Katuki — Kutki

Ayurvedic herb Katuki (Picrorhiza kurroa) — Kutki. Pharmacological properties: Rasa Tikta, Virya Sheeta, Vipaka Katu. Balances Pitta, Kapha.

Ayurvedic Herbs A–Z 1 min read

Used in liver cleansing, detox, and skin conditions.

ⓘ Information

Property	Value	Description
Rasa	Tikta	Tikta (Bitter) — detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic
Guna	Laghu	Laghu (Light) — easy to digest, promotes lightness
Virya	Sheeta	Sheeta (Cold) — cooling, decreases Pitta and inflammation
Vipaka	Katu	Katu (Pungent) — post-digestive pungent, lightening
Prabhava	Pittaghna, Yakritottejaka	Pittaghna — reduces Pitta; Yakritottejaka

Sanskrit Synonyms

In the classical Ayurvedic texts, Katuki is known by the following Sanskrit names:

Tikta, Kauki, Matsyashakala, Chakrangi

Parts Used

The medicinal parts of Katuki are: moola, kanda.

Main Indications

Katuki is indicated in Ayurveda for the following conditions:

Kamala, Jwara, Yakrit Roga, Kushta, Arochak.

Dosha Effects

Katuki pacifies Pitta, Kapha.

It may aggravate Vata when used in excess or in sensitive individuals.

Usage

Katuki is used in classical Ayurvedic formulations. Consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner for appropriate dosage and preparation based on your constitution (Prakriti) and current imbalance (Vikriti).

Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API)

Source: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India — Government of India, Ministry of AYUSH

Rasa (Taste)Tikta, Kauu

Guna (Quality)Laghu

Virya (Potency)Uṣḍa

Vipaka (Post-digestive effect)Kauu

Karma (Action)Pittahara, Dipani, Bhedini, Hrdya, Jvarahara

Dose1 - 3 g of the drug in powder form.

Therapeutic Uses: K¡mal¡, śv¡sa, D¡ha, Jvara, Kuṣuha, Viṣamajvara, Arocaka

Important Formulations: ārogyavardhini Guuik¡, Tiktaka Ghrta, Sarvajvarahara

Botanical Name: Picrorhiza kurroa Royle (Scrophulariaceae)

Part Used: Rz.

Therapeutic Uses (IMPPAT Database)

Source: Indian Medicinal Plants, Phytochemistry And Therapeutics (IMPPAT) v1.0 — CC BY 4.0

