Identity & origin
BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
This profile covers rhizome and roots. The uses described depend on the preparation.
Also known as: Kutki, Katuki, Katula
Check the scientific name and the part used; a photograph is not sufficient for foraging plants intended for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
Uses & evidence
UNDERSTANDING THE USES
Properties & uses.
Insufficient evidence
The EMA assessment concluded with a public statement, without an adopted therapeutic monograph. No treatment use proposed.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
Precautions before use
BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
The following warnings do not constitute a complete review of interactions or contraindications. An unstudied combination cannot be considered compatible.
Contraindications & precautions
- Contraindications are not sufficiently established in this profile.
Medicine interactions
- Interactions insufficiently documented.
“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.
Adverse effects
- Adverse effects insufficiently documented in the sources used here.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Insufficient data; avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Children & adolescents
Pediatric safety insufficiently established; do not use.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
Forms & how they are used
DOCUMENTED FORMS
One plant, several preparations.
Only forms documented in this profile’s sources are presented.
Plant materialRhizome and roots · Route: oral
Root and rhizome identified in the dossier; no homemade preparation validated here.
Please note: Do not use to self-treat liver disease.
Read the sourceAvailable evidence
EXPLORE THE EVIDENCE
The available evidence.
Picrorhiza is listed in a European dossier on the underground organs of Picrorhiza kurroa. The assessment did not result in an adopted therapeutic monograph. This entry therefore does not turn uses from other traditions into care recommendations. Interpreting a publication would require knowing the botanical identity, part, preparation and concomitant treatments; these details cannot be replaced by a reputation as a liver herb.
No therapeutic use recommended
The EMA dossier concludes with a public statement without a therapeutic monograph. No liver, digestive or immune treatment is proposed here.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the referenceLimitations to keep in mind.
Do not use this profile as a treatment protocol, particularly for liver disease.
Studies, findings & limitations
THE RESEARCH
What the research shows.
A laboratory or animal result alone does not demonstrate a benefit in humans. Each result must be read alongside the preparation studied and its limitations.
A dossier insufficient to propose a therapeutic framework
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
- Type of research
- EMA regulatory assessment, public statement.
- Preparation concerned
- Picrorhiza kurroa herbal substance designated in the dossier.
- Observed results
- No adopted European therapeutic monograph provides an indication to include in this profile.
- Limitations to consider
- This conclusion does not mean there is no research at all; it prevents efficacy or a dosage from being presented as validated.
What can we take from this?
No mechanism or active constituent is added without verified data for the preparation concerned. Results for a mixture would not automatically be those of picrorhiza alone.
Documentary review dated 09/10/2026. The references remain available to check the context.
Sources & last review
CHECKING REFERENCES
Sources for this profile.
- EMA — Picrorhizae kurroae rhizoma et radix: assessment and documentsAccessed on 09/10/2026
Image: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz · CC BY-SA 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.