Kutki
Other Names: Picrorrhiza Kurroa, Katuka, Katki.
This Ayurvedic herb is found in the western Himalayas from Kashmir in India to Sikkim.
As a Dietary Supplement
Kutki helps to maintain healthy bile production and supports healthy liver function. It is safe to use as nutritional support for excessive fat.
As per Ayurveda
It balances pitta and kapha (fire and water) in the body. It is used as a mild laxative, hepatoprotective, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic. It helps in cases of skin problems, jaundice and improves eye sight. It is also used to check first stage of liver cancer.
Traditional Indian (Ayurvedic) healers have relied on this plant for centuries to treat lung and liver disorders including hepatitis and poor bile production, constipation, digestive upset, and snakebites, among other ailments.
High Quality herb and pure extract of wild crafted herbs from their natural habitat without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or preservatives. Wild Crafted Herbs are more potent and effective than Cultivated Herbs.
Picrorhiza kurroa is a famous herb in the traditional system of medicine i.e. ayurveda and has classically been used to cure disorders of the liver and upper respiratory tract (URT). It also reduce fevers and to resolve dyspepsia, chronic diarrheal condition and bites by scorpion sting. It is a small perennial weed, found in the Himalayan region evolving at heights of 3,000-5,000 meters above sea level. Picrorhiza kurroa or commonly known as kutki has a long, creeping stocks of the roots that is bitter in taste and grows in rock crevices and rocky surfaces and moist, sandy soil. The leaves of the plant are flat, oval, and sharply serrated. The flowers appear in late summers and early rainy seasons. Flowers are white or pale purple in color and borne on a tall spike. It is harvested manually in the early winter season. The active ingredients are achieved from the root and rhizomes. The plant is self-regenerating. Present studies on Picrorhiza kurroa
(kutki) has focused on its hepatoprotective (liver protection), anticholestatic (stablelises cholestrol), antioxidant, and immune-modulating activity. Picrorhiza kurroa improves the gall bladder secretions and helps in digestion and metabolisation of fats. It is very useful in treating fatty liver and also regulates the fat metabolism in liver.
Pharmacological Action: tonic, expectorant, anthelmintic, antiviral, antipyretic, strong purgative, mild diuretic, antispasmodic, hepato and spleenotonic, regulates blood sugar, expectorant, anthelmintic, bhedana, antiviral = also HIV, EBV, purgative provoking pitta remove, anticoagulant, antipyretic, lekhana, diuretic, hepato detoxifier, antipleuritic, antispasmodic = hiccoughs K= kapha pitta hara, pacana, dipana, yakrt utageka, pitta sarka, krmighana, prame hangn, daha prasamk; bitter stomachic, laxative, cathartic in large dose, antiperiodic, cholagogue, mild purgative
Indications (Uses): portal hypertension, ascites, fever, hiccoughs, chronic constipation, renal failure, cirrhotic changes, HIV, rheumatic conditions, CFS, jaundice, hepatitis A (infectious) or B C, cirrhotic changes ,lipomas, gall stones, CFS, cirrhotic changes from alcohol, placque on arteries, gall stones, eczema, peptic ulcer, arteries, rheumatism, immune deficiency, fever, infectioin, pneumonitis, pulmonary congestion, cold, cough, HIV, EBV, chronic hiccough from CHF, renal failure, uremia, chronic constipation from gases, ascites, spleenomegaly, renal failure, hepatomegaly K = dropsy, snakebit, scorpion sting, disease of liver and spleen including jaundice and anemia, constipation due to scanty intestinal secretions, bilious fever as decoction of kutki, neem, licorice, raisins dyspepsia (kutki, vaca, haritaki, citrak with cow's urine in dose of 28ml, scorpion sting, non-specific fever such as with constipation, fever of elephantiasis, infective hepatitis with jaundice, bronchial asthma, hi serum cholesterol and long coagulation times
Contraindications (Cautions): diarrhea, dual hiccoughs, hypoglycemia
Constituents: K = flavonoid, kutkin a glucosida bitter principle actually two glucosides picroside-1 and kutkoside. Petroleum ether extract yielded D-mannitol, kutkiol, kutkisterol, and a ketone identical to apocynin, picrorhizin is its bitter principle, as glucosidovanilloyl glucose was isolated
Active Substances:
Plant Part Used: rhizome
