This document provides information about the plant Rauwolfia serpentina. It discusses the synonyms, biological source, geographical source, history, cultivation, collection, macroscopic and microscopic characters, chemical constituents and uses of Rauwolfia serpentina. The key active constituents are indole alkaloids such as reserpine, rescinnamine, and deserpidine which are responsible for its hypotensive and tranquilizing effects used to treat anxiety, neuropsychiatric diseases, and hypertension.

1. ALKALOIDS: VINCA, RAUWOLFIA, BELLADONNA,OPIUM

2. SYNONYM
BIOLOGICALSOURCE
GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE
HISTORY
CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION
MACROSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS
USES
DOSE

3.  SYNONYM: Catharanthus,Periwinkle. Sadabahar
 BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: It is the whole plant of Catharanthus roseus, Family
(Apocynaceae). It is also known as Vinca rosea.
 GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE:It is probably indigenous to Madagascar.It is
Cultivated in South Africa, India, Europe, Australia, and Caribbean Islands as an
Ornamental plant,as well as,for its medicinal properties.
 HISTORY: This plant was used in the form of tea for treatment of Diabetes in
Jamica and in Brazil for toothache.This plant was first scientifically investigated by
canadian workers Noble, Beer and Cutts.
 During these studies ,it was found that alkaloid possessing Anti-leukemic
principle and the alkaloid was named as Vincaleucoblastine. 3

4. CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION:
The plant is perennial and retains its glossy leaves through-out the winter. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium
(loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline)
soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semishade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist
soil and can tolerate drought. It is cultivated either by directly sowing the seeds or sowing the seeds in nursery.
Nursery sowing method is found to be economical and the fresh seeds are sown in nursery in the month of
February or March.
The seedlings attain a height of 5–8 cm after two months and then they are transplanted in to the field at a distance
of 45 cm × 30 cm. Proper fertilization and weeding is done timely and leaves are stripped after nine months. In
order to collect the whole plant, the stems are first cut about 10 cm above the grounds and the leaves, seeds,
stems are separated and dried. The roots are collected by plugging which are later washed and dried under shade
and packed.
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5. MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS:
 Upper epidermis: Single layered with more or less rectangular cells, the
outer walls of which are circularized. Only covering trichomes are
unicellular, long and dagger shaped, warty and with a bulbous base.
Sometimes very short trichomes are also seen. A few stomata are seen on the
upper epidermis.
 Mesophyll:Mesophyll is differentiated into palisade and spongy
parenchyma.
 Palisade:Single layered cells elongated and compact.
 Spongy parenchyma:5-9 layered, loosely arranged with intercellular spaces.
Calcium oxalate crystals of any kind are totally absent. Vascular strands are
seen here at times.
 Lower epidermis:Same as upper epidermis but the number of stomata are
more.
 Midrib:Epidermal layers of lamina are continuous in the midrib region also.
Strips of collenchyma appear below the upper epidermis and above the lower
epidermis. This is followed by cortical parenchyma. A well developed
vascular bundle is seen in the centre of midrib.
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6. MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS:
 The leaves are green,roots are pale grey,flowers are violet
pink white or carmine-red in colour.
 The odour is characteristic and taste is bitter.
 Vinca is erect,pubescent herb,with branched tap-root.
 Leaves are simple,petiolate ,ovate oblong, unicostate,
reticulate,entire,brittle with acute apex and glossy
appearance.
bractate
normally
, pedicellate, complete,
2to 3cm in cymose asillary
 Flowers are
hermaphrodite,
clusters.
 Fruits are follicles with several black seeds.
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7. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
 Large number of indole alkaloids are present in vinca.They are well-known clinical cytotoxic drugs
inhibiting the ability of cancer cells todivide.
 It include vinblastine, vincristine.Vinblastine contains indole alkaloid part called catharanthine and
dihydroindole alkaloid part called vindoline.The other alkaloids present in vinca are ajmalicine,
lochnerine,serpentine, tetra hydro alstonine.
 It requires about 500kg crude drug to extract out 1g of vincristine,because of its extreme low
content,viz.0.0002%.
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8. USES:
 Vinca alkaloids such as Vinblastine, Vinorelbine, Vindesine, and Vincristine are used in the treatment of
lymphomas, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and solid tumors.
 The mechanism of action of vinca alkaloids is to arrest dividing cells in metaphase by binding tubulin and
preventing its polymerization into microtubules.microtubles after polymerization cause cell division.
 Vincristine Sulphate is an antineoplastic agent which may act by arresting Mitosis at the Metaphase.It is
useful for treatment ofchildren.
 Vinca also exhibits hypotensive and anti -diabeticactions.
DOSE:
 Vincristine Sulphate:10 to 30μg/kg of body weight intravenously,but maximum upto 2mg.
 Vinblastine Sulphate:100μg/kg body weightintravenously.
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Chemical tests: General chemical tests for true alkaloids

