<i>Bergenia</i> Genus: Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

<i>Bergenia </i>(Saxifragaceae) genus is native to central Asia and encompasses 32 known species. Among these, nine are of pharmacological relevance. In the Indian system of traditional medicine (Ayurveda), “Pashanabheda” (stone breaker) is an elite drug formulation obtained from the rhi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bhupendra Koul, Arvind Kumar, Dhananjay Yadav, Jun-O. Jin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-11-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/23/5555
Description
Summary:<i>Bergenia </i>(Saxifragaceae) genus is native to central Asia and encompasses 32 known species. Among these, nine are of pharmacological relevance. In the Indian system of traditional medicine (Ayurveda), “Pashanabheda” (stone breaker) is an elite drug formulation obtained from the rhizomes of <i>B. ligulata</i>. <i>Bergenia </i>species also possess several other biological activities like diuretic, antidiabetic, antitussive, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anti-bradykinin, antiviral, antibacterial, antimalarial, hepatoprotective, antiulcer, anticancer, antioxidant, antiobesity, and adaptogenic. This review provides explicit information on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological significance of the genus <i>Bergenia</i>. The extant literature concerned was systematically collected from various databases, weblinks, blogs, books, and theses to select 174 references for detailed analysis. To date, 152 chemical constituents have been identified and characterized from the genus <i>Bergenia</i> that belong to the chemical classes of polyphenols, phenolic-glycosides, lactones, quinones, sterols, tannins, terpenes, and others. <i>B. crassifolia</i> alone possesses 104 bioactive compounds. Meticulous pharmacological and phytochemical studies on <i>Bergenia</i> species and its conservation could yield more reliable compounds and products of pharmacological significance for better healthcare.
ISSN:1420-3049