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Kutki

Kutki is a bitter Himalayan herb, used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, whose root contains compounds thought to calm inflammation in the liver. People mostly look at it for recovery from acute viral hepatitis, and a small trial found that bilirubin went down and liver enzymes improved, though the evidence is limited. That trial included only 33 people, so the findings are early and can't tell us how well it works more broadly.

Sources: PMID 9715310

Best evidence
Grade C
Conditions studied
2
Outcomes
3
Graded outcomes
0020

Evidence by condition

  • Strong
  • Moderate
  • Limited
  • Very limited

2 conditions

Acute Viral Hepatitis

Acute Viral Hepatitis: outcomes studied for Kutki
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Liver Enzymes

Small Improvement

Improves (the measure goes down)Small effect1 study33 people

Studies that measured liver enzymes

Bilirubin

Small Decrease

Improves (the measure goes down)Small effect33 people

Vitiligo

Vitiligo: outcomes studied for Kutki
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Vitiligo SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)1 study30 people

Studies that measured vitiligo symptoms

Key findings

  • Liver EnzymesAcute Viral HepatitisImproves (the measure goes down)
  • BilirubinAcute Viral HepatitisImproves (the measure goes down)

Studies cited

2 studies from PubMed

  1. Picrorhiza kurroa (Kutaki) Royle ex Benth as a hepatoprotective agent--experimental & clinical studiesJ Postgrad Med · PMID 9715310
  2. Picrorhiza kurroa, an ayurvedic herb, may potentiate photochemotherapy in vitiligoJ Ethnopharmacol · PMID 2615440

Protocols that include Kutki