Picrorhiza, Hu Huang Lian 胡黄连
Hu Huang Lian (TCM)
Katuki (Ayurveda)
Kutki (Unani)
Hong Len ཧོང་ལེན (Tibet)
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:
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:
Correctives:
Substitutes:
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
