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Ethnobotanical Significance of Picrorhiza Kurroa (Kutki), a Threatened Species

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Ethnobotanical Significance of Picrorhiza Kurroa (Kutki), a Threatened Species International Journal of Research and Review DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20210443 Vol.8; Issue: 4; April 2021 Website: www.ijrrjournal.com Review Article E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237 Ethnobotanical Significance of Picrorhiza Kurroa (Kutki), a Threatened Species Isha Kumari1, Hemlata Kaurav2, Gitika Chaudhary3 1Junior Research Executive, 2Research Associate, 3H.O.D. - Research and Development, Shuddhi Ayurveda, Jeena Sikho Lifecare Pvt. Ltd. Zirakpur 140603, Punjab, India Corresponding Author: Gitika Chaudhary ABSTRACT The chemical constituents of these plants are served as chemical entities for synthetic Herbal plants have been used in the health drugs. This is the reason why plant kingdom maintenance customs since the origin of is entitled with “the treasure house of mankind. The herbal products have negligible potential drugs [1-7]. These medicinal plays adverse impacts on the consumer health because also play a vital role in cosmetic and they have suitable and beneficial physiological actions on the living systems. Traditional nutraceutical industry. Herbal nutraceuticals have a great impact on maintaining the systems of medication primarily use plants in [8,9] their practices. The market demand of these health and longevity of life . These plant based products has been increased over the medicinal plants are the rich source of past few years. Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex secondary metabolites like flavonoids, Benth is one of the most established herbal saponins, alkaloids, triterpenes etc. which plants with extraordinary medicinal properties. have a definite, compatible and suitable It belongs to Scrophulariaceae family and physiological actions on the human body commonly called as Kutki. Picrorhiza kurroa is this is the reason why the drugs derived also called as bitter drug due to presence of from herbal plants have negligible side Kutkin, principle phytochemical constituent of effects [10-12]. The WHO estimation on the this medicinal plant. It is used in Ayurveda and folk system for treating liver related disorders utilization herbal drugs revealed that 80% of the world population relies mainly on herbal and used as a remedy for jaundice, malaria, cut, [13-17] wounds, snake bites etc. Its main therapeutic medicines . The continent Asia has a properties are antimalarial, antidiabetic, very history of using herbals for the hepatoprotective, anticancer, anti-mutagenic, treatment of numerous chronic as well as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory etc. The infectious human diseases [18]. India being aim of present review is to provide information the botanical garden of the world and listed related to phytochemistry, traditional uses in among the World biodiversity centers, uses Ayurveda and folk medicinal system and more than 45000 different plant species for therapeutic properties of Picrorhiza kurroa. health maintenance [19,20]. The traditional medication systems (Ayurveda and folk) of Keywords: Kutki, Kutkin, Rasapanchak, India greatly promote the use of medicinal Hepatoprotective, Antimalarial [21] plants . China has been using herbal INTRODUCTION plants in their day to day life for many Mother nature has been fulfilling our years. Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and requirements since ancient times. It has Singapore are known primary importers of gifted us a vast variety of important Traditional Chinese Medicine which are taking almost 66% share of China’s total medicinal plants which are being used [22-24] primarily in traditional medication systems. herbal drug export . As per the historical reports, various different plant International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 363 Vol.8; Issue: 4; April 2021 Isha Kumari et.al. Ethnobotanical significance of picrorhiza kurroa (kutki), a threatened species. species of plants were used by Amerindians scorpion sting, fever and dyspepsia, dropsy, [25]. It is believed that many American plant asthma, leprosy, arthritis, stomachic species were introduced by the Spanish and troubles, wounds, cuts etc. [36,37]. It has the Portuguese to many parts of the world diverse phytochemistry composed of [26]. Balkan Peninsula, the most important iridoids, acetophenones and cucurbitacins, biodiversity center of Europe, comprises of apocynin. Kutkin is the major active 6340 different vascular plant species [27]. principle phytochemical constituent present The plant diversity of Turkey comprises of in this plant which is used in number of 10,500 different plant species among which herbal formulations due to associated 30% are the native plants of Turkey [28,29]. In extraordinary therapeutic properties [38,39]. African continent it as