Botanical Name: Picrorhiza kurroa
Family : Plantaginaceae
Kingdom : Plantae
Order: Lamiales
Genus : Picrorhiza
Common names : Kutki, Kardi, karwi, Karu. Sanskrit names: Arishta, Anjani
Habitat: Picrorhiza kurroa is native to North-Western Himalayan region from Kashmir to Kumaun and Garhwal regions of India and Nepal. It grows in the hilly regions .
Description:
Picrorhiza kurroa is a small perennial herb. The stem is small, weak, creeping, erect at flowering, leafy, and slightly hairy. Leaves are 5–10 cm long, almost radical, sharply serrate, turning black on drying. Flowers are very small, white or pale blue purple, in dense terminal spikes. Flowering and fruiting occur from June to August. Fruit is a two-celled spherical capsule. Seeds are many, white, with an oblong curved raphae.Rhizomes are jointed and zigzag, greyish-brown, cylindrical, irregularly curved with branching and rooting at the jointed nodes.
Cultivation:
*The plant grows well in cool and moist climate.
*Sandy clay textured soil is the best for its growth.
*It needs porous soil layers, which facilitate horizontal spreading of the rhizomes underneath, that produce aerial sprouts from the nodes.
*The plant prefers sufficiently moist and shaded locations.
*Picrorhiza kurroa is a long-duration high-altitude plant and cannot be successfully propagated under montane conditions.
*It suffers heavy mortality during prolonged and intense rains.
Propagation:
*The planting stock can initially be raised through seedlings, but can also be propagated through rhizomes/stolons/offsets.
*Seeds may be collected in August–September for raising nursery.
*Viability of seeds is more than 60% for a period of about six months.
Medicinal Uses:
Picrorhiza kurroa is an important herb in the traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic systems of medicine, used to treat liver and upper respiratory conditions. Its traditional uses include treatment of a wide range of conditions, including fevers, chronic diarrhea, constipation, dyspepsia and jaundice.
*Root powder of this herb is strong laxative (virechak) in nature and help to cure chronic constipation (vivandh).
*Leaf paste of the herb is applied locally to relieve burning sensation (daha).
*The leaf paste also used to treat various skin related problems (charm roga).
*This herb is also an amazing remedy for treating chronic recurrent fevers (visham jwara)
Known Hazards:
Risk Factors of, and Cautions for Picrorhiza Kurroa Excess use may cause Vomiting, Anorexia, Diarrhea, Itching. Picrorrhiza Kurroa is a plant. Picrorhiza Kurroa and Picrorhiza Scrophulariiflora are two relative of the same species. Mix 1 teaspoon each of dried Picrorhiza Kurroa root powder and Honey.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://vikaspedia.in/agriculture/crop-production/package-of-practices/medicinal-and-aromatic-plants/picrorhiza-kurroa
