Abstract:
Medicinal plants are a fundamental resource for the discovery and development of new therapies, having been used for
centuries in both traditional medicine and modern practice. The genus Bergenia (family Saxifragaceae), known in
particular for the species Bergenia ligulata, Bergenia ciliata, and Bergenia pacumbis, occupies a special place in Asian
phytotherapy, where it is called "Paashanabheda" ("stone breaker") due to its use in the treatment of urinary lithiasis.
Modern studies confirm the presence of important bioactive compounds, such as bergenin, gallic acid, tannins, and
phytosterols, which give the plant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial
activities (Koul et al., 2020; Gohain et al., 2022). While Bergenia is already well documented in human medicine, its
applications in veterinary medicine are less explored, although there are mentions of the topical use of extracts for their
astringent and healing effects in animals (Ahmad, 2018). The purpose of this article is to conduct a comparative analysis
of the uses of Bergenia in human and veterinary medicine, starting from the ethnopharmacological tradition and
continuing with the results of modern research, in order to highlight both therapeutic perspectives and future directions
for research.
