This presentation provides information on Rauwolfia, including its biological source, geographical sources, history of use, cultivation, macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, chemical constituents such as reserpine, standards of quality, uses as an antihypertensive and tranquilizer, dosing information, and structure of reserpine. The key points are that Rauwolfia has been used in traditional Indian medicine for snake bites and insanity, its important alkaloid is reserpine which was isolated in 1952, and it is used to lower blood pressure and for mild anxiety.

1. PRESENTATION ON RAUWOLFIA
Presented By
Dr. Rajesh Nath (Pharm.D)
Asst. professor
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Rama University

2. RAUWOLFIA

3.  Synonym –
Rauwolfia Root, Serpentina Root, Chhotachand,
Sarpgandha
 Biological Source –
Rauwolfia consists of dried roots of the plant
known as Rauwolfia serpentina
Family –
Apocynaceae

4. Geographical Source
In tropical regions of Asia, America and Africa.
Commercially, it is produced in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar,
Thailand and America.
In India it is cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Tamil
Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

5. HISTORY OF RAUWOLFIA
Our ancient Indian System has been using this medicine
since last many centuries. Because of snake like shape of
the drug, it has been known as ‘Sarpagandha’. It has been
used as drug in treatment of Snake bite and insanity since
traditional times.
But the drug came into limelight only after the isolation of
Reserpine, a significant alkaloid in 1952 by Muller. Since
then a large interest has been generated regarding the
activity of this drug.

6. CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION
It flourishes in hot and humid condition and grows well in
shade. For Cultivation Clay Loamy Soil with large amount
of humus and good drainage are supposed to be ideal.
Ph of soil should be acidic and around 4.
Temperature – 10 – 38ºC
Rainfall – 250-500cm
*Sandy soil make plant more suspectible to diseases.
It can be propagated by various methods such as Seeds,
roots, cutting, root stumps etc.

7. Seeds are sown in month of may. The seedlings are
then transplanted in the month of August at a
distance of 16 to 30cm.
Chemical fertilizers include ammonium sulphate,
urea. When plant attains age of 3-4 years old, they
are uprooted. The roots are cut properly, washed as
to remove earthy matter and dried in air.
It needs about 5kg of seeds to produce the seedlings
sufficient to cover the area of one hectare after
transplantation. The average yield of roots per
hectare is 1200Kg.

8. MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS
Colour - Root Bark is greyish yellow to brown and wood,
pale yellow.
Odour - Odourless.
Taste - Bitter.
Size – 10 to 18 cm long and from 1 to 3 cm in diameter.
Shape – Roots are sub-cylindrical, slightly tapering and
tortuous.
If it is T.S cutted its surface shows White,Dense with finely
radiating xylem.

9. MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS

10. MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS
The cork is made up of stratified cells followed by
phelloderm of few rows of parenchyma. Phloem is narrow,
parenchymatous with small scattered sieve tissue.
Parenchyma contains starch grains and few latex cells with
brown resinous matter. Secondary phloem contains
calcium oxalate crystals .
Xylem is about 4/5 th of the diameter of the root and
consists of vessels,tracheids, wood parenchyma and wood
fibres. Xylem vessels are elongated upto 350μ in length
and 50μ in width and contain simple or bordered pits.
Stone cells and phloem fibres are absent.

11. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
About 30 indole alkaloids have been reported in drug and
total alkaloidal content of Rauwolfia roots ranges from 0.7
to 3% depending upon source. Concentration of alkaloids
are mostly in bark of the roots.
Alkaloids of rauwolfia are broadly classified into
• Indole Alkaloids
• Indoline Alkaloids
• Indolenine Alkaloids
• Oxyindole Alkaloids
• Pseudo indoxyl Alkaloids
• Important alkaloid of Rauwolfia is Reserpine.

12. Apart from alkaloids it also contains oleo-resins,
phytosterol, fatty acids, alcohol and sugars.
Other alkaloids present in drug are Ajmaline,
ajmalicine,rauwolfinine,rescinnamine,reserpinine,yohimbin
e, serpentine and serpentinine.
Major alkaloids reserpine and rescinnamine are esters
derived from methyl reserpate and trimethoxybenzoic acid
in reserpine and trimethoxycinnamic acid in case of
rescinnamine. Syrosignopine is methyl carbethoxy
syringoyl reserpate.

13. STRUCTURE OF RESERPINE

14. CHEMICAL TESTS
A. A red coloration along medullary rays is observed
when the freshly fractured surface is treated with
concnetrated nitric acid.
B. Reserpine shows violet red colour when treated
with solution of vanillin in acetic acid.
C. Powdered rauwolfia when treated with sulphuric
acid and P-di-methyl amino benzaldehyde,
develops violet to red colour.

15. STANDARDS OF QUALITY
Total ash - Not more than 8 %
Acid insoluble ash – Not more than 2 %
FOM – Not more than 2 %
Loss on drying – Not more than 12%
Acid soluble extractives – Not less than 2%
Water soluble extractives - Not less than 5 %

16. USES
Antihypertensive – Lowers BP by depleting stores of
catecholamines at nerve endings. Prevents reuptake of
nor epinephrine at storage sites allowing enzymatic
destruction of neuronal transmitter.
Tranquillising effect in mild anxiety and reserpine in
neuropsychiatric disorders
Rescinnamine is also used but causes mental
depression on higher doses.

17. DOSE
•Rauwolfia roots – 100 – 150 mg ( oral twice daily )
•Reserpine –
Initial dose - 250μg once a day ( oral )
Maintainance dose – 100 – 250μg once a day
•Rescinnamine – 500 μg oral twice a day ( initail dose )
; 250 μg oral daily maintenance dose.
•Methamphetamine is an antidote to reserpine.
•UNIVERSAL ANTIDOTE ?