medicinal use and pharmacological activity of Rauwolfia serpentine (sarpagandha) with its chemical constituent.

1. RAUVOLIFA SERPENTINE
(SARPAGANDHA)
Shailendra shah
Department of pharmaceutical science,
Nobel college
Pokhara University

2. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
OVERVIEW
 Nomenclature
 Biological Source
 Habitat
 Cultivation and collection
 Microscopic and macroscopic characters
 Chemical constituents
 Pharmacological Action
 Pharmacopeial Standard
 Commercial Value
 Formulation
 References

3. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
NOMENCLATURE
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Gentianales
Family : Apocynaceae
Genus : Rauvolifa
Species : R. serpentine
Common name: Sarpagandha
Figure: Sarpagandha (1)

4. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Biological Source
• The dried roots, leaves and rhizomes of Rauvolfia
serpentine consist of medicinally important chemical
constituents.
 Habitat
• A large climbing or twining shrub, found in the tropical
forests of 1200-1300m in Nepal, Indian peninsula, Burma,
Indonesia and Sri Lanka and is indogenous to India,
Bangladesh and other regions of Asia.

5. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION
 Cultivation
• It grows spontaneous in tropical forests. For
cultivation rain must be enough and should have
good irrigation. The soil should be acidic (Ph 4-6).
Propagation is carried out by planting seeds, root-
culture or stem cutting. Seeds gives better yield
and cultivation is mainly carried out by seed
propagation.

6. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Collection
They are collected in October-November after hot and
dry period. Collection of roots of 2-4 years old plant is
mentioned. For collection of roots, plants are dug out,
aerial parts are removed and roots are separated. Roots
are washed and dried in air till moisture is about 10 to
12%. Roots should be stored protected from light.

7. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied SciencesMACROSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC
FEATURES
 Macroscopic features
• It is evergreen, woody, glabrous and and perennial shrub
with maximum height upto 1m.
• Leaves are in whorls of three, eliptical to lanceolate or
obovate, bright green above and pale beneath and maybe
single or opposite.
Fig: Leaves of Sarpagandha (1)

8. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
• Flowers are white or pale rose and
arranged in terminal or auxiliary
or terminal cymes about 1.5cm
long.
• Fruit is single, round shaped.
• Seeds are ovoid, glabrous, without
wings.
• The roots are 2-10 cm long, 5-22
mm in diameter and are rarely
branched and rootlets are rare.
• Color: Grayish yellow to brown
• Odor: Odorless
• Taste: Very bitter
Fig: Flower of
Sarpagandha (1)
Fig: Fruit of Sarpagandha (1)

9. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Microscopic features
• Transverse section of the root showed a stratified cork and
was composed of 2-8 alternating strips or zones. It consists of
1-7 layers smaller and radially narrower cells.
• Chromosome no: (2n = 22)
• Cells of secondary cortex are parenchymatous and contain
starch.
• Pholem is narrow and consists mainly of parenchyma with
scattered sieve tubes.
• Sclerenchyma is absent in R. serpentine (distinctive
character).

10. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Xylem is entirely lignified.
 Vessels of R. serpentine are small and numerous than other species.
Fig: TS of rauvolfia root

11. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
 The various phytochemical compounds present
in R. serpentina include alkaloids, phenols,
tannins and flavonoids. (Kumari, et al. 2013)
 Rauvolfia is also known to contain a large
number of macro and micro-nutrients and the
most abundant macro nutrient is calcium.
(Agoha RC, 1974)
 R. serpentina contains low sodium content and
zinc.
 The plant R. serpentina is also an excellent
source of ascorbic acids, riboflavin, thiamin
and niacin. (Okwu DE, 2003)

12. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 The various alkaloids identified in
Rauvolfia include ajmaline, ajmalimine,
ajmalicine, deserpidine, indobine,
indobinine, reserpine, reserpiline,
rescinnamine, rescinnamidine, serpentine,
serpentinine, yohimbine, etc.

13. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
Figure : Chemical structures of some alkaloids present in Rauvolfia
serpentina. [3]

14. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION
 Ethnomedicinal Uses
 Root paste is given to cattle by the Tharu
people of Dang district to treat diarrhoea
(Manandhar 1985).
 In Chitwan district, stem is used to cure
stomach pain and its root juice is drunk to cure
blood pressure, kill worm and heal snake bite.
 Darai tribe of Chitwan district used root juice
to treat stomach disorder and to get relief from
malarial fever (Dangol & Gurung 1991).

15. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Root juice is taken by the Chepangs of
Makawanpur district to treat malarial fever
(Manandhar 1989; Dangol & Gurung 2000).
 Root extraction is given by the Limbus of
Morang District to treat fever and blood
pressure (Siwakoti & Siwakoti 1998).
 Root Decoction and leaves is given to cure
snakebite in Satar tribe of Morang and Jhapa
districts (Siwakoti & Siwakoti 2000).

16. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Research based
 Antioxidant Activity: Nair et al. investigated
the antioxidant effect of R. serpentina. Methanolic
extract of leaves of five species of Rauwolfia (R.
beddomei, R. micrantha, R. serpentina, R.
tetraphylla, and R. densiflora) was used for
evaluating total antioxidant capacity, 1,1-
diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical
scavenging activity, reducing power and
superoxide anion scavenging activity, and
determination of tocopherols, phenolics,
flavonoids, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and pigment
composition. R. serpentina exhibits the highest
total

17. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging
activity, and also highest pigment composition of
Vitamin E content among the five species (Nair et
al. 2012).
 Antibacterial Activity: Negi et al. studied the
antibacterial activity of methanolic extract of roots
(MREt) of R. serpentina. Antibacterial activity was
evaluated using agar well-diffusion method
against Gram-positive and Gram-negative
bacteria for the determination of minimum
inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the diameter
of zone of inhibition (ZOI). The study revealed that
Staphylococcus aureus show
a highest ZOI (13 mm) with lowest MIC (625 μg)
and

18. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
Escherichia coli possess the highest MIC (10
mg), whereas Proteus vulgaris was observed
resistant to tested extracts up to 10 mg. Hence,
R. serpentina exhibited strong antibacterial
activity (Negi et al. 2014).
 Antihypertension activity: Ranjini et al.
have studied the effect of aqueous extract of R.
serpentina leaves along with the Allium
sativum cloves on sheep kidney and lung ACE.
Hippuryl-Histidyl-Leucine method was used to
measure the activity, and hippuric acid release
was measured by spectrophotometric analysis
at 228 nm. The significant anti-hypertensive
effect was found in the study (Ranjini et al.
2015).

19. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Antivenom Activity :Rajashree et al.
reported antivenom activity of the ethanolic
extract of the whole plant of R. serpentina by
neutralizing the toxic effect of Naja naja
venom. About 0.14 mg of R. serpentina plant
extract was able to completely neutralize the
lethal activity of 2LD50 of N. naja venom
(Rajashree et al. 2013).

20. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Hypolipidemic activity : Shamim et al.
investigated the hypolipidemic activity of root
powder of R. serpentina when administered to
rabbits orally for 12 days. The blood was
collected from each group on 1st, 4th, 8th, and
12th day to estimate the serum triglyceride
(TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), alanine
aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate
dehydrogenase, respectively. The test revealed
the significant hypolipidemic activity (Shamim
et al. 2007).

21. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Hepatoprotective Activity : Gupta et al.
investigated the hepatoprotective activity of
aqueous ethanolic extract (AET) of the root of R.
serpentina against paracetamol-induced hepatic
damage in rat. The AET has reversal effect on the
level of liver glutathione, Na+ K+-ATPase activity,
serum marker enzyme, serum bilirubin and
thiobarbituric acid, liver glutathione peroxide,
glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase,
superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glycogen.
Hepatoprotective activity was observed due to
oxidant effect and normalization of impaired
membrane function activity (Gupta et al. 2010).

22. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Hyperglycemic Activity : Azmi et al.
investigated the effect of MREt of R. serpentina on
hyperglycemic, hematinic, and antioxidative
dysfunctioning with alloxan-induced diabetic mice
model for 14 days. Mice are divided into normal,
diabetic, treated test, and positive and negative
control groups. Considerable decrease was
observed on blood glucose level by improving
various other mechanisms. MREt restores the
liver functions by recovering the protein
concentration and normalizing the level of ALT,
alkaline phosphatase, and aspartate
aminotransferase in test mice (Azmi et al. 2013).

23. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Antidiarrheal Activity : Ezeigbo et al.
evaluated the antidiarrheal property of
methanolic extract of leaves of R. serpentina in
castor oil-induced diarrhea in mice. The dose of
100, 200, and 400 mg kg of extract was
administered to the mice. The dose-dependent
reduction in intestinal weight and fluids
volume was observed which are responsible for
antidiarrheal effect of R. serpentina (Ezeigbo et
al. 2012).

24. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
PHARMACOPEIAL STANDARD
Source: Sipahimalani J.L. 2002
Standard Amount
Foreign organic matter not more than 2%
Total ash not more than 8%
Acid insoluble ash not more than 2%
Loss on drying not more than 12%
Water soluble extractive not less than 8%
Alcohol soluble extractive not less than 9%

25. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
COMMERCIAL VALUE
 Rauvolfia serpentina is one of the major traded
species of Nepal occupying major share in the
international trade.
 The ever growing demand of the raw materials
from national and international markets has
prompted local communities to collect more
and more quantities from the wild as well as
encouraging them to initiate cultivation of this
species in private land, community forests and
other common lands.
 Gorkha Ayurveda Company buys this species
at the rate of NRs 150/Kg.

26. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 At International level the price of this species
is US $5/Kg in Germany (Asia Network for
Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources,
2011).
 In present the price of this species varies
around Rs 1100-1400 per Kg.

27. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
FORMULATION
 Different formulations of R.
serpentina are available in
the market.
 Example of some
formulations are
Sarpagandha Vati,
Sarpagandha Ghan Vati,
Rauvolfia serpentina 1X,
SBL Rauvolfia Serpentine
200 CH, etc.

28. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
 Formulation of sarpagandha Ghan Vati
 Then it is reduced to 1/8 parts by boiling and filtered.
 Then added with fine powder of 1 g Piper longum.
 Tablets are prepared.
Ingredients Amount
Rauvolfia serpentina 10g
Trachyspermum ammi 2g
Nardostachys jatamansi 1g
Cannabis sativa 1g
Water for decoction 8 parts

29. Pokhara University
School of Health and Allied Sciences
REFERENCES1. URL 1 Rauvolfia Serpentina
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rauvolfia_serpentina (Accessed on
June 5, 2018)
2. URL 2 Cultivation and collection of Rauwolfia
https://www.biotecharticles.com/Agriculture-Article/Rauwolfia-
Cultivation-and-Collection-892.html (Accessed on June 6, 2018)
3. URL 3 Rauwolfia serpentine https://mavcurve.com/sarpagandha/
(Accessed on June 6, 2018)
4. Reeta Kumari et. al. Rauvolfia serpentina L. Benth. ex Kurz.:
Phytochemical, Pharmacological and Therapeutic Aspects, Int. J.
Pharm. 23(2), 2013; pp 348-355.
5. Chauhan et. al. Pharmacobotanical and pharmacological
evaluation of ayurvedic crude drug: Rauwolfia serpentina
(Apocynaceae). International Journal of Green Pharmacy. 11 (4),
2017 | S686.
6. Alka Rani Bunkar. Therapeutic uses of Rauwolfia serpentina.
International Journal of Advanced Science and Research, Volume
2; Issue 2; 2017; pp 23-26.

30. THANK YOU