← Health · Traditional medicine
Informational only. Do not stop prescribed treatment; seek emergency care when needed.
Pakhanbhed, also known as Bergenia, is a Himalayan rock plant. Laboratory and animal studies suggest it may help with kidney stones, but it must not delay care for kidney stones with infection or blockage. Little safety data is available, and some Ayurvedic products contain metals, which can lead to health issues like lead poisoning. It is not studied for interactions and should be avoided by pregnant or kidney disease patients. In Nepal, herbal products are registered with the Department of Drug Administration (DDA), while in India, the Ministry of AYUSH regulates Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homoeopathy. In the UAE, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and products need licensing by the emirate health authority. Always consult a health professional for medical advice.
Sources: SI summary (own words); NCCIH Herbs at a Glance; FDA and CDC advisories; NLM MedlinePlus (NLM-authored only) · Reference · Reference · Reference · Reference
Laboratory and animal studies only; it must not delay care for kidney stones with infection or blockage.
Safety: Little safety data.
Quality concerns: Some Ayurvedic rasa shastra and bhasma products deliberately contain metals; US FDA and CDC have reported lead poisoning cases, and studies found lead, mercury or arsenic in a share of products sold online.
Rhizome of Bergenia ciliata, a Himalayan rock plant.
Kidney stones, diarrhoea, wounds.
Laboratory and animal studies only; it must not delay care for kidney stones with infection or blockage.
Little safety data.
Some Ayurvedic rasa shastra and bhasma products deliberately contain metals; US FDA and CDC have reported lead poisoning cases, and studies found lead, mercury or arsenic in a share of products sold online.
Not studied.
pregnancy, kidney disease
Herbal products in Nepal are registered with the Department of Drug Administration (DDA). Nepal: the Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine (DoAA, Ministry of Health and Population) runs government Ayurveda hospitals and clinics; practitioners register with the Nepal Ayurveda Medical Council. Ask to see the council registration.
India: the Ministry of AYUSH regulates Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy; practitioners register with the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) or the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH).
UAE: complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and products need licensing by the emirate health authority (DHA in Dubai, DoH in Abu Dhabi, MOHAP elsewhere). Check the licence on the authority's public register.
Sources: SI summary (own words); NCCIH Herbs at a Glance; FDA and CDC advisories; NLM MedlinePlus (NLM-authored only) · Reference · Reference · Reference · Reference
AlifZetta text CC BY 4.0 (own words). NCCIH, FDA and CDC are US government works (public domain), used as references.