Bioassay Guided Phyto-chemical Investigation of Bergenia ciliata (Haw) Sternb : A Rocky Himalayan Medicinal Plant of Nepal

Abstract

Bergenia ciliata (Haw) Sternb. (Saxifragaceae) is a promising, but rare and vulnerable Himalayan medicinal herb of Nepal. It grows on moist crevices of rocks and bounders. Commonly, it is known as pashanved (pasan = rock stone, ved = piercing) or rock foil. It grows between the rocks possessing lithotropic property. A decoction of rhizomes and roots of this species is used in the Ayurveda, Unani and folk systems of medicine for the treatment of ulcers, fevers, tumors, eye sores and lungs, liver, heart, urinary diseases. Due to over-exploitation for medicinal value, it is in the process of extinction. So conservation by cultivation is highly recommended. The present study was carried out on bio-guided fractionation of rhizomes powder of B. ciliata (Sternb) which is known to possess several pharmacological properties. It afforded the bioactive natural product bergenin (Isocoumarin, 3%) from ethyl acetate fraction. In addition, other four compounds namely afzelechin (2.5%), leucocyanidin, β-sitosterol and β-sitosterol glycoside were isolated from ethyl acetate fraction. co-TLC/2D-TLC, HRMS, LC- MS, NMR, IR methods were employed to identify these compounds. Keywords: