History
The rhizome was a well known Indian drug, mentioned by the name PASANADHEDA or Stonebreaker. It was believed to break the rock, in which it lived. It was used to dissolve gravel or stone in the bladder and act as a diuretic.

Morphology Description (Habit)
It is a perennial herb with stout rootstock. The leaves are variable, coarsely hairy, sparsely hairy to glabrous, broadly obovate or elliptic, finely or sparsely denticulate or shallowly sinuate-dentate. The flowers are white, pink or purple, in long cymose panicles. Capsules are rounded. The rhizome is buff-brown color outside and pinkish brown inside. The market sample is transversely wrinkled or irregularly shrivelled with exfoliating, thin bark, having rootlets or thin scars, buds and scaly leaves.

Principal Constituents
The rhizome contains an active principle, bergenin (0.6%)¹.

Pharmacology
It is reported to be helpful in dissolving kidney stones. In lower doses, the extract is mildly diuretic².

Toxicology
In higher doses it is cardio-toxic, shows anti-diuretic action, and has depressant action on the central nervous system³.

Indications
It is given to dissolve kidney stones and also as a diuretic.

1. Jain & Gupta, J Indian Chem Soc, 1962, 39, 559.
2. Sharma et. al., J Res Indian Med, 1975, 10 (4), 7 & Pathak & Karnick, Nagarjun, 1979-80, 23, 242.
3. Sharma et. al., J Res Indian Med, 1975, 10 (4), 7; Seth et. al., ibid, 1974, 9 (2), 1; Shah & Joshi, Econ Bot, 1971, 25, 414; Pathak & Karnick, Nagarjun, 1979-80, 23, 242.