500 mg · vegan · gluten-free · 60 caps
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Picrorhiza kurroa, known as Kutki or Katuki, is a small Himalayan herb whose rhizomes contain the iridoid glycosides picroside I and II (collectively called kutkin or picroliv). It is one of the most revered hepatoprotective herbs in Ayurveda, with clinical efficacy in viral hepatitis demonstrated in Indian double-blind trials.
Picrosides act as free-radical scavengers, stabilise hepatocyte membranes, and stimulate bile flow (choleretic effect). They reduce serum bilirubin, SGOT and SGPT in galactosamine-induced liver injury and have shown equivalent hepatoprotection to silymarin in animal models of NAFLD.
Adults with acute or chronic viral hepatitis, NAFLD, toxic liver injury, or those seeking a domestic Ayurvedic alternative to milk thistle. Particularly effective for jaundice and bile stasis.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women; people with bile duct obstruction; those with severe diarrhoea or dehydration. Side effects: Mild laxative effect or loose stools at higher doses; very well tolerated in clinical trials.
A plain-English read of the literature behind this supplement. Not a clinical recommendation.
Key citations: PMID 9715310 (double-blind placebo-controlled trial in acute viral hepatitis), PMID 37258151 (hepatoprotective principles from rhizomes — picroside II mechanism), PMC3087357 (standardised extract in experimental NAFLD vs silymarin)
SacredBod's longer take on Picrorhiza Picroside — context the structured blocks above don't capture.
Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. — known as Kutki (Sanskrit/Hindi), Katuki or Kutaki — is a small perennial herb native to the Himalayan alpine regions of India, Nepal and Tibet. It has been a premier hepatoprotective and bitter tonic (tikta rasa) in Ayurveda for over 3,000 years, appearing in classical texts like the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita for jaundice (kamala), liver disorders (yakrit roga) and fever. The rhizome contains picroside I and II (collectively called kutkin or picroliv), iridoid glycosides that are the primary active constituents. In India, Kutki is widely cultivated in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and is a staple of domestic Ayurvedic brands like Bharat Natural, Morsan Nutraveda, Satya Naturals and Vedik-Ayurveda.
Picrosides exert hepatoprotection through multiple pathways: (1) free-radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition, (2) hepatocyte membrane stabilisation, (3) choleretic (bile-stimulating) action that promotes detoxification, and (4) anti-inflammatory cytokine modulation. A landmark 1996 double-blind trial at KEM Hospital, Mumbai, randomised 33 patients with acute viral hepatitis (HBsAg negative) to receive either Kutki root powder 375 mg TDS or placebo for 2 weeks. The Kutki group showed significantly faster bilirubin normalisation (27.4 days vs 75.9 days), and greater reductions in SGOT and SGPT. A 2023 study isolated picroside II as a key hepatoprotective principle against D-galactosamine/LPS-induced liver injury in mice. In an NAFLD animal model, a standardised P. kurroa extract demonstrated hepatoprotective effects comparable to silymarin.
Adults with acute or chronic viral hepatitis, NAFLD, drug-induced liver injury, or cholestatic conditions with jaundice. It is the domestic Indian equivalent of milk thistle and is often preferred by Ayurvedic practitioners for pitta-dominant liver heat and bile stasis.
Extremely well tolerated. Mild laxative effect may occur due to its bitter, purgative nature (rechana property in Ayurveda). Contraindicated in bile duct obstruction and during pregnancy. Use cautiously with immunosuppressants.
Kutki is one of India’s most important indigenous hepatoprotective herbs. On Amazon.in, it is abundantly available as capsules and tablets from domestic Ayurvedic brands priced ₹300–₹800 for 60–180 count. It is not a Schedule H drug. In Ayurveda, its tikta (bitter) rasa, laghu (light) and ruksha (dry) guna, and katuvipaka make it ideal for kapha and pitta liver disorders, though it may aggravate vata in excess. It is a key ingredient in classical formulations like Arogyavardhini Vati and Katukyadi churna.
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