9.  SYNONYMS :Folia belladonnae, Belladonna herb, Belladonna leaves,
Deadly nightshade leaves.
 BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: It consists of dried leaves and flowering tops
of Atropa belladonna Linn (European belladonna) or Atropa acuminata
Linn Royle ex Lindlej (Indian belladonna).Family:Solanaceae.
 GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE: Plant is a native of Central and Southern
Europe. It is cultivated in England, Germany, Balkan countries, America
and India.
 HISTORY: Because of the hallucinogenic effect of this plant ,it was used
as witch craft in middle agess.In ancient times juice of the plant is used as
cosmetic.The drug was first introduced in the London Pharmacopoeia
in1809. 9
BELLADONNA

10. CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION:
 CULTIVATION :For sowing the seeds are selected which would produce strong sturdy plants, rich in
leaves is containing high percentage of alkaloids. Seeds are sown ill nurseries and seedling is transplanted
deep in well-drained, moist, calcareous and loamy soil in May and july. Water clogging is harmful to the
plants. Addition of farmyard manure has favourable effect on the growth of plants weeds areremoved.
 COLLECTION:The leaves are collected in dry weather in late summer. Next year plain reaches a height of
4ft. and during the flowering season, from 15th June to 15 July, plants are cut few inches above the ground
and leaves and flowering tops are separated.
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11.  From the cut plants second harvest is made in August September and some time again third harvest in
October. In the second and third year two to three harvests similar to first year are made. In the fourth
year after harvesting, roots art dug out, which form separate article. After four years new plantation is
undertaken after collection the drug is dried completely in dark shed at 40 to 50°C, which requires about
two days.
 Completely dried drug decomposes and librates ammonia. Belladonna is stored in airtight containers
protected from light and moisture. Sometimes belladonna is attacked by the fungus Phytophthora
belladonna. Such infected plants are dug out from soil and burnt to prevent further infection.
 Belladonna is liable to be attacked by flea beetle, which eats mostly old and large leaves. By harvesting
two to three times, as stored above, large leaves are not left in the plant. Thus protection from flea-
beetle is obtained. 11

12. MICROSCOPICAL CHARACTERS OF
BELLADONA ROOT:
 Epidermal cells with slightly sinuous anti clinal wall and
striated cuticle,anisocytic stomataand occasionally uniserate
multicellular covering trichomes are present.
 There are glandular trichomes which are uniserate and with
unicellular heads.The palisade ratio is 5 to7.
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13. MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS
 Leaves: (i) Type- Simple;(ii) Form-Broadly ovate(iii) Color-
yellowish-green;(iv) Arrangement – alternate, arranged in pairs
on the upper stems, each pair with a large and a small leaf; (v)
Size- 5-25 cm length, 2, 5-12 cm broad;(vi) Margin-
acuminate;(vii) Surface- slightly hairy; Petiolate, petiole 4cm
length
 Flower:(i) Colour- purple;(ii) Size- 2.5 cm length, 1.2 cm
wide;(iii) Arrangement of flower- born singly upon short,
drooping pedicels arising in(iv) the axils of the pairs of leaves
(v) Corolla- campanilate;(vi) Calyx- 5 lobed, stemns-5,
epipetalous;(vii) Ovary- superior, bilocular with numerous
ovules and axile Placentation
 Fruits:
(i) Colour- green to dark purplish black,
(ii) Type- berry. 13

14. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
 The total alkaloid content of drug is 0.4 to 1% and
varies in different parts of plant ,roots
(0.6%),stems(0.05%),leaves(0.4%),unripe and ripe
berries(0.19-0.21) and seeds(0.33%).
 The main alkaloids are L-hyoscyamine and its racemic
also contain
,pyridine and N-
form atropine.The drug
belladonine,scopoletin,hyoscine
metpyrroline.
 The later two are the volatile bases.Homotropine is a
synthetic compound and is preferred in the medical
profesion as the synthetic process of atropine and
hyoscyamine is very costly.
14
Hyoscine(Scopolamine)
Hyoscyamine

