Picrorhiza Kurroa: an Ethnopharmacologically Important Plant Species of Himalayan Region
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Pure Appl. Biol., 4(3): 407-417, September- 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2015.43017 Review Article Picrorhiza kurroa: An ethnopharmacologically important plant species of Himalayan region Maria Masood*, Muhammad Arshad, Rahmatullah Qureshi, Sidra Sabir, Muhammad Shoaib Amjad, Huma Qureshi and Zainab Tahir Department of Botany, PMAS- Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan *Corresponding author email: [email protected] Citation Maria Masood, Muhammad Arshad, Rahmatullah Qureshi, Sidra Sabir, Muhammad Shoaib Amjad, Huma Qureshi and Zainab Tahir. Picrorhiza kurroa: An ethnopharmacologically important plant species of Himalayan region. Pure and Applied Biology. Vol. 4, Issue 3, 2015, pp 407-417. http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2015.43017 Received: 15/06/2015 Revised: 20/08/2015 Accepted: 25/08/2015 Abstract Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. commonly known as Kutki, belongs to family Scrophulariaceae. It is found in the Himalayan regions of China, Pakistan, India, Bhutan and Nepal. It is considered as an important medicinal plant which is mostly used in the traditional medicinal system for asthama, jaundice, fever, malaria, snake bite and liver disorders Different pharmacological activities of P. kurroa include anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti- mutagenic, cardio-protective, hepato-protective, anti-malarial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-ulcer and nephro-protective activities were recorded from this plant. So far, Iridoids (Picroside I and II), Cucurbitacins and Phenolic components are the different phytochemicals which are extracted from P. kurroa. The authentification of P. kurroa raw material for commercially available herbal/botanical products is essential and it is done by the DNA fingerprinting of P. kurroa. Because of the over-exploitation of P. kurroa for medicinal purposes, the conservational status of P. kurroa in different regions became endangered. It is the need of the hour to utilize different conservational strategies and save this medicinal wealth from extinction as it is widely used by the local people for curing different diseases and thus it cause immense pressure on the plant population. Keyword: Ethnopharmacology; Conservation; Extinction. Introduction regions of Nepal where it grows on the rock’s Geographical distribution crevices on the north facing slopes, cliffs and Kutki is a perennial herb found in the the turf of glacial flats. Himalayan region (Garhwal to Bhutan), West P. kurroa Royle ex Benth.is present in wild China, South-East Tibet and North Burma. It form in the north-western Himalayan region grows in wild form in alpine regions on rock from Kashmir to Sikkim [1]. It is found in the crevices and also in organic soils. In Nepal, North-Western Himalayan region from Kutki is found in abundance in alpine Kashmir to Kumaun and Nepal and Garhwal Himalayan region between altitudes of regions in India [2]. It is found in Nepal, 3500m and 4800m and also in the western China, India, Pakistan and Bhutan [3]. Published by Bolan Society for Pure and Applied Biology 407 Masood et al. Taxonomy and Morphology Pollen grains round, tri-colpate, with The complete botanical name is Picrorhiza incomplete or perforate tectum, the partial kurroa Royle ex Bentham. It has got two tectum micro-reticulate, colpus membrane synonyms i.e. Picrorhiza lindleyana (Wall.) smooth or occasionally coarse [10, 11]. Steud. and Veronica lindleyanaWall. Rhizome is 2.5–12.0 cm long and 0.3–1.0 cm In Greek, “picros” means bitter, while thick, sub-cylindrical, straight or to some “rhiza” means root.The specific epithet of extent curved, externally greyish-brown, plant is taken from the Punjabi name of the external surface is coarse due to longitudinal plant “Karu”, which means bitter [2]. furrows and spherical scars of roots, tip ends Vernacular names being used for P. kurroa in a growing bud enclosed by a crown of include Balakadulen, Hellebore, leaves (Figure 2). Root is elongated, tubular, hohwangryun, honglen, hunglen, honkadu, 5–10 cm in length and 0.5–1.0 mm in huhuanglian, kadu, kadukrohini, diameter, straight or marginally curved with kadugurohini, kalikutki, karupicrorhiza, a few longitudinal and dotted scars, mostly karru, katki, katu, katuka, Karukarohini, associated with rhizomes [12]. katukaa, Kaurohini, Kavi, Kauka, katuka, The anatomy of rhizome shows 20–25 layers katukarohini, katukarogani, katukarohini, of cork consisting of tangentially extended, katuki, katuko, katukurohini, katurohini, suberized cells; 1–2-layered cork cambium; katvi, kaur, khanekhaswael, kharbaqe-hindi, cortex single layered or not present, main kotkaanphraao, koouren, kotkaanphraao, cortex continues in some cases, 1 or 2 small kour, kurri, kuru, kutaki, kutki, kutta, rohini, sized vascular bundles (xylem and phloem) sutiktaka, tiktarohini, Tikti, xi present in the cortex. Vascular bundles are zanghuhuanglian [4-8]. surrounded by fibrous bundle sheath. Morphological and Taxonomic Features Secondary phloem is made up of parenchyma Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. belongs to cells and a few dispersed fibers. 