A comprehensive review on Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth

Abstract

There exists a wide diversity of medicinal plants in Western Himalaya and among them, the drug “Kutki” (Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth.) is one of the highly renowned medicinal plants of this region. More than 50 secondary metabolites have been recorded from the dried rhizomes and roots of this endangered plant and it is harvested for medicinal purpose to treat various types of diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, malaria, chronic dysentery, viral hepatitis, upset stomach, scorpion sting, stimulation of appetite and improvement of digestion, liver protection, skin conditions, peptic ulcer and neuralgia, vitiligo and rheumatic arthritis. Overexploitation and consequent degradation of natural habitat are reported to be a major threat to this plant. Due to its remote location, narrow distribution range and small population size, scientific investigations on this species are sporadic and fragmentary. Much information on this species is scanty and fragmented and need to be compiled. It is important because they provide insight into the scientific information available, even if too little, with a view to determining the gaps that need to be addressed in the future. This article tries to consolidate all the available information into a single compilation. After thorough investigation and literature search, it was observed that less work has been done on this plant especially on its extraction methods and storage conditions and durations.