Picrorhiza, Hu Huang Lian 胡黄连

Hu Huang Lian (TCM)
Katuki (Ayurveda)
Kutki (Unani)
Hong Len  ཧོང་ལེན  (Tibet)
Picture Picture Picrorhiza kurroa
Royle, Illustrations of the botany and other branches of the natural
history of the Himalayan Mountains and of the flora of Cashmere, 1839

Picture Picrorhiza kurroa
(Photo by Kenraiz) (Wikimedia)

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Botanical name:


Picrorhiza spp. (sometimes spelled Picrorrhiza)
  1. P. kurroa (mainly Ayurveda, also TCM)
  2. P. scrophulariflora (syn. Neopicrorhiza scrophulariaeflora) (TCM, Tibetan)

Parts used:


Rhizome

Temperature & Taste:


Cold, dry. Bitter

Classification:


B. Clears Deficient Heat

Uses:


1. Clears Liver Heat (Ayurveda, TCM, Unani, Tibetan):
-Headache, Red Eyes, Diarrhea, Gall Bladder disease
-Hypertension etc.
-Hepatitis; various Liver diseases with Heat or Heat and Damp
-especially useful for Bilious dyspepsia, and especially if with Fever (Unani)
-various Eye diseases associated with liver heat.
-potent Hepato-protective
-effective to lower Cholesterol
-‘It tonifies the Liver and the Gall Bladder, and improves the eyesight’ (Su Gong)
   
2. Clears Heat and Damp (Ayurveda, TCM, Tibetan, Unani):
-Diarrhea associated with Heat and Damp of the Stomach, Liver, Gall Bladder or Bowels.
-Urinary Tract Infections, Jaundice
-Gastritis and Intestinal Pain.
    
3. Clears Heat and Poison:
-Sore Throat, Cough, Cold and Lung Fever (Tibet); Sore Throat, Tonsillitis (Ayurveda)
-Allergies and Hay-fever.
-Inflammations, Swellings and Tumors from Heat or Heat and Toxin
-Skin diseases including Eczema and more obstinate diseases such as Psoriasis
-Sexually Transmitted Diseases including Syphilis (Ayurveda)
-neutralizes toxin of Croton seed (Su Gong)

4. Clears Deficient Heat:
-Heat from Yin deficiency; Tuberculosis; Hectic Fever; Fever associated with childhood malnutrition
-Wasting Disorders; Cachexia
-adjunct in Diabetes

5. Clears Heat, Stops Wheezing:
-Heat-type Cough and Wheezing
-Recently shown effective for Bronchial Asthma
   
6. Promotes Digestion:
-Small doses of the powder are used as a aperient, to stimulate digestion. (Unani)
-poor appetite in infants (Kai Bao Ben Cao)
–‘relieves indigestion due to overeating of fruit’. (Zhu Zhen Heng)
-considered useful for Obesity (Ayurveda)

7. Benefits Milk:
-Ayurveda considers Picrorhiza useful for increasing Milk quality.


Dose:


Powder: 500mg–3 grams

Comment:


… available in PRO version

Correctives:
… available in PRO version

Substitutes:  
… available in PRO version
Picture

Main Combinations:


Liver
1. Hepatitis:
i. Viral Hepatitis, Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
iii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
2. Liver heat, Bile disease:
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
iii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version

Heat Diseases
3. Fever:
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Typhoid Fever, Picrorhiza, … available in PRO version
4. Allergies, Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
5. Postpartum Fever, Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
6. Blood Heat, Chronic Fever, with Thirst, Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
7. Deficient Heat, Hectic Fever (Yin-deficient Heat):
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
iii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
8. Chronic Diarrhea or Dysentery with blood in the stool:
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version.
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
iii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
9. Skin diseases:
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
iii. obstinate skin diseases, Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
10. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s)
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
11. Syphilitis:
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
iii. Picrorhiza … available in PRO version

Childhood Diseases:
12. Childhood nutritional impairment with Fever and poor appetite:
i. in cases with Heat, Picrorhiza … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
iii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
iv. Picrorhiza, … available in PRO version
13. Jaundice in a Newborn, Picrorhiza, … available in PRO version
14. Excess Sweating in Infants, Picrorhiza, … available in PRO version
15. Diarrhea in infants, Picrorhiza and … available in PRO version
16. Sore and red eyes in Infants, Ointment of Picrorhiza … available in PRO version

Other:
17. Hoarseness, Laryngitis, Tonsillitis, Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
18. Constipation, Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
19. Diabetes, and to regulate Blood Sugar:
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
20. To increase Milk quality:
i. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
ii. Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
21. To strengthen the Eyesight, … available in PRO version
22. To increase immunity, Picrorhiza with … available in PRO version
23. Hemorrhoids, Picrorhiza is mixed with … available in PRO version

Major Formulas:


Swertia 8 (Tibetan)
Bezoar 13 (Gi wan 13) (Tibetan)
Principle 8 (Gtso bo brgyad pa) (Tibetan)

Cautions:


1. Very Cold and Bitter, so use carefully in Cold and Weak Stomach.
2. Not suitable for use in Yin deficiency.

CITES listing:
Picrorhiza kurroa is listed as endangered on CITES. Picrorhiza scrophulariflora is not included on that listing, however.

Main Preparations used:



1. Cholagogue
2. Hepatoprotective
3. Anti-inflammatory
4. Anti-bacterial
5. Anti-fungal
6. Anti-oxidant
7. Lowers cholesterol
8. Anti-Tumor
9. Anti-Asthma
10. Anti-Ulcer