''Picrorhiza kurroa'' is one of the major income generating non-timber forest products found in the Nepalese Himalayas. It is one of the oldest medicinal plants traded from the Karnali zone. Known as kutki or कुटकी in Nepali, it is a perennial herb and is used as a substitute for Indian gentian (''Gentiana kurroo'').

Habitat

It is found in the Himalayan region from

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

to Sikkim at an elevation of 2700–4500 m and in Nepal, found abundantly between 3500 and 4800 m. It is found far away from the community and takes from hours to days to walk to its growing habitat. It has been reported that ''Picrorhiza'' has been harvested to near extinction.

Description

Leaves: 5–15 cm long leaves, almost all at the base, often withered. Leaves are coarsely toothed, narrowed to a winged stalk.
Rhizomes of the plant are 15–25 cm long and woody.
Flowers: small, pale or purplish blue, borne in cylindric spikes, spikes borne on almost leafless erect stems. Flowers about 8 mm, 5-lobed to the middle, and with much longer stamens.
Fruits: 1.3 cm long. Chemistry: Chemical composition of ''Picrorhiza kurroa'' include Kutkin, a bitter glycoside which contains two C-9 iridoid glycosides, Picroside I and Kutakoside.

Conservation

In 1997, kutki was listed in appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This listing resulted ultimately from a request by the Indian government. Overharvesting of the wild species for use as medicine was cited as the main reason for the listing. The species not widely cultivated, though this has been discussed as a potential way to preserve wild stands, especially since the Dunagiri Foundation Trust has created, implemented, and successfully employed protocols to generate export-quality organic ethical 'Dunagiri Certified' Kutki since 2014. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List did not have a listing for this species as of 2014. ''

Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora ''Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora'' belongs to family Scrophulariaceae. It is used heavily as a substitute for ''Picrorhiza kurroa'' and is considered non-threatened under CITES. It is similar to ''P. kurrooa'' but has leaves up to 6cm long and ste ...

'' appears to be used heavily as a substitute for ''P. kurroa'' and is considered non-threatened by CITES.

Usage

The

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

has a long history of use in Indian

Ayurvedic Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...

medicine for the treatment of digestive problems. Other uses have been proposed (e.g. for asthma, liver damage, wound healing, vitiligo), but the medical evidence is not yet conclusive. It appears to be relatively safe based on its long history of traditional use. Kutki has hepato-protective properties and thus supports the liver and spleen. It is used in all forms of liver damage, cirrhosis, and inflammation of the liver. It protects the liver against damage from the hepatitis C virus.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2562125 Flora of Nepal Plantaginaceae Herbs