PICRORRHIZA KURROA. 213 



medioiaes of their class. The seeds of Hyoscyamus Niger are used 



as anthelmintics. 



i 



NTCOTIANA TABACUM, Linn. According to Royle, the 

 tobacco plant was introduced into India ( A. D. 1605) towards 

 the end of the reign of Jelaludeen Akbar. It is not described 

 even in the latest Sanskrit medical works such as the Bhava- 

 prakasa or Raja Vallava. The Sabdakalpadruma mentions it 

 under the name of cTR^Z, TdmraJcuta, and quotes as authority for 

 the use of the word, a passage from the Kuhirnava Tantra where 

 it is stated to be one of eight intoxicating agents. 



CAPSICUM FRUTESCENS, Linn, and MINIMUM, Roxb. 

 have no Sanskrit name. Although they are now cultivated all 

 over India and form an essential ingredient of all curry powders, 

 they are not mentioned in any Sanskrit medical work and are 

 evidently of recent introduction into this country. 



NAT. ORDER SCROPHULARIACE^E. 



PICRORRHIZA KURROA, -Royle. 







Sans. WZfiiJ, Katukd, ^ZTtf^ft, Katurohini. Vera. Eatki, H. B. 



The root of Picrorrhiza Kurroa is described as hitter, acrid and 

 stomachic and in larger doses a moderate cathartic. It is used in 

 fever and dyspepsia and as an ingredient of various purgative 

 medicines. The katki has been found in Madras a useful medicine 

 and proposed for use in Fever and Dyspepsia. About two 

 drachms of the powdered root given with sugar and warm water, 

 is said to act as a mild purgative. 2 In bilious fever the following 

 decoction is highly recommended. Take oi-katuki root, liquorice, 

 raisins, and nim bark, half a told each, water thirty-two tolas ; 

 boil till reduced to one-fourth. 3 The following is an example of 



1. mx?i\m vmtft <ftaT tnzjf«m arfw mw. i ^^^t fafasiTfi ^"lunt 



?ti: 1 



3. ^^\ if^R fqaC T$tt *tfW W I ^TOirofisre *n^W^ fvn- 



^rcm^it 



^m^:\ 



M 