2–4 layered Scrophulariaceae family. This is a large plant thick cambium is present. Secondary xylem family, with around 200 genera and 3000 consists of tracheids, vessels, fibers and species, mainly found in the northern parenchyma cells. Vessels vary in size and temperate regions of the world. shape, tracheids long, thick walled,lignified, Scrophulariaceae includes the plants such as more or less cylindrical with blunt pointed popular garden plants (including tiny ends. Starch grains are abundantly present, alpines); and also some other plants grown 25–105 μm in diameter. Anatomy of root for their aesthetic value (include Penstemon, shows when root is young, it shows single Mimulus and Calceolaria) [9]. layered epidermis, some epidermal cells Kutki is a perennial herb with an elongated stretch forming unicellular hairs. rhizome. The leaves are basal and alternate, Hypodermis is single-layered. Cortex 8–14 approximately 5–10 cm long (Figure 1). layered, consisting of ovoid to polygonal, Terminal Spikes are present. Calyx divide thick-walled parenchymatous cells. Primary equally in 5 parts. The corolla has 4 or 5 stele, tetrarch to heptarch, enclosed by a lobes, 4–5 mm long, bilobate with lobes more single-layered pericycle and single layered or less spreading or nearly actinomorphic. thick-walled cells of endodermis. Mature Stamens 4, inserted on corolla tube, slightly roots show 4–15 layers of cork, 1–2 layers of didynamous. Stigma capitate. Fruit an acute cork cambium. Vessels vary in size and capsule, tapered at top, dehiscing into 4 shape, some tubular with tail-like, tapered valves, 12 mm long. Seeds numerous, ends; some barrel shaped with perforation on ellipsoid: seed coat very thick, transparent. 408 Pure Appl. Biol., 4(3): 407-417, September- 2015 end walls or adjacent walls. Tracheids are extracts of rhizome of P. kurroa was checked cylindrical with tapered sharp ends [1]. against bacterial strains which belonged to The flowering period of Kutki is from June to gram positive and gram negative bacteria. August. It is found far away from the Ethanolic extract of rhizome of P. kurroa community and takes from hours to days to exhibited high antibacterial activity against walk to its growing habitat. It has been B. cereus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, reported that plant has been harvested to near S .pyogens and S. typhi. The methanolic extinction. extract of rhizome showed greater Pharmacological Activities antibacterial activity against S. aureus and P. The pharmacological properties of aeruginosa, while hexane and acetone extract Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. include showed intermediate activity against B. anti-microbial, hepatoprotective, anti- cereus, E. coli, K. pneumonia, P. aeruginosa, oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-mutagenic and S. aureus, S. pyogens and S. typhi. Aqueous anti-cancer activities. extract of rhizome did not show antibacterial Rhizomes of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex activity against the tested bacterial strains Benth., when phytochemically screened [14]. showed the presence of bioactive To evaluate mutagenic potential of P. kurroa components, which have been linked to root extract, the extract was tested in antimicrobial properties. Numerous chemical Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation experiments and TLC studies revealed the assay with five histidine-requiring strains of occurrence of sterols, glycosides and Salmonella typhimurium (TA1537, TA1535, phenolic compounds when tested on various TA98, TA100 and TA102). The test was extracts of rhizomes of P. kurroa. The main done in two autonomous experiments (viz., chemical components found in P. kurroa Dose Selection Study/Cytotoxicity Study and include iridoid glycosides and cucurbitacins Mutagenicity Study) in the absence and (triterpenoids). The effects of aqueous and presence (10% S9 v/v) of metabolic methanolic extracts on pathogenic fungal activation system in triplicates. In the dose (including Candida albicans, Aspergillus range finding study, the extract was tested at niger, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and the dose levels of 78.13, 156.25, 312.5, 625, bacterial strains (including Staphylococcus 1250, 2500 and 5000 μg/ml in the absence aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, and presence (10% S9 v/v) of metabolic Escherichia coli) indicated that the plant part activation system. The results of solubility, can be used to treat infections caused by these precipitation of test item and