10 SGROrnULARINEjE. 



PICRORHIZA KURROOA, Benth. 



Flg,-^Eoylc III., L 71. 



Hab, — Alpine Himalaya; from Cashmere to Sikkim. 

 The root. 



Vernacular.— Katki, Kutki [Hhul, Beng,), Katuku-rogani 

 (Tam\ Katuku-roni [Tel), Bal-kadu {Mar\ Kutaki {Quz,). 



History, Uses, &C. — This well-known drug is tlie 

 Kutaki of Sanskrit writers, who speak of it as Dhanvantari- 

 grasta, " the plant eaten by Dhanvantari," the physician of the 



produced 



holding 



a cup of amn'ta in his hands; he was the author of the 

 Ayurveda. In the Nighantas it bears the following synonyms : 

 Eohini, Katu- rohini, Vakragra, Matsya-pitta, Matsya-vinna, 

 Kanda-ruha, Krishna-bhedi, Dvijangika, Asoka- rohini, Saku- 

 Iddani and Chakranga. It is described as digestive, bitter, 

 pungent, dry, aperient, light and cold ; and is recommended 

 -as a r-emedy for worms, asthma, bile, phlegm, and fever. 



Kutaki 



Neem 



given daily in decoctio 



panied 



boiled down to one-fourth. In dyspepsia and dysentery it is 

 combined with aromatica and is given in doses of ten to 

 twenty grains. 



be specially indicated 



ra 



secretions are 



olten proscribed for children _„ _ 



Marathi name ErilnL-nrln t<«v;ij »_ • 



scanty and the bowels costive, and is 



drachms 



root gueu with sugar and warm water act as a gentle aperient. 

 Mahometan writers give Kutki or Kutki as an Indian synonj-m 



Hellcboi 



and Its mediornal properties. This mirt.-.ke has misled most 

 European wnt«s upon Indian drugs, but Ainslie, though he 



ac.cr.bes the drug m his article upon hluck HeUcbore 



