Search

In the last few years, there has been an exponential growth in the field of herbal medicine and gaining popularity both in developing and developed countries because of their natural origin and less side effects. Medicinal plants continue to be an important therapeutic aid for alleviating ailments of humankind. Bergenia ciliata Sternb (B. ciliate,  Saxifragaceae) commonly known as Paashaanbhed is a rhizomatic herb with fleshy leaves, growing upto 30 cm tall, having a stout creeping rhizomatous rootstock with scars and intermittent axillary buds. Plant is quite hardy and able to survive frost during winter turning reddish in colour. It is evergreen and flowers in April to June. Its flowers are white-pink and purple in colour. Stem is short and the rhizome comes out from the cervices of rocks and hangs in the air in sloppy areas. Leaves are 5-30 cm long, glabrous, sparsely hairy in margins, broadly obovate or elliptic, finely or sparsely denticulate or shallowly sinuatedenate. It is also reported to cure fevers, diarrhoea, boils ophthalmia and cough. It is also used to dissolve kidney and bladder stones and forms an important ingredient in various kidney curative herbal drugs. The important phytochemicals of this plant include  bergenin, gallic acid, (+)-catechin, Paashanolactone, sitoindoside, quercitin, (+) afzelechin etc tannic acid, albumen, mucilage, glucose, wax, metarbin and mineral salts, saponin, flavonoid, glycosides and polysaccharides, xyloglucan, taraxerol, carotenoids, cryptoxanthin. The aim of the present study is to examine B. ciliate rhizomes for phytochemical profile.  Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, fixed oil and fats. The total phenolics content of ethyl acetate and methanolic extract was (208,442mg/100mg), followed by flavonoids (433, 446mg/100mg). The present study concluded that the crude extract of B. ciliate is a rich source of secondary phytoconstituents which i

Bergenia ciliata of family Saxifragaceae is known as Kodiya or Pashanbheda in Dhanolti (Uttranchal). It is a second good source of bergenin after Bergenia ligulata. It has many medicinal properties such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic. B. ciliata is used mainly for kidney disorder. Its phytochemical constituents are Gallic acid, Tannic acid, (-)-3-0- Galloylepicatechin, (-)-3-0-Galloylcatechin, (+)-Catechin, Gallicin. The bioactive compounds that are produced by plants are collectively called as Phytochemicals. The phytochemical ingredients are plant derived compounds which protect the plants from environmental stresses, including insects, bacteria, fungus and weather changes. Though phytochemicals are not considered essential nutrients, it has become apparent that they offer many health benefits to the plants. It is well-known that plants produce these chemicals to protect themselves but recent research demonstrates that they can also protect humans against diseases. There are more than thousand known phytochemicals and they offer protection to many chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and alzheimer's. The aim of the present study is to examine B. ciliata rhizomes for phytochemical profile. Qualitative analysis of various phytochemical constituents and quantitative analysis of total saponins and alkaloids were determined by the well-known test protocol available in the literature. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids ects. It is expected that the important phytochemical properties recognized by our study in the indigenous medicinal plants will be very useful in the curing of various diseases when taken along with our food. Keywords: Bergenia ciliata, Phytochemical screening, Total saponins, Total alkaloids