Bergenia
Saxifragas
Bergenia, commonly known as elephant's ears, is a resilient perennial herb native to the Himalayan region. Renowned for its thick, leathery leaves, this medicinal plant is highly valued in traditional medicine. It possesses potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and diuretic properties, making it a vital resource for treating various ailments.
- Scientific name: Bergenia
- Family: Saxifragaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Saxifragales and the family Saxifragaceae. Finally, it is identified under the 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, known scientifically as Bergenia, is recognized by various common names depending on the linguistic region. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 岩白菜属 (zh-hans), 岩白菜属 (zh-cn), and 岩白菜属 (zh-sg), while in Traditional Chinese, it is identified as 岩白菜屬 (zh-hant) and 岩白菜屬 (zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 岩白菜属 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 岩白菜屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 岩白菜屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 岩白菜属 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 岩白菜属 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 岩白菜屬 | Wikidata |
| ru | Бадан | Wikidata |
| be | Бадан | Wikidata |
| fi | vuorenkilvet | Wikidata |
| hu | bőrlevél | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in the landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward the center of the continent, its presence extends into Middle Europe. Specifically, it is documented within the territories of Germany and Switzerland. Additionally, the species is also distributed throughout the Czechia-Slovakia region.
| 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 |
Chemicals
Bergenia has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include polyphenols, arbutin, bergenin, catechin, gallic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 10
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| polyphenols | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| arbutin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bergenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gallic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| norbergenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sterols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| terpenes | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Bergenia has 5 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antiviral, Cytoprotective, Diuretic.
- Total activities
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytoprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Bergenia has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antidiabetic, antimalarial, antioxidant, antipyretic, antitussive.
- Total uses
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antimalarial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antipyretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antitussive | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diuretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |