Bergenia ciliata

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Frilly bergenia is a perennial herb with flowers white, pink or purple, borne in a spreading or dense cluster, atop a up to 25 cm long stem. It can be easily identified by its large rounded basal leaves with untoothed bristly margins. Flowers are 1.5-2.5 cm long, with 5 petals and long styles. Sepal cup is hairless with blunt sepals. Leaves are ovate rounded, 5-15 cm at flowering, but enlarging to 30 cm or more and turning bright red in autumn, carried on a short stalk. Margins are fringed with long bristle-like hairs. Frilly Bergenia is found in the Himalayas, from Afghanistan to SE Tibet, at altitudes of 1800-4300 m.
Frilly bergenia is a widely used plant as a traditional medicine for treatment of urolithiasis or kidney stones. It is an effective remedy for haemorrhoids, diarrhea, dysentery, heart diseases, raktapitta and splenic disorders. It relieves the obstructed phlegm in respiratory catarrh, like cough and colds. Pasanabheda is useful as an antidote in opium poisoning.