Abstract: A laxative/medicinal preparation obtained of a selective bioactive extract from the rhizomes and roots of PICRORRHIZA KURROA and its method for manufacture and also to a method for treatment of human beings for relieving constipation using the same. In particular the laxative preparation comprises bioactive chloroform or methanolic extract of rhizomes or roots of Picrorrhiza Kurroa and optionally pharmaceutically acceptable carrier thereof. Preferably, the laxative preparation comprises 50 to 500 mg preferably 50 to 250 mg of bioactive chloroform extract of rhizomes or roots of Picrorrhiza Kurroa or 50 to 500 mg of bioactive methanolic extract of rhizomes or roots of Picrorrhiza Kurroa in a pharmaceutically acceptable form with or without a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier thereof. The process involves selective extraction of the active from rhizomes or roots of Picrorrhiza Kurroa using either methanol or chloroform as the selective solvents.