American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Business 2016; 2(2): 21-25 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajtab doi: 10.11648/j.jddmc.20160202.11 ISSN: 2469-7834 (Print); ISSN: 2469-7842 (Online) Bioassay Guided Phyto-chemical Investigation of Bergenia ciliata (Haw) Sternb: A Rocky Himalayan Medicinal Plant of Nepal Pujya Wagle 1 , Birendra Tamrakar 2 , Swagat Shrestha 3 , Lekh Nath Gautam 4, * 1 Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Khumaltar, Nepal 2 Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, Department of Chemistry, Ghantaghar, Kathmandu, Nepal 3 Kathmandu Valley College, Chhauni, Nepal 4 Department of Plant Resources, Natural Product Research Laboratory (NPRL), Thapathali, Nepal Email address: retronlp@yahoo.com (L. N. Gautam) To cite this article: Pujya Wagle, Birendra Tamrakar, Swagat Shrestha, Lekh Nath Gautam. Bioassay Guided Phyto-chemical Investigation of Bergenia ciliata (Haw) Sternb: A Rocky Himalayan Medicinal Plant of Nepal. Journal of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry. Vol. 2, No. 2, 2016, pp. 21-25. doi: 10.11648/j.jddmc.20160202.11 Received: January 23, 2016; Accepted: February 9, 2016; Published: April 14, 2016 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: Bergenia ciliata, Saxifragaceae, Rhizomes, Chemical Constituents, Bergenin, Afzelechin, Leucocyanidin, β-sitosterol Glycoside 1. Introduction B. ciliata (Haw) sternb is an evergreen perennial herb growing to 0.31 meter (1 ft) - 1.0 meter (3.2 ft) by 0.5 meter (1.8ft) found in temperate Himalayas in range 400 to 4300 meter up to the frontier of vegetation. It is frost resisting and shade loving plant grows in extremely hard condition in moist stony slopes, debris, crevices, rock builders and forest shade. It is stunted creeping herb with a stout and cylindrical root stock called rhizomes (which are buff and brown outside, pinkish brown inside), stalked leaves, circular, obovate or elliptic 5-35 cm long freshly denticulate, bright green and densely ciliated at margins, sparsely hairy to glabrous on both surfaces. Its leaves are edible (pakora), used as tonic and also as plates in picnic parties and agricultural fields. It flowers and fruits in between February to August. Its beautiful pinkish white or purple flowers of cymose panicles and rounded capsules with entire bristly margins have ornamental (decorative) value as good luck (in Phool sangrum). This plant possesses urolithotropic, anti- calciphication, styptic, astriangent, anti-hepatotoxic, anti- inflammatory, anti-pyretic, antiviral, antimalarial, anti- hypertensive activity and cytoprotective effects [1], antibacterial, anti-stress, anticancer, anti-diabetic, analgesic and diuretic properties [2]. So it has strong abilities for curing respiratory-cough, pulmonary-heart, livers and urinary diseases alleviating bleeding, but intensifying immunity. Its rhizome (in the form of powder, paste or juice) is widely used in Ayurveda, Unani and other traditional/cultural system of medicines for renal disorders, oxidative stress, fever,