Chemical constituents of Picrorhiza genus : a review

Abstract

Picrorhiza (family Scrophulariaceae) is a small genus of two important endangered medicinal plant species- Picrorhiza kurrooa Royle ex Benth and Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennel of the IndoChina Himalayan region. These species contain several bioactive compounds that have therapeutic properties. They are medicinally revered herbs used extensively in traditional as well as modern medicinal systems of India, China, Tibet, Nepal and Sri Lanka for various immune-related diseases. P. kurrooa is predominant in the western Himalayas of Northern India, while P. scrophulariiflora is mainly found in the Himalayan regions of Sikkim, Nepal and Tibet. P. kurrooa is used for the treatment of liver disorder, gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, fever, asthma and jaundice and possess anti periodic, cholagogue, stomachic, laxative and antiasthmatic activities. The roots part of P. scrophulariflora is used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of damp-heat dysentery, jaundice and steaming bone disorder. The genus has attracted great interest so much so that it has been the subject of numerous chemical and pharmacological investigations. The secondary metabolites reported in P. kurrooa and P. scrophulariiflora for the period from 1949-2013 are reviewed and compiled in this paper. One hundred thirty-two chemical constituents belonging to different class of compounds from roots, rhizomes, seeds, stem and leaves of these two Picrorhiza species are listed and their bioactivities are described in an effort to demonstrate the development in the phytochemistry and therapeutic applications of Picrorhiza genus.