Bergenin, alias cuscutin, is trihydroxybenzoic acid glycoside. It is the C-

glycoside In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...

of 4-O-methyl

gallic acid Gallic acid (also known as 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid) is a trihydroxybenzoic acid with the formula C6 H2( OH)3CO2H. It is classified as a phenolic acid. It is found in gallnuts, sumac, witch hazel, tea leaves, oak bark, and other plant ...

. It possesses an O-demethylated derivative called norbergenin. These are chemical compounds and drugs of

Ayurveda Ayurveda (; ) is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practised throughout India and Nepal, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayur ...

, commonly known as Paashaanbhed. It shows a potent immunomodulatory effect. Bergenin can be isolated from '' Bergenia'' species like '' Bergenia ciliata'' and '' Bergenia ligulata'', from rhizomes of '' Bergenia stracheyi''. It is also found in the stem bark of '' Dryobalanops aromatica'', in '' Ardisia elliptica'' and in '' Mallotus japonicus''.Hepatoprotective effects of bergenin, a major constituent of Mallotus japonicus, on carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rats. Lim HwaKyung, Kim HackSeang, Choi HongSerck, Oh SeiKwan and Choi JongWon, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2000, Volume 72 , Number 3, pages 469-474,

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* O-methylated natural phenols Phenolic acid glucosides C-glycoside natural phenols {{aromatic-stub