Picrorhiza kurroa: a promising traditional therapeutic herb from higher altitude of western Himalayas

Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth is one of the most important medicinal plants, commonly used in traditional medicinal systems. The plant has several medicinal properties due to the presence of bio active components viz., Picroside I and Picroside II, cucurbitacins and phenolic components. These chemical compounds are found in the roots and rhizomes of this herb, and are used to cure various ailments such as liver problems, spleen disorder, fever and asthma. World annual demand of P. kurroa is 500 tons per year while production is 375 tons (Thani et al., 2018). It has become endangered in various regions due to indiscriminate exploitation for medicinal purposes. Immediate steps need to be taken for the conservation of this medicinal herb otherwise it will lead to extinction. This paper gives an overview of geographic distribution, taxonomic feature, agrotechnology, phytochemistry, molecular studies, and conservation of P. kurroa.