Talk:Pashanabheda
| Section/Chapter | Herb database/Pashanabheda |
|---|---|
| Botanical name(s) | Saxifraga ligulata Wall. |
| Family | Saxifragaceae |
| Availability | Available |
| Contributors | Team Dravyaguna |
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Publisher | Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre |
| DOI | Awaited |
Saxifraga ligulata Wall., popularly known as Pashanabheda (Stone Breaker), is a perennial herb native to the temperate Himalayan region. It is highly esteemed in Ayurveda for its remarkable lithotriptic (*ashmarighna*) and diuretic (*mutravirechaniya*) properties, traditionally used to dissolve and expel urinary stones and treat various urinary complications (*Mutrakriccha*).
English name
Stone breaker
Therapeutic uses
Asmari (renal calculi), Meha (urinary disorders), Mutrakriccha (dysuria)[1]
Synonyms in Charak Samhita
Ashmaghna, Ashmabhedaka, Shilodbheda, Giribhid, Bhinnayojini
Botanical Profile & Traditional Context
In traditional Ayurvedic therapeutics, Pashanabheda is classified under *Mutravirechaniya* (diuretic) groups. It possesses a bitter and astringent taste, cold potency, and a unique extra-ordinary effect (*prabhava*) that specifically targets and breaks down renal calculi. It helps balance all three doshas (*tridoshahara*).
Ayurvedic pharmacological properties
| Sr.no. | Pharmacological criteria | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taste (rasa) | Astringent (kashaya), Bitter (tikta) |
| 2 | Potency (veerya) | Cold (sheeta) |
| 3 | Post digestion effect (vipaka) | Pungent (katu) |
| 4 | Qualities (guna) | Light (laghu), Unctuous (snigdha), Sharp (tikshna) |
| 5 | Actions (karma) | Pacify all three doshas (tridoshahara) |
| 6 | Extra ordinary effect (prabhava) | Helps in curing renal calculi (ashmarighna) |
Reference in Charak Samhita and its actions
| Sr.no. | Reference in Charak Samhita | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 4/9(35) | Mutravirechaniya mahakashaya (diuretics) |
| 2 | Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 23/15 | Santarpanajanya vikara chikitsa (treatment of over-nutrition and under-nutrition disorders) |
| 3 | Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 15/113 | Used as an ingredient of yavagu |
| 4 | Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 26/46 | Used for Vataja mutrakriccha (dysuria) |
| 5 | Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 26/60 | As an ingredient of Pashanbhedadi churna |
| 6 | Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 26/64 | As an ingredient of Trutyadi yoga |
| 7 | Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 26/69 | As an ingredient of Karpasmooladi yoga |
| 8 | Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 30/90 | As an ingredient of Pushyanuga churna |
Dose
Important formulation
As per A.P.I.[1]
- Asmarihara kashaya churna
- Mutravirechaniya kashaya churna
Current availability
Available
- India – Found growing wild in the temperate Himalayan region.
Phytochemical Composition
Pashanabheda is currently placed in the genus Bergenia as Bergenia ligulata (Wall.) Engl., with Saxifraga ligulata Wall. as a synonym. Its rhizomes are rich in phenolic compounds.
- Major phenolics: Bergenin (a C-glycoside of 4-O-methylgallic acid), arbutin, catechin, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid and syringic acid have been quantified in Bergenia rhizomes. Among the species studied, B. ligulata contained the highest amount of bergenin, the major marker compound.[2]
- Other isolated compounds: 11-O-p-hydroxybenzoylbergenin, 6-O-galloylarbutin and epiafzelechin were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the methanolic extract, in addition to bergenin.[3]
Pharmacological Activities & Therapeutic Efficacy
Anti-Urolithiatic, Lithotriptic and Diuretic Effects (Asmari)
Pashanabheda is traditionally the foremost drug for urinary stones, and experimental work supports this use.
- Mechanism: A crude aqueous-methanolic extract of the rhizome inhibited calcium oxalate crystal aggregation and crystal formation in metastable solutions, showed antioxidant activity (DPPH radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation), and produced diuresis with a saluretic effect in rats.
- Scientific Evidence: In rats given 0.75% ethylene glycol to induce urolithiasis, the extract (5–10 mg/kg) prevented calcium oxalate crystal deposition in the renal tubules. The authors attribute the effect to crystal inhibition, diuretic, hypermagnesuric and antioxidant actions.[4]
Anti-Inflammatory and Antipyretic Effects (Mutrakriccha)
A review of the experimental literature reports that an oral 50% ethanolic extract of B. ligulata at 1 g/kg showed anti-inflammatory activity in Wistar rats, and a 500 mg/kg dose showed antipyretic activity against yeast-induced fever.[5] This is a secondary source; controlled clinical studies of the effect on painful urination are lacking.
Antibacterial Activity
The methanolic extract of Bergenia ligulata showed antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria in a screening of plant extracts, and bioassay-guided fractionation yielded bergenin and related phenolics.[3]
Safety and Dosage
Summary of Therapeutic Profile
| Indication | Preparation / Constituents Studied | Primary Pharmacological Action |
|---|---|---|
| Renal Calculi / Asmari | Aqueous-methanolic rhizome extract | Anti-urolithiatic, Diuretic, Antioxidant |
| Dysuria / Mutrakriccha | 50% ethanolic extract | Anti-inflammatory, Antipyretic (animal studies) |
| Urinary Tract Infections | Methanolic extract, bergenin and related phenolics | Antibacterial (gram-positive bacteria) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Anonymous. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Part I. 1986; Volume 1: 57.
- ↑ Pandey R, Kumar B, Meena B, Srivastava M, Mishra T, Tiwari V, et al. Major bioactive phenolics in Bergenia species from the Indian Himalayan region: method development, validation and quantitative estimation using UHPLC-QqQLIT-MS/MS. PLoS One. 2017;12(7):e0180950.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rajbhandari M, Khatri HR, Lalk M, Gewali MB, Lindequist U. Phytochemical investigation and antibacterial activity of Bergenia ligulata. J Nepal Chem Soc. 2011;28:110–114.
- ↑ Bashir S, Gilani AH. Antiurolithic effect of Bergenia ligulata rhizome: an explanation of the underlying mechanisms. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009;122(1):106–116.
- ↑ Roychoudhury S, et al. Clinical potential of Himalayan herb Bergenia ligulata: an evidence-based study. Molecules. 2022;27(20):7039.