Review on Phytochemical, Ethnomedical and Biological Studies of Medically Useful Genus Bergenia
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Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2013) 2(5): 328-334 ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 2 Number 5 (2013) pp. 328-334 http://www.ijcmas.com Review Article Review on phytochemical, ethnomedical and biological studies of medically useful genus Bergenia Vinesh Kumar* and Devendra Tyagi Department of Chemistry, D.A.V. (P.G.) College, Dehradun - 248001, India *Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] A B S T R A C T K e y w o r d s The genus Bergenia belongs to family Saxifragaceae. Literature review revealed that various species of genus Bergenia have been used in folklore and Indigenus Bergenia; system of medicine for various ailments. Many species of Bergenia have been saxifragaceae; studied for antidiabetic, diuretic, astringent, cardiofonic, wound healer, biological expectorant, antipyretic, and anti-haemorrarhoidal, analgesic, antispasmodic, activities; antitumor, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. The species cytotoxic show biological activities due to the presence of various chemical constituents. and Some studies revealed the toxic nature of Bergenia species. For commercial cardiotoxic. utilization of this genus further clinical research should be carried out for its cytotoxic and cardiotoxic nature. Introduction The genus Bergenia belongs to family on Medicinal plants of India. Pangtey Saxifragaceae. This family comprises of (2005) was reported two species (Bergenia 30 genera and 580 species, mostly lingulata from lower altitude and Bergenia distributed in the cold and temperate stracheyi from higher altitude from Himalayas and Central and Eastern Asia Kumaun Himalaya). between 4000 to 12000 feet. The genus Bergenia comprises about 6 species The salient botanical features of the genus distributed in temperate Himalayas and Bergenia are: species of this genus are central and Eastern Asia. Hooker (1888) perennial herbs upto 50 cm tall, succulent. has reported three species of Bergenia Rhizomes woody, covered with leaf bases. from India in the Flora of British India. Flowers are white, pink or purplish in Wehmer (1948) was reported three species terminal cymes. Fruit is a conical capsule of Bergenia from India in The Wealth of having minute seeds (Hooker and India. Thomson, 1858). Recently, Sharma (2003) observed two The plant is known as Paashanbheda species i.e. Bergenia stracheyi from India (Paashan = rockstone, bheda = piercing) in 328 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2013) 2(5): 328-334 Hindi and rock-foil in English which itself dissolving kidney and urinary bladder indicates that the Bergenia plants grow stones. The rhizomes are pulveris and between rocks and appears to break them made into a paste which is applied for 3-4 or that they have lithotriptic property. days on the burnt parts of body for soothing relief. The burn heals without The species of genus Bergenia reported to leaving any scar. The bruised rhizomes have tannins, benzanoids, coumarins, were applied on dislocated bones after quinoids, flavonoids, lactone, and steroids. setting in proper place. The rhizomes are The rhizomes of genus Bergenia are used chewed in diarrhea and given with honey as folk medicine for antiscorbutic, in fever. The leaves are also chewed in astringent, diuretic febrifuge and constipation and juice of the leaves is used ophthalmic properties. Traditionally the in earache. The inflorescence are mixed rhizomes are used for curing kidney and with barley flour and given to bullocks and gall bladder stone, cough and cold, healing cow to check bleeding in urine. Roots of old wounds, cuts and burns, inflammation Bergenia were effective to combat etc. venereal diseases (Akerele, 1992). Many species of Bergenia have been Bhattaraj (1994) in his studies reported studied for antidiabetic drug, diuretic, that in Nepal, one teaspoonful of the juice astringent, cardiofonic, wound healer, of dried rhizome of B. ciliata along with expectorant, antipyretic, and anti- equal volume of honey has been taken haemorrarhoidal, analgesic, orally 2-3 times a day by post-partum antispasmodic, antitumor, cytotoxic, anti- women, against the digestive disorders as inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. carminative, and tonic as well. Bhattaraj In this paper we have described all (1994) has also cited that in Nepal, juice ethanomedical, phytochemical and of the rhizome of B. ciliata has been taken biological activities of different species of orally by human adults to treat low fever genus Bergenia. (Hypothermia) and intermittent fever . In another study (Bhattaraj, 1993) further Ethnomedical informations mentioned that its decoction is also taken orally by the human adults, as antipyretic. The Bergenia species have been used in