Bergenia crassifolia
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64400cf189346990093957 |
| Scientific name | Bergenia crassifolia |
| Authority | (L.) Fritsch |
| First published in | Verh. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 39: 587 (1889) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
In the West Siberian taiga and Altai, the thick, evergreen leaves of Bergenii are traditionally turned into a soothing tea. Villagers in Novosibirsk and Gorno‑Altaisk hot‑steep one generous leaf or a small handful of crushed leaves in a cup of boiling water for fifteen to twenty minutes, then sip it to calm sore throats, coughs, and bronchitis. Among the Buryats of Eastern Siberia and the Khalkh and Darkhad herders of Mongolia, both leaves and rhizomes are simmered as decoctions—about a teaspoon of chopped material to a cup of water, gently boiled for ten to twenty minutes—and used to reduce inflammation of the throat and gums and to treat diarrhea and dysentery. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, a milder infusion of leaves is commonly taken as a digestive tea after meals, and in parts of China where Badan occurs, leaf infusions are drunk for “clear heat” in the throat and to support the urinary tract. These practices are recorded in Matskevich’s Medicinal Plants of Siberia and the Far East and in ethnobotanical surveys from Mongolia, Russia, and Central Asia.
One practical recipe is a simple but potent cold infusion used as a throat gargle and mild tea. Take one large fresh leaf (about 5–6 g) or four dried leaf fragments, crush them to release mucilage, add to 250 ml of just‑boiled water, and steep tightly covered for twenty to thirty minutes; strain and sip warm or use as a short gargle. For a 1:5 ethanol tincture that can be added to teas or used dropwise, macerate 20 g of powdered rhizome or leaf in 100 ml of 50% ethanol for two weeks, shaking daily, then strain; typical starting dose is 10–20 drops up to three times daily. Because the plant contains arbutin and related hydroquinone glycosides, people with kidney disease, salicylate sensitivity, or urinary stones should consult a clinician before use; avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to limited data, and do not give concentrated ethanol tinctures to children.
Phytochemically, the leaves and rhizomes of Bergenii are richest in Bergenin, a C‑glycoside of bergenin; they also provide arbutin and methylarbutin, hydrolyzed to hydroquinone in the gut, along with gallotannins, ellagitannins, and flavonols such as quercetin and quercitrin. These compounds explain the plant’s astringent, anti‑inflammatory, antimicrobial, and urinary‑tract activity observed in traditional preparations.
Modern relevance: arbutin‑rich extracts from Bergenii are now marketed as standardized supplements and cosmetics, and contemporary research continues to explore bergenin’s gastroprotective and anti‑inflammatory actions, while herbalists in Siberia, Mongolia, and Central Asia still prepare leaf infusions and decoctions in home kitchens.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Dried leaves yield Bergenin, a documented natural source of this compound used in dye and tanning applications.
Industrial and craft applications:
Leaves are used as a vegetable tanning material in leather processing. The hydrolyzable tannin extract imparts brown color and contributes to protein fixation. Hydrolyzable tannins (gallotannins) enable cross-linking of hide proteins; they are characterized by high hydrolysis yields (galloyl glucose residues) and are noted for high reactivity toward iron salts to generate dark brown iron–tannate complexes.
Colorants and tanning:
Leaves or leaf extracts provide natural brown dyes for protein fibers (wool, silk) via metal-mordant systems (typically iron(II) sulfate) that yield fast browns to near-blacks on wool. The same extracts are used in vegetable leather tanning to achieve brown shades; hydrolyzable tannins offer strong binding to collagen and good color development with metal salts.