15. USES:
i. Mydriatic (dilation of the pupil).
ii. Antispasmodic (a drug that counteracts a sudden, violent, involuntary muscular contraction).
iii. Antimuscarinic effect (acts peripherally to produce parasympathetic inhibition).
iv. Antisialagogue (a drug that arrest the flow of excess of saliva).
v. Cerebral sedative (reduceexcitement).
DOSE:
0.6 to 1ml in the form of belladona tincture-4 times a day.
Adulterants and Substitutes:The drug is adulteratedwith the leaves of phytolacca
americana(Idioblasts),Solanum nigrum(Palisade ratio from 2-4 )and Ailanthus glandulosa(clustered
crystals of Calcium Oxalate).
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16. Chemical Test
General chemical tests for alkaloids
Vitali Morin Test:
The drug is treated with fuming nitric acid followed by evaporation to dryness. To the
residue, acetone is added. Methanolic potassium hydroxide solution is then added.
Violet colour change is observed.

17.  SYNONYM: Rauwolfia root,Serpentina root,Chhotachand.
 BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: Rauwolfia consists of the dried roots and rhizomes of
Rauwolfia serpentina Benth. It contains not less than 0.15% of
reserpine.Family:Apocynaceae
 GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCE:It is widely distributed in tropical regions of
Asia,America,and Africa.In India it is cultivated in uttar pradesh ,BIhar,Orissa,West
bengal etc.
 HISTORY:This drug is known to Indian System of Medicine since last many
centuries..Because of snake like shape of the drug.It has been known as
Sarpagandha.It has found its place as an important drug in treatment of insanity and
snake bite since traditional times.
The drug came into lime light only after the isolation of reserpine,itsmost
significant alkaloid,in1952 by Mueller.
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18. CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION:
 Its grows spontaneous in tropical forests (temp,10°C to 40°C) which are humid in summer at an altitude up
to about 1200 metres. Rauwolfia plants cannot tolerate temperature below 50C. For cultivation rain must be
enough and abundant in summer or it should have good irrigation. Rauwolfia grows well in clays, acidic
(pH-4 to 6) and well-manure soil. Ploughing must be deep for facilitating the development of theroots.
 Propagation is carried out by planting seeds, root-culture or stem-cutting. Seed propagation gives better
yield of root inspite of the fact some seeds are weak in germination. Therefore cultivation of rauwolfia is
usually carried out by seed propagation. Immersing them in saline eliminates sterileseeds.
 Sterile seeds are light, float and are separated. Fertile seeds sink and are utilized. Fresh seeds germinate
more and preferably fresh seeds are used. In vegetative propagation especially in root-cuttings, development
of roots is better if growth hormones are used.
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19. 18
COLLECTION:
They are collected in October-November after hot and dry period. In Indian Pharmacopoeia collection of
roots of 3 to 4 years old plants is mentioned but in culture it is found that roots of 2 years old plants are
equally good. 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.
MACROSCOPICALCHARACTERS:
 COLOR-Root bark is greyish yellow to brown and wood,pale
yellow.
 ODOUR-Odourless.
 TASTE-Bitter.
 SIZE-About 10 to 18 cm long and from 1 to 3 cm indiameter.
 SHAPE-Roots are sub-cylindrical ,slightly tapering,tortuous.

20. MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS:
 Cork: the cork is made up of startified cells
followed by phelloderm of few rows of parenchyma.
 Phloem: phloem is narrow,parenchymatous with
small scattered seive tissue.
 Parenchyma:parenchyma contains starch grains and
few latex cells,brown resinous matter.
 Secondary Phloem :Secondary Phloem contains
calcium oxalate crystals .
 Xylem :xylem is about 4/5 th of the diameter of the
root and consists of vessels,tracheids,wood
parenchyma and wood fibres.
 Xylem vessels :xylem vessels are elongated upto
350μ in length and 50μ in width and contain simple
or bordered pits.
 Stone cells and xylem vessels Phloem fibres are
absent.
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21. vi. Serpentine group – Serpentine, Serpentinine andAlsotonine.
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CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
i. Alkaloids- Indole alkaloids (1.5 or 3%)present.
ii. Weakly basic Indole type (pH 7 to 7.5).
iii. Reserpine group – Reserpine, Rescinnamine, deserpidine.
iv. Tertiary indoline alkaloids (pH-8). Ajmaline group-Ajmaline
and Ajmalicine.
v. Strongly basic anhydronium bases (pH-11).
Ajmaline
yohimbine

22. USES:
1.Rauwolfia is used as hypotensive andtranquillizer.
2.Reserpine being the main alkaloid is responsible for the activity and is used in anxiety condition and other
neuropsychoiatric diseases.
3. Sedative – calm down activities and excitement (reserpine group).
4. Stimulates the central of peripheral nervous systems (Ajmaline group).
5. The decoction of root is used to increase uterine contraction in difficult cases.
6. The extract is used for intestinal disorders and as anti-helmintic bitter tonic and febrifuge.
DOSE:
Rauwolfia: 100 to 150mg(oral twicedaily).
Reserpine: Initial dose 250μg once a day(oral),Maintanence dose 100-250μ once aday.
Rescinnamine:500 μg oral twice a day(initial dose);250μg oral daily maintainencedose.
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23.  SYNONYM: Raw Opium, Aphim
 BIOLOGICAL SOURCE:It is the dried latex obtained by incision
from the unripe capsules of Papaver somniferum, dried or partly dried
by heat or spontaneous evaporation,and worked in to some what
irregularly shaped masses(natural opium)or moulded into masses of
uniform size and shape.Family:Papaveraceae.
 GEOGRAPHICALSOURCE:India,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Turkey,
Russia,China,and Iran.
 HISTORY:It was first cultivated in Mediterranean regions and
probabaly brought byAlexander.
The French Chemist ,Derosne in 1803,isolated Narcotine.
Segnin isolated morphinein 1804.
Gulland and Robinson elucidated the structure of Morphinein 1923.
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24. CULTIVATION AND COLLECTION:
 The seeds of opium are cultivated in batches. This is to ensure that the entire crop is not affected by climatic
conditions like frost or drought. The cultivation is done in the months between September and April. A gap of 25
cm should be maintained between two consecutive plants. Before sowing the seeds, they are mixed with sands
properly. About five to six capsules appear on each plant and it flowers in the month ofMay-June.
 After the petals fall from the poppy, the pod, which is about the size of a golf ball, is lanced, and the opium latex
is exuded. What you see here is one lancing, made with a special knife which has four blades about 1/16th inch
apart, clearly visible in the photo. Initially the latex is pink; later it changes to black.
 Poppies are lanced in the afternoon and the latex is scraped off the next morning. Pods ripen (soften) at different
times in the field. Each pod can be lanced from 4 to 7 times. The lancing takes a great deal of time and attention.
Several pods can be scraped before the opium is placed into a container. So many pods to cut and scrape.
 The opium collected is weighed on a daily basis before an officer of the Narcotics Dept. After the latex has been
collected, all the peasants from an area take their opium to a weighment center. Their opium has been scraped into
standard containers of known weight. One-tenth of a hectare produces small amounts oflatex.
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25. MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS
1.Odor-Strong , characteristic. 2.Taste:- Bitter. 3.Color:- Varies depending on the type of opium. For instance,
Indian opium is dark brown while manipulated Turkish opium is chocolate brown in color.
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS:
Active constituents • Opium contains more than 19 alkaloids, some of which are combined with meconic
acid, others with sulfuric acid and some as free alkaloids.
There are 3 main classes: 1 Phenanthrene. • 2.Benzyl isoquinoline. 3.Phenyl alkyl amine
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MORPHINE
CODEINE

26. CHEMICAL TESTS :
1.Meconic acid test: Opium is dissolved in water and then ferric chloride solution is added. It
results in reddish purple color. The change in color occurs due to presence of meconic acids in
opium.
2.In another test, when opium is treated with small amount of nitric acid, orange red color is
produced. This test occurs due to the presence of morphine in opium. It is not shown by codeine.
3.Morphine solution when treated with ferric chloride and potassium ferricyanide gives a bluish-
green color.
4.Marquis test – Morphine + Conc. H2SO4 + HCHO Dark violet color
5. Papaverine solution in HCl and potassium ferricyanide develops a lemon yellow color.
General tests for true alkaloids

27. USES :Morphine:
1.Most powerful analgesic used in cases of severe pain as post operative pain, bone
fractures, cancer patients & in cases of angina.
2.Remedy in convulsions.
3.Precede the use of anesthetics to increase their efficacy.
4.Used as an antagonists for poisonous effects of other alkaloids as strychnine, atropine,
phytostigmine.
Codeine:
1.It is weaker in intensity than morphine. 2. produces less tendencies to addiction. 3.
Codeine depresses the cough center in the brain. 4. Causes constipation & hypnosis.
Heroin:
1. It is the synthetic diacetyl derivative of morphine.
2. It is 5 X more potent as morphine.
Papaverine is a smooth muscle relaxant.