Manandhar (1995) reported that in Nepal, folklore and Indigenous system of rhizomes of B. ciliata have been taken by medicine for various ailments. The human adult as an antihelimintic. rhizomes and roots are cooling, bitter, acrid, laxative, astringent, abortifacient, B. ciliata leaves have been used name tonic, analgesic, aphorodisiae and are paashanbheda is descriptive of its useful in the treatment of tumors, heart litholytic property (Bahl, and Seshadri, diseases, urinary discharge, piles, spleen 1970). Mukerjee (1984) reported that the enlargement, ulcers, pulmonary affection, hot water extract of whole dried plant of B. dysuria, disease of bladders, dysentery, ligulata was employed orally by human menorrhagia, hydrophobia, biliousness, adults for renal and urinary calculi. eye sores, diseases of lungs and liver, and cough, and fever in Unani and Ayurveda Bhattaraj (1993) reported that in Nepal, system of medicine. In folklore system of about 10g of rhizome paste of B. ligulata medicine they are very effective in was to treat many diseases like pulmonary 329 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2013) 2(5): 328-334 infusion, dysentery, ulcer, dysuria, spleen main phytochemical constituents reported enlargement, and cough and fever . B. from the genus Bergenia are tannins, ligulata has been recognized for its action benzanoids, coumarins, quinoids, on the urinary tract since ancient times. flavonoids, lactone, and steroids. The rhizomes were taken orally by human adults with the molasses, twice a day for The leaves of B. ciliata contain tannins 3-4 days for the expulsion of round and hydroquinone (benzanoids). The worms. Manandhar (1995) described that chemical compounds isolated from the in Nepal, the decoction of roots of B. rhizomes of the B. ciliata were (+) ligulata were taken orally by human afzelechin, (+) catechin, quercetin-3-o- - adults for the treatment of cold. D-xylopyranoside, quercetin 3 o - L-arbinofuranoxide, eryodictiol-7-o- -D- Shah and Jain (1988) have reported that in glucopyranoside, arbutin, 6-o-p- India, dried roots of B. ligulata were used hydroxybenzoyl arbutin, bergenin, 4-o- externally by human adults for the galloylbergenin, 11-o-galloybergenin, p- treatment of dysentery, cut, boils, wounds, hydroxy benzoic acid, protocatechuic acid and burns. The decoction of roots of B. , 6-o-protocatechuoylarbutin, 11-o-p- ligulata was found to be beneficial for hydroxy- benzoyl- bergenin, 11-o- kidney trouble. protocatechuoyl bergenin and 6-o-p hydroxybenzoyl-parasorboside (O. Chandra and Pandey (1983) also reported Sticher, 1979, V. I. Kuzmin, 1985, and that in India, decoction of roots of B. M. Fuji et al., 1996 ). ligulata was taken orally by human adults to treat urinary disorders. This study was The plants of B. ligulata reported to have further confirmed by Jain and Puria coumarins, bergenin, bergenin-11-o- (1984). Kapur (1983) described that hot galloyl, bergenin-11-o-p-hydroxy-benzoyl, water extract of fresh roots of B. ligulata, bergenin-11-o-brotocatechuoyl, and when taken orally by human, was found to bergenin-4-o-galloyl; Flavonoids: be useful for the treatment of stomach catechin, (+) afzelechin, catechin, disorders, urogenital complaints and stone eriodictyol-7-o- -d-glucopyrnoside, problems. He was further mentioned that reynoutin. Benzanoids: arbutin, arbutin-6- hot water extract of B. ligulata was o-p-hydroxy-benzoyl; Lactone: ide-hexan- applied externally for boils, and 5-olide, 3-(6-o-p-hydroxyl), -sitosterol, opthalmia. B. ligulata is also effective in -sitosterol-D-glucoside, bergenin, (+) the treatment of fever, eye ailments, afzelechin, leucocyanidin, gallic acid, dysentery and diarrhea, piles, methyl gallate, catechin, gallic acid, inflammation, chronic ulcers etc. mucilage, wax, glucoside, albumin, and starch ( Chandra, 1998, Jain and Gupta., Chemical constituents 1996, Tucci et al., 1969, Dixit et al., 1989, and Pandey, 1995). The different species of the genus Bergenia have been studied for chemical The literature review on B. crassifolia analysis and their results have been revealed that very little is known about published and literature cited there on. All their chemical constituents. Plants of this these showed the interesting chemistry of species contain arbutin, aergenin, different species of genus Bergenia. The catechin-7-o- -D-glucoside, paashano- 330 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2013) 2(5): 328-334 lactone, and -sitosterol ( Sticher, 1979; The alcoholic extracts of B. ciliata were Kuzmin, 1985, Furmanowa, et al., shown to have analgesic, anti- 1993;Ostrowska et al., 1988; Vasi et al., inflammatory, and diuretic properties 1981). Arbutin, a benzanoid compound (Sinha et al., 2001). Other biological was isolated from the leaves of B. pacifica activities of B. ciliata include antibacterial (Shnyakina, 1981). ( Sinha et al., 2001), anti-inflammatory (Sinha et