Part Used	Therapeutic Use	Identifiers	References
rhizome	Anemia	MESH:D000740,UMLS:C0002871, DOID:2355, ICD-11:3A9Z	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Anorexia	MESH:D000855,UMLS:C1971624, DOID:8689, ICD-11:MG43.7	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Appetite stimulants	MESH:D019167,UMLS:C0376447	ISBN:9788172361792, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
rhizome	Asthma	MESH:D001249,UMLS:C0004096, DOID:2841, ICD-11:CA23	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Bronchitis	MESH:D001991,UMLS:C0006277, DOID:6132, ICD-11:CA20	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Colic	MESH:D003085,UMLS:C0232488, ICD-11:MD81.4	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Constipation	MESH:D003248,UMLS:C0009806, DOID:2089, ICD-11:ME05.0	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Diabetes mellitus	MESH:D003920,UMLS:C0011849, DOID:9351, ICD-11:5A14	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Dyspepsia	MESH:D004415,UMLS:C0013395, ICD-11:DD90.3	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Edema	MESH:D004487,UMLS:C0013604, ICD-11:MG29.1	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
rhizome	Jaundice	MESH:D007565,UMLS:C0022346, ICD-11:ME10.1	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Leprosy	MESH:D007918,UMLS:C0023343, DOID:1024, ICD-11:1B20	ISBN:9788171360536
rhizome	Skin diseases	MESH:D012871,UMLS:C0037274, DOID:37, ICD-11:EM0Z	ISBN:9788171360536
root	Anthelmintics	MESH:D000871,UMLS:C0003158, ICD-11:XM4EC0	ISBN:9788172361792
root	Anti-inflammatory agents	MESH:D000893,UMLS:C0003209, ICD-11:XM7XD1	ISBN:9788172362461
root	Antineoplastic agents	MESH:D000970,UMLS:C0003392	ISBN:9788172362461
root	Anti-obesity agents	MESH:D019440,UMLS:C0376607, ICD-11:5B81	The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Antirheumatic agents	MESH:D018501,UMLS:C0003191, ICD-11:XM95N2	The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Appetite stimulants	MESH:D019167,UMLS:C0376447	ISBN:9780387706375, ISBN:9788172361266, ISBN:9788172361792, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
root	Cathartics	MESH:D002400,UMLS:C0007422, ICD-11:XM6GE9	ISBN:9788172361266, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
root	Cholagogues and choleretics	MESH:D002756,UMLS:C0232763	ISBN:9780387706375
root	Diarrhea	MESH:D003967,UMLS:C0011991, DOID:13250, ICD-11:ME05.1	ISBN:9780387706375
root	Dysentery	MESH:D004403,UMLS:C0277526, DOID:12384, ICD-11:1A40.Z	ISBN:9780387706375
root	Dysentery, amebic	MESH:D004404,UMLS:C0013370, ICD-11:1A36.00	ISBN:9780387706375
root	Dyspepsia	MESH:D004415,UMLS:C0013395, ICD-11:DD90.3	ISBN:9788172361266, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
root	Dyspnea	MESH:D004417,UMLS:C0013404, ICD-11:MD11.5	The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Edema	MESH:D004487,UMLS:C0013604, ICD-11:MG29.1	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
root	Fever	MESH:D005334,UMLS:C0015967, ICD-11:MG26	ISBN:9788172361266, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Hepatitis	MESH:D006505,UMLS:C0019158, DOID:2237, ICD-11:DB97.Z	ISBN:9780387706375, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Jaundice	MESH:D007565,UMLS:C0022346, ICD-11:ME10.1	The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Laxatives	MESH:D054368,UMLS:C0282090, ICD-11:XM62T3	ISBN:9788172361792, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
root	Pain	MESH:D010146,UMLS:C0030193, ICD-11:MG3Z	The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Scorpion stings	MESH:D065008,UMLS:C0238417, ICD-11:NE61	ISBN:9788172361266
root	Skin diseases	MESH:D012871,UMLS:C0037274, DOID:37, ICD-11:EM0Z	The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Splenomegaly	MESH:D013163,UMLS:C0038002, ICD-11:ME10.01	The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
root	Wounds and injuries	MESH:D014947,UMLS:C0043251	The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India Part-1 Volume-9
whole plant	Liver diseases	MESH:D008107,UMLS:C0023895, DOID:409, ICD-11:SA0Z	ISBN:9788172362461
	Immunostimulant	MESH:D000276,UMLS:C0001551	ISBN:9788172362461
	Anthelmintics	MESH:D000871,UMLS:C0003158, ICD-11:XM4EC0	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Antifungal agents	MESH:D000935,UMLS:C0003308, ICD-11:XM83G4	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Antipyretics	MESH:D058633,UMLS:C0003419, ICD-11:XM1RS7	ISBN:9788172361792, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Appetite stimulants	MESH:D019167,UMLS:C0376447	ISBN:9788172361792, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Asthma	MESH:D001249,UMLS:C0004096, DOID:2841, ICD-11:CA23	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Cathartics	MESH:D002400,UMLS:C0007422, ICD-11:XM6GE9	ISBN:9788172361792, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Cicatrix	MESH:D002921,UMLS:C2004491	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Dysentery, amebic	MESH:D004404,UMLS:C0013370, ICD-11:1A36.00	ISBN:9788172362461
	Dyspepsia	MESH:D004415,UMLS:C0013395, ICD-11:DD90.3	ISBN:9788172361792, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Dyspnea	MESH:D004417,UMLS:C0013404, ICD-11:MD11.5	ISBN:9780387706375
	Edema	MESH:D004487,UMLS:C0013604, ICD-11:MG29.1	ISBN:9788172361792
	Emetics	MESH:D004639,UMLS:C0013973	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Epilepsy	MESH:D004827,UMLS:C0014544, DOID:1826, ICD-11:8A6Z	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Expectorants	MESH:D005100,UMLS:C0015314	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Fever	MESH:D005334,UMLS:C0015967, ICD-11:MG26	ISBN:9780387706375, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Heart diseases	MESH:D006331,UMLS:C0018799, DOID:114, ICD-11:BC4Z	ISBN:9788172361792
	Hematologic diseases	MESH:D006402,UMLS:C0018939, DOID:74, ICD-11:3C0Z	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Hemorrhoids	MESH:D006484,UMLS:C0019112, DOID:9746, ICD-11:DB60.Z	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Hepatitis, viral, human	MESH:D006525,UMLS:C0019195, DOID:1884, ICD-11:1E50.Z	ISBN:9788172362461
	Inflammation	MESH:D007249,UMLS:C0021368	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Jaundice	MESH:D007565,UMLS:C0022346, ICD-11:ME10.1	ISBN:9780387706375
	Laxatives	MESH:D054368,UMLS:C0282090, ICD-11:XM62T3	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Liver diseases	MESH:D008107,UMLS:C0023895, DOID:409, ICD-11:SA0Z	ISBN:9788172361792, ISBN:9788172362461, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Lung diseases	MESH:D008171,UMLS:C0024115, DOID:850, ICD-11:CB40.Y	ISBN:9788172362461
	Malaria	MESH:D008288,UMLS:C0024530, DOID:12365, ICD-11:1F4Z	ISBN:9788172361792
	Menstruation-inducing agents	MESH:D008600,UMLS:C0025346	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Microfilariae	MESH:D008842,UMLS:C0025980	ISBN:9788172362461
	Migraine disorders	MESH:D008881,UMLS:C0149931, DOID:6364, ICD-11:8A80.Z	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Pain	MESH:D010146,UMLS:C0030193, ICD-11:MG3Z	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Skin diseases	MESH:D012871,UMLS:C0037274, DOID:37, ICD-11:EM0Z	ISBN:9780387706375
	Vitiligo	MESH:D014820,UMLS:C0042900, DOID:12306, ICD-11:ED63.0	Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I
	Antiperiodic		ISBN:9788172361792, Pharmacognosy Of Indigenous Drugs Volume I