Properties relevant to use:
Hydrolyzable tannin profile (gallotannins/ellagitannins) supports rapid tanning kinetics and deep brown hues. Bergenin (C14H18O9) acts as a galloyl glucose unit useful in color formation and adhesion; the gallotannin structure provides strong binding to protein fibers and metal mordants. Extracts are water-soluble, enabling straightforward dye-bath and tanning-bath preparation.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Bergenia crassifolia is native to alpine and subalpine Central and Eastern Asia and is widely cultivated as an ornamental, facilitating leaf harvesting as a byproduct or from managed stands. Sustainable harvest involves leaf collection post-flowering, avoidance of overharvesting from wild populations, and implementation of regrowth periods; specific regulations vary by region.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Megasea media | Haw. | Saxifrag. Enum. 1: 7 (1821) |
| Megasea crassifolia | Haw. | Saxifrag. Enum. 1: 6 (1821) |
| Megasea cordifolia | Haw. | Saxifrag. Enum. 1: 7 (1821) |
| Piarophyla cordifolia | Raf. | Fl. Tellur. 2: 68 (1837) |
| Piarophyla elliptica | Raf. | Fl. Tellur. 2: 68 (1837) |
| Bergenia biflora | Moench | Methodus (Moench) 664 (1794). [4 May 1794] |
| Bergenia biflora var. hawortiana | (Ser.) Engl. | Bot. Zeitung (Berlin) 26: 840 1868 |
| Bergenia bifolia | Moench | Methodus : 664 (1794) |
| Bergenia cordifolia | Sternb. | Revis. Saxifrag. , Suppl. 2: 2 (1831) |
| Bergenia coreana | Nakai | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 28: 304. 1914 |
| Bergenia crassifolia var. cordifolia | (Haw.) Boriss. | Trudy Bot. Inst. Acad. Nauk S.S.S.R., V, Rastitel'n. Syr'e 4: 315 1956 |
| Bergenia media | Engl. | Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3(2a): 51 (1890) |
| Geryonia crassifolia | Schrank ex Hoppe | Flora 1: 229 (1818) |
| Bergenia crassifolia var. sajanensis | Stepanov | Fl. N.E. W. Sayan : 126 (2006) |
| Saxifraga crassifolia | L. | Sp. Pl. : 401 (1753) |
| Saxifraga cordifolia | Haw. | Misc. Nat. : 157 (1803) |
| Saxifraga crassifolia var. obovata | Ser. | Prodr. 4: 37 1830 |
| Saxifraga crassifolia var. pauciflora | Ser. | Prodr. 4: 37 1830 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | siberian-tea |
| Arabic | برغنية سميكة الأوراق |
| Azerbaijani | qalınyarpaq bergeniya |
| Belarusian | бадан таўсталісты |
| bxr | Бадаан |
| Czech | bergenie tučnolistá |
| Welsh | clustiau eliffant |
| Estonian | kaheleheline bergeenia |
| Persian | گل برگنیا |
| Finnish | soikkovuorenkilpi |
| Croatian | slonovo uho (kamenikovke) |
| Upper Sorbian | tołstołopjenata bergenija |
| Kazakh | Шағыршай |
| Kazakh | Етжапырақ бадан |
| Lithuanian | storalapė bergenija |
| Latvian | biezlapu bergēnija |
| Russian | Бадан толстолистный |
| Russian | Камнеломка толстолистная |
| Russian | Бадан сердцелистный |
| Slovak | bergénia tučnolistá |
| tt | Каты яфраклы чагыр |
| Chinese | 厚叶岩白菜 |
| Chinese | 厚叶岩白釋_ |
| Chinese | 厚叶梅 |
| Chinese | 青海白菜 |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Bergenia crassifolia var. pacifica | (Kom.) Kom. ex Nekr. | Fl. Aziatik Ross. 2: 15. 1917 (1917) |
| Bergenia crassifolia var. crassifolia | Unknown |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- Xinjiang
-
Eastern Asia
- Korea
-
Middle Asia
- Kazakhstan
-
Mongolia
- Mongolia
-
Russian Far East
- Amur
- Khabarovsk
- Primorye
-
Siberia
- Altay
- Buryatiya
- Chita
- Irkutsk
- Krasnoyarsk
- Tuva
- West Siberia
- Yakutskiya
-
China
-
Europe click to expand
-
Eastern Europe
- South European Russia
-
Middle Europe
- Czechoslovakia
- Germany
- Switzerland
-
Northern Europe
- Great Britain
- Ireland
-
Southeastern Europe
- Bulgaria
- Italy
- Yugoslavia
-
Southwestern Europe
- France
-
Eastern Europe
-
Southern America click to expand
-
Southern South America
- Juan Fernández Islands
-
Southern South America
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000564227 |
| UNII | PU9M538O5N |
| USDA Plants | BECR3 |
| Tropicos | 29100119 |
| INPN | 85779 |
| Flora of Italy | 8413 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:790361-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2674805 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 286869 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 756735 |
