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| Latin Name |
English Name |
Sanskrit Name |
Rauwolfia serpentina
(Apocynaceae) Benth. ex kurz.
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Rauwolfia |
Sarpagandha |
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| History |
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Hindus used
this plant for centuries as a febrifuge and as an antidote to
the bites of poisonous reptiles like snakes. It was also used
to treat dysentery and other painful affections of the intestinal
canal. Some believed it caused uterine contraction and promoted
the expulsion of the fetus. It was also mentioned as a stomachic
that cures fever. In the western parts of India the root was
used as a remedy for painful affections of the bowels. With
Aristolochia it was given to cure cholera; with Holorrhena
antidysenterica and Jatropha curcus given in colic;
with Andrographis paniculata it was given for fever.
In the last decade its medicinal value has been accepted by
the allopathic system.
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| Habitat |
It grows in India,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand. In India, it is widely distributed
in the sub-Himalayan tract from Punjab to Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.
It is also found in the lower hills of Gangetic plains, eastern and
western Ghats and Andamans. It is mostly found in moist deciduous
forests at altitudes ranging from sea level to an altitude of 1,200
m high. In the Deccan, it is associated with bamboo forests.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
It is an evergreen,
perennial, glabrous and errect undershrub grows up to a height of
60 cm (rarely more than it). Roots are tuberous with pale brown cork.
Leaves are in whorls of three, elliptic to lanceolate or obovate,
bright green above, pale green below, tip acute or acuminate, base
tapering and slender. Petioles long. Flowers are in many flowered
irregular corymbose cymes. Peduncles long but pedicels stout. Flowers
white, often has violet coloured tinge. Calyx glabrous, bright red
and lanceolate. Corolla is longer than calyx, tube slender, swollen
a little above the middle, lobes 3, and elliptic-oblong. Disc is cup
shaped. Drupes are slightly connate, obliquely ovoid and purplish
black in colour.
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| Principal
Constituents |
Reserpine is the
most important alkaloid present in root, stem and leaves of the plant.
It varies from 1.7 to 3.0 %. The root barks has more than 90% of the
total alkaloids in roots. The % of the alkaloid depends on the geographical
place from where the plant is collected and also the season of collection.
Generally samples from Assam have a higher % of alkaloids (2.57 %)
than the other parts of India and December is the best month for the
collection for getting more % of alkaloids. But, age of the plant
has no effect on the % of alkaloid content (up to 4 years). Ajmalicine,
ajmaline, isoajmaline, ajmalinine, chandrine, rauwolfinine, renoxidine,
rescin-namine, reserpiline, reserpin, reserpinine, sarpagine, serpentine,
serpentinine, tetraphyllicine, yohimbine, 3-epi-a-yohimbine are the
minor alkaloids identified from samples collected from India.
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| Pharmacology |
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Reserpine has a highly complex pattern of activity. Besides the
amine concentration in brain, it is also reported to influence the
concentration of glycogen, acetyl choline, g-amino butyric acid,
nucleic acids and anti-diuretic hormone. The effects of reserpine
include respiratory inhibition, stimulation of peristalsis, myosis,
relaxation of nictating membranes, and influence on the temperature
regulating centre. It increases the volume and free acidity of gastric
secretion. Reserpine reduces glycaemia in some cases but the effect
is short-lived. In some patients it has a stimulating effect on
prothrombin activity. Reserpine also favors permeation of blood
into areas rendered ischemic by burns1. It produces sedation
and a lowering of blood pressure. If administered orally, in hypertension,
the effects of reserpine are slow, seldom appearing before 3-6 days
of administration and continuing for some time after withdrawal
of the drug and have a cumulative effect. It is most valuable in
young patients with mild labile hypertension associated with tachycardia.
In long established hypertension, it is best used in conjunction
with more potent hypertensive drugs such as hexamethonium or hydralazine.
Combined with polythiazide, it is a useful hypotensive in mild to
moderate thiazide, it is a useful hypotensive in mild to moderate
conditions. The response to reserpine varies in patients and the
dosage must be adjusted to individual requirements. In severe hypertension,
it may be given by intravenous or intramuscular injection when the
effect begins within a few hours. Parenteral therapy of reserpine
is indicated in the treatment of hypertension only when oral administration
is impracticable2.
