Bergenia crassifolia
Bergenia crassifolia, commonly known as elephant's ears, is a perennial herb native to the Himalayan regions. Renowned for its thick, leathery leaves, this medicinal plant is highly valued in traditional medicine. It possesses potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties, frequently used to treat kidney stones and gastrointestinal disorders.
- Scientific name: Bergenia crassifolia
- Family: Saxifragaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Saxifragales and the family Saxifragaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Bergenia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Saxifragales | WCVP |
| Family | Saxifragaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Bergenia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Bergenia crassifolia, is known by various common names depending on the linguistic region. In Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), Cantonese (zh-hk), Mainland Chinese (zh-cn), and Singaporean Mandarin (zh-sg), it is referred to as 青海白菜.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 青海白菜 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 青海白菜 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 青海白菜 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 青海白菜 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 青海白菜 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 青海白菜 | Wikidata |
| pl | Bergenia grubolistna | Wikidata |
| ru | Бадан толстолистный | Wikidata |
| fi | soikkovuorenkilpi | Wikidata |
| lv | Biezlapu bergēnija | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, its presence can be documented in both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is found within the territories of Germany and Switzerland. Additionally, its range extends to the Czechia-Slovakia region. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in varied European landscapes.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Switzerland | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Bulgaria | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | NW. Balkan Pen. | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Bergenia crassifolia, is a perennial herb characterized by its thick, fleshy, and creeping rhizomes that grow horizontally beneath the soil surface. These rhizomes serve as the primary storage organs for the plant, accumulating essential nutrients and bioactive compounds that are highly valued in traditional medicine. Because the medicinal properties are concentrated within these underground structures, the rhizomes are the specific parts typically harvested, cleaned, and processed for therapeutic use.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| rhizomes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Bergenia crassifolia has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Bergenin, bergenin, arbutin, flavonoids, hydroquinone.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Bergenin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bergenin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arbutin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hydroquinone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Bergenia crassifolia has 20 reported activities identified across 22 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Adaptogenic, Antiarrhythmic, Antiarthritic.
- Total activities
- 20
- Scientific sources
- 22
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Adaptogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiarrhythmic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiarthritic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihypertensive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Bergenia crassifolia has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include bleeding, cancer, cervical cancer, cough, immunity.
- Total uses
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bleeding | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cervical cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cough | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| immunity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pulmonary diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |