

Assamese: Patharkuchi

Bengali: Patharkuchi, Himasagara, Patrankur

English: Frilly bergenia, Hairy bergenia, Winter begonia

Gujarati: Pashanbheda, Pakhanbheda

Hindi: Pakhanabheda, Silphara, Patharcua, Pakhanabhed, Silpbheda

Kannada: Alepgaya, Pahanbhedi, Hittaga, Pasanaberu, Hittulaka

Kashmiri: Pashanbhed

Malayalam: Kallurvanchi, Kallurvanni, Kallorvanchi

Marathi: Pashanbheda

Oriya: Pasanbhedi, Pashanabheda

Punjabi: Kachalu, Pashanbhed

Sanskrit: Asmabhedaka, Silabheda

Tamil: Sirupilai

Telugu: Kondapindi

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Plantae – plantes, Planta, Vegetal, plants

Subkingdom: Viridiplantae

Infrakingdom: Streptophyta – land plants

Superdivision: Embryophyta

Division: Tracheophyta – vascular plants, tracheophytes

Subdivision: Spermatophytina – spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames

Class: Magnoliopsida

Superorder: Saxifraganae

Order: Saxifragales

Family: Saxifragaceae – saxifrages, saxifragacées

Genus: Bergenia Moench – elephant-ear

Species: Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Stemb. - Frilly bergenia, Hairy bergenia, Winter begonia  (Syn. Bergenia ligulata (Wall.) Engl.)

Phytogeography: Found in the Himalayas, from Afghanistan to South-East Tibet, at altitudes of 1800-4300 meter. Khasia Hills (1300 meter)

Description: A perennial herb with flowers white, pink or purple, borne in a spreading or dense cluster, atop a up to 25 cm long stem.

Leaves: Large rounded basal leaves with untoothed bristly margins. Leaves are ovate rounded, 5-15 cm at flowering, but enlarging to 30 cm or more and turning bright red in autumn, carried on a short stalk. Margins are fringed with long bristle-like hairs.

Flowers: 1.5-2.5 cm long, with 5 petals and long styles. Sepal cup is hairless with blunt sepals.

Fruits or seeds:

Flowering season: March-July

Propagation: Rhizomes

Parts used: Roots, rhizomes, leaves

Phytochemical Constituents: Bergenin; Flavonoids; Gallic acid; Glucose; Sterols; Tannic acid; Tannins.

Pharmacological actions: Antibacterial; Antifungal; Anti-inflammatory; Antimalarial; Antioxidant; Antisorbutic; Antitussive; Antiurolithic; Astringent; Cytoprotective; Gastroprotective; Hepatoprotective, hepatocuritive; Laxative.

Medicinal uses: Cough; Diarrhoea; Dysentery; Earache; Emesis, vomiting; Fever; Hepatosis, hepatopathy, hepatitis; Splenomegaly; Ulcers; Urolithiasis.

Juice of the plant is used for earache. Roots useful in liver complaints.

Dosage and administration: Rhizomes: 3-6 gm in powder form; 20-30 gm for decoction.

References

Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee, 1999, “The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Volume I,” New Delhi, India: Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).

Byahatti V.V., Pai K.V. and D’Souza M.G., 2010, “Effect of phenolic compounds from Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. leaves on experimental kidney stones,” Ancient science of life; 30(1): 14. [Web Reference]

Flowers of India, “Frilly Bergenia,” Retrieved on September 25, 2017. [Web Reference]

ITIS, 2017, “Bergenia Moench,” Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, Retrieved on September 25, 2017. [Web Reference]

Kakub G. and Gulfraz M., 2007, “Cytoprotective effects of Bergenia ciliata Sternb, extract on gastric ulcer in rats,” Phytotherapy research; 21(12): 1217-1220. [Web Reference]

Mazhar-ul-Islam A.I., et al., 2002, “Antifungal activity evaluation of Bergenia ciliate,” Pak J Pharmacol; 19: 1-6. [Web Reference]

Rajkumar V., et al., 2010, “Evaluation of antioxidant activities of Bergenia ciliata rhizome,” Records of Natural Products; 4(1): 38-48. [Web Reference]

Rani S., 2014, “INDIAN HERBAL MEDICINE AS HEPATOPROTECTIVE AND HEPATOCURATIVE: A REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE,” LIFE SCIENCES LEAFLETS; 50: 61-115. [Web Reference]

Singh D.P., et al., 2007, “High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of bergenin in different Bergenia species,” Acta Chromatographica; 19: 246. [Web Reference]

Sinha S., et al., 2001, “Antibacterial activity of Bergenia ciliata rhizome,” Fitoterapia; 72(5): 550-552. [Web Reference]

Sinha S., et al., 2001, “Evaluation of anti‐inflammatory potential of Bergenia ciliata Sternb. rhizome extract in rats,” Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology; 53(2): 193-196. [Web Reference]

Walter N.S., Bagai U. and Kalia S., 2013, “Antimalarial activity of Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. against Plasmodium berghei,” Parasitology research; 112(9): 3123-3128. [Web Reference]