Katuki
Picrorhiza kurroa
Katuki (Picrorhiza kurroa) is a plant drug, from the Plantaginaceae family. Picroside I is absorbed primarily in the upper GI tract. Apocynin (metabolite) has rapid absorption. Self-emulsifying formulations improve kutkin bioavailability by 3-fold. Piperine co-administration increases picroside I AUC by 60%.
| Botanical name | Picrorhiza kurroa |
|---|---|
| Identity source | Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Vol. II: KATUKA (Rhizome) |
| Also called | Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora (traded as a substitute) |
| Family | Plantaginaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Lamiales |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 3727300 · Wikidata Q2562125 · NCBI Taxonomy 195120 |
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 1996 to 2026, 11 with a DOI.
- 1Randomised controlled trials
- 11Other clinical studies and reviews
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Katuki |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Tikta | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheeta | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Katu | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Capsule, Tablet, Kashayam (decoction), Arishta/Asava (fermented preparation), Ghrita (medicated ghee)
Standard Dosage: 1-3 g powder twice daily; 500 mg standardized extract capsule twice daily; 30-50 mL decoction; Arogyavardhini Vati: 2 tablets twice daily
Optimal Timing: Before meals on empty stomach for hepatoprotective and cholagogue effects; with meals if GI irritation occurs; Arogyavardhini Vati: before meals with warm water
Storage: Store in airtight, moisture-proof containers at 15-25°C. Picroside glycosides are relatively stable but hygroscopic. Protect from light. Refrigerated storage (2-8°C) extends potency for high-value standardized extracts.
Marker Compounds: Picroside I, Picroside II (Kutkoside), Apocynin (Acetovanillone), Androsin, Picein, Vanillic acid, Cucurbitacin glycosides
Synergistic Combinations
- Guggulu in Arogyavardhini Vati for comprehensive metabolic and hepatic support
- Bhumyamalaki for hepatoprotective synergy
- Guduchi, traditionally combined for liver support
- Nimba, traditionally combined as a complementary bitter
- Chirayata (Swertia) for bitter tonic and febrifuge combination
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Randomised controlled trials1
- 1996. Picrorhiza kurroa (Kutaki) Royle ex Benth as a hepatoprotective agent--experimental & clinical studiesJournal of postgraduate medicine. PMID 9715310
Other clinical studies and reviews11
- 2026. Evaluating the therapeutic potential of picrosides in breast cancer cell lines: a systematic scoping reviewNaunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology. PMID 41143952 · doi:10.1007/s00210-025-04715-6
- 2026. Hepatoprotective Potential of Indian Medicinal PlantsCombinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening. PMID 39835553 · doi:10.2174/0113862073346295250107070310
- 2025. A comprehensive update on phytochemistry and medicinal developments of apocyninFitoterapia. PMID 40280248 · doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2025.106558
- 2023. Picrorhiza kurroa, Royle ex Benth:Traditional uses, phytopharmacology, and translational potential in therapy of fatty liver diseaseJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 35659739 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100558
- 2023. Global uses of traditional herbs for hepatic diseases and other pharmacological actions: A comprehensive reviewPolimery w medycynie. PMID 37260126 · doi:10.17219/pim/165977
- 2022. Pharmacological and Clinical Efficacy of Picrorhiza kurroa and Its Secondary Metabolites: A Comprehensive ReviewMolecules (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 36500409 · doi:10.3390/molecules27238316
- 2021. Pharmacology of apocynin: a natural acetophenoneDrug metabolism reviews. PMID 33689526 · doi:10.1080/03602532.2021.1895203
- 2021. Advances in Ethnobotany, Synthetic Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Endangered Herb Picrorhiza kurroa (Kutki): A Comprehensive Review (2010-2020)Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry. PMID 33797375 · doi:10.2174/1389557521666210401090028
- 2020. The beneficial pharmacological effects and potential mechanisms of picroside II: Evidence of its benefits from in vitro and in vivoBiomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. PMID 32674016 · doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110421
- 2019. "Picrosides" from Picrorhiza kurroa as potential anti-carcinogenic agentsBiomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. PMID 30551422 · doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.11.048
- 2012. The neuroprotective effects of apocyninFrontiers in bioscience (Elite edition). PMID 22202030 · doi:10.2741/535
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
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