Deserpidine is almost as active as reserpine in its hypotensive
and sedative activity. reduces hypotension and inhibits intestinal
movements. Given with an equal amount of reserpine it was more hypotensive
than either of the drugs in equivalent doses. It possesses anti-fibrillar
activity. Serpentina causes marked inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase
in brain and liver tissues. It produces a systemic and pulmonary
hypotension due to a decrease in cardiac output; there is no change
in coronary flow, but coronary vascular resistance is decreased
and myocardial oxygen consumption is unaffected. Ajmaline has been
reported to stimulate respirartion and intestinal movements. The
action of ajmaline on systemic and pulmonary blood pressure is similar
to that of serpentine Rauwolfinine has hypertensive properties on
the autolysis of rat brain and liver tissue, but to a lesser extent
than reserpine. In contrast to reserpine, the total extract of R.
serpentina inhibited the acetylcholine-induced contraction of
the enervated dorsal leech muscle. The whole crude drug is reported
to contain some principles which bring about undesirable side effects
such as purgation and sexual debility.
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| Toxicology |
In patients with
cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarction or severe cardiac damage,
bronchitis, asthma or gastric ulcer, reserpine has a relatively low
toxicity, but even the minimum therapeutic doses may give rise to
nasal congestion, lethargy, drowsiness, peculiar dreams, vertigo and
gastro-intestinal upsets; sometimes dyspnea and urticarial rash may
occur. Higher doses may cause flushing, injection of conjunctivae,
insomnia, bradycardia, occasionally parkinsonism, and severe mental
depression which may lead to suicide. Cases of asthenia and edema
have also been reported. Side effects of reserpine are usually transient
and quickly disappear on reducing the dosage or discontinuing treatment.
Tolerance to reserpine does not develop and it does not appear to
be habit-forming. Prolonged previous use of reserpine may cause disturbances
in blood pressure during operation under general anesthesia, while
some patients may be highly susceptible to a small parenteral dosage.
When give to nursing mothers to increase the secretion of milk, it
is excreted with milk but the amount is not therapeutically harmful3.
Minimum therapeutic doses may give rise to nasal congestion, lethargy
drowsiness, peculiar dreams, vertigo and gastro-intestinal upsets;
sometimes dyspnea and urticarial rash may occur. Higher doses may
cause flushing, injection of conjunctivae, insomnia, bradycardia,
occasionally parkinsonism, and severe mental depression which may
lead to suicide. Cases of asthenia and edema have also been reported.
Side effects of reserpine are usually transient and quickly disappear
on reducing the dosage or discontinuing treatment. Serpentine is more
toxic than ajmaline or serpentinine.
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| Indications |
Rauwolfia has been employed
for centuries for the relief of various central nervous system disorders,
both psychic and motor, including anxiety states, excitement, maniacal
behaviour associated with psychosis, schizophrenia, insanity insomnia
and epilepsy. Extracts of the roots are valued for the treatment of
intestinal disorders, particularly diarrhoea and dysentery and also
as anthelmintic. Mixed with other plant extracts, they have been used
in the treatment of cholera, colic and fever. The root was believed
to stimulate uterine contration and recommended for use in child-birth
in difficult cases. The juice of the leaves has been used as a remedy
for opacity of the cornea.
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| Product
Range |
Confido (Speman
forte), Lukol, Serpina.
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| References |
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- Bein in Chen & Mukerji, 87-92; Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1955,
61, 4; Woodson et. al., 119-29; Martindale, I, 742; Chem.
Abstr., 1965, 63, 17002; 1966, 64, 20491; 1965, 62, 5689; Vavrik,
Experientia, 1965, 21, 701.
- B.P.C., 1963, 704; U.S.D., 1955, 1825; Shah et. al.,
J. Ass Physicians India, 1965, 13, 845; Chem. Abstr., 1965, 63,
3523.
- B.P.C., 1963, 704; Chem. Abstr., 1966, 65, 4505; 1965, 63,
13862.
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