a very common The root of Picrorhiza kurroa are practice of using traditional medicines [30]. therapeutically important. They act as A large proportion of Nigerian population laxative in small doses and cathartic in large use traditional medicines in their daily doses. They are also used against routine [31]. The ancient practices of using gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, medicinal plants are gaining popularity and leukoderma, snake bite, scorpion sting and being continually adapted by many inflammation [40,41]. It is a plant of great populations [32]. There are so many pharmacological and therapeutic important medicinal plants around the world significance. It is associated with properties which are of great significance in traditional like antimalarial, antidiabetic, medication systems and one such significant hepatoprotective, anticancer, anti- plant is Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, (figure 1). It is a member of immunomodulatory etc. Picrorhiza kurroa Scrophulariaceae family and commonly is listed under highly threatened plant called as Kutki in hindi and many other species thus for its conservation languages. It is a native plant of western conventional and biotechnological Himalayas. The word Picrorhiza is made up approaches has been initiated so that of two words “picross”, Greek word which maximum benefit can be derived from this indicates a meaning bitter while the word wonder herb in future also [42]. Vernacular “rhiza” indicates roots. The Punjabi name of names and taxonomic classification of the plant “Karu”, indicates the same Picrorhiza kurroa is given in table 1 and 2 meaning as that of “rhiza” [33]. respectively. Scrophulariaceae family consists of 200 genera and 3000 species which are mainly found in the northern temperate regions of the world. Popular garden plants (including tiny alpines) and aesthetically important plants such as Penstemon, Mimulus and Calceolaria are some members of this family [34]. It is an esteemed medicinal plant in traditional medication systems especially in Ayurveda. In ancient Ayurvedic literature by Jivek, Charak and Vagbhatt Picrorhiza kurroa is mentioned as an important remedy. Also this medicinal plant is listed as an official drug in Indian Pharmacopoeia [35]. In Ayurveda and other traditional systems, it is used against variety of Figure 1. Picrorhiza kurroa diseases such as liver and respiratory tract problems, dyspepsia, chronic diarrhea, International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 364 Vol.8; Issue: 4; April 2021 Isha Kumari et.al. Ethnobotanical significance of picrorhiza kurroa (kutki), a threatened species. Table 1: Vernacular Names of Picrorhiza kurroa Numerous pale brown seeds are present in English Hellebore Sanskrit Kutki this plant. Seeds ae almost 1 x 0.8 mm in Hindi Tikta, Tiktarohini, Kaurohini, Kavi, Sutiktaka, size and ellipsoid in shape. A very thick and Kauka, Rohini Assamese Katki, Kutki transparent seed coat is present over the Gujrati Kadu, Katu seeds. Kannada Katuka rohini, Malyalam Katuka rohini, Kaduk rohini Marathi Kutki, Kalikutki Geographical Distribution of Picrorhiza Oriya Katuki kurroa Kutki Punjabi Karru, Kaur Tamil Katuka rohini, Katuku rohini, Kadugurohini It is an indigenous plant of western Telugu Karukarohini Himalayan at 3000-5000 m of elevation [47]. Urdu Kutki Western Himalayan range includes Jammu Table 2: Taxonomy of Picrorhiza kurroa [43] and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Taxonomic Rank Taxon Kingdom Plantae Uttarakhand. In Kashmir, it is mainly found Division Dicotiledonae in Gurez, Lolab, Karna, Sindh and Lidder Class Asteride Valleys. In Uttarakhand it is found in areas Order Scrophulariales Family Scrophulariaceae of Badrinath, Kedarnath and Chamba. In Genus Picrorhiza Himachal Pradesh it is wildly found in hilly Species kurroa Common Name Kutki districts such as Chamba, Pangi, Kullu, [48] Shimla, Kinnaur and Lahaul valleys . P. Morphological Description of Picrorhiza kurroa grows well in moist, sandy clay kurroa [44-46] loamin textured soils which have high in [49] It is a small perennial herb which organic matter present in them . It is [50] attains height up to 10-20 cm. A small leafy found in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, China . weak creeping stem is present which is erect at flowering. This plant contains 6-10 inches Phytochemistry of Picrorhiza kurroa long hard roots which are wrinkled and The study reports on its grayish to brown in color. Rhizomes are phytochemistry revealed that it contains 2.5–12.0 cm long, 0.3–1.0 cm thick, complex mixture of phytochemicals. It cylindrical which are curved in irregular mainly consists of iridoids, acetophenones manner with the branching and rooting at and cucurbitacins. The active phytochemical the jointed nodes. The rhizomes are constituent present in Picrorhiza kurroa is externally greyish-brown in appearance. kutkin (a bitter phytochemical constituent)
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