| Observations.org | 115506 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 29762 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000013952 |
| IPNI | 790361-1 |
| iNaturalist | 127228 |
| GBIF | 5567694 |
| Freebase | /m/0dgnn5c |
| EPPO | BENCR |
| EOL | 2886991 |
| Elurikkus | 209262 |
| USDA GRIN | 404437 |
| Wikipedia | Bergenia_crassifolia |
| CMAUP | NPO6749 |
| Plantarium | 6418 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives | |||||
| Phenylethyl Alcohol | 6054 | Click to see C1=CC=C(C=C1)CCO | 122.16 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives | |||||
| (2R,3S,4S,10bS)-3,4,8,10-tetrahydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-9-methoxy-3,4,4a,10b-tetrahydro-2H-pyrano[3,2-c]isochromen-6-one | 24982180 | Click to see | 328.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acid esters / Fatty acid methyl esters | |||||
| Methyl petroselinate | 5362717 | Click to see | 296.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Menthane monoterpenoids | |||||
| p-Mentha-1,3,8-triene | 176983 | Click to see CC1=CC=C(CC1)C(=C)C | 134.22 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids | |||||
| alpha-Cadinol | 10398656 | Click to see CC1=CC2C(CCC(C2CC1)(C)O)C(C)C | 222.37 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| Icariside F2 | 14079045 | Click to see C1C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OCC3=CC=CC=C3)O)O)O)O)(CO)O | 402.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides | |||||
| (2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 7576924 | Click to see | 272.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzodioxoles | |||||
| Apiole | 10659 | Click to see | 222.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Myristicin | 4276 | Click to see | 192.21 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Furanocoumarins / Psoralens | |||||
| Isoimperatorin | 68081 | Click to see | 270.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Furanocoumarins / Psoralens / 8-methoxypsoralens | |||||
| Cnidilin | 821449 | Click to see | 300.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Kaempferol | 5280863 | Click to see | 286.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| Quercetin | 5280343 | Click to see | 302.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-((2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl)oxychromen-4-one | 51402807 | Click to see | 464.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 5317364 | Click to see | 436.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| 5,7-Dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl)oxychromen-4-one | 14749097 | Click to see | 418.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| acs.jmedchem.1c00409_ST.657 | 5878729 | Click to see | 434.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| Astragalin | 5282102 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Hyperoside | 5281643 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O | 464.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| Kaempferol 3-xylosylglucoside | 131752667 | Click to see | 580.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| Rutin | 5280805 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(86)90088-8 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-7-O-glycosides | |||||
| 6''-Acetylapiin | 10531745 | Click to see | 606.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Apigenin 7-O-glucoside | 5280704 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Apiin | 5280746 | Click to see | 564.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Diosmetin 7-O-beta-D-glucoside | 11016019 | Click to see | 462.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Luteolin 7-O-(2-(beta-D-apiofuranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside) | 101248035 | Click to see | 580.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Malonylapiin | 5280803 | Click to see | 650.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 4-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Diosmetin | 5281612 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / Isoflav-2-enes / Isoflavones | |||||
| Genistein | 5280961 | Click to see | 270.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |