Rauwolfia serpentina, commonly known as Indian snakeroot, is a medicinal plant native to the Shivalik Hills of the Himalayas. It has various applications, particularly as an antihypertensive and tranquilizer, due to its active constituents like reserpine and serpentine. The plant requires a humid climate for cultivation and is propagated through seeds and seedlings.

2. Rauwolfia serpentina

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4. Character Plant details
Common name- Indian snakeroot, devil pepper,
serpentine wood, Sarpagandha,
Rauwolfia Serpentina, Chot-chand,
Black-snakeroot.
Botanical name Rauwolfia serpentina
Family Apocyanaceae
Native place Shivalik hills of Himalaya

6. Description-

8. Leaves-
Simple, opposite arrange in whorls of 3 – 4 to 10
cm long and 5 cm broad
Fruits –
Are 2 cm in diameterinitially pink in colour and
purple when ripe

11. Geographical source-

15. Cork
Starch grain
Medullary rays
Secondary phloem
Calcium oxylate
crystal
phelloderm

17. Cultivation and collection-
Climate and Soil-
Hot and humid, temp-10- 300
C, , Altitude- 1300 m
Plantation- In month of June- July
by seed, root, stem
Seedlings are transplanted at dist. of 7.5 to 12cm.
Organic matter- 25-30 tones per hectare
20 kg Sodium, 30 kg Potassium and 30 kg Phosphorus
annually

18. Propagation methods

20. Harvesting and storage-

21. Plant protection-

22. Chemical constituent-
About 30 indole alkaloids have reported in root 0.7 to 3%
Chemical constituent-
Types-
Indole alkaloid
Indoline alkaloid
Indolenine alkaloid
oxy indole alkaloid
Psedo indoxyl alkaloid
Major active constituents-
Serpentine,
Reserpine Ricinnamine,
Ajmaline Ajmalicine
Fatty acid, Fumaric acid
Unsaturated alcohol

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Chemical Tests
1. Freshly fractured surface
Conc. HNO3
Red Colouration along medullary rays
2. Reserpine
Vanillin in acetic acid
Violet red colour

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Uses
 Antihypertensive - Used in Hypertension
 Tranquilliser - Used in mild anxiety and
Neuropsychiatric disorders
 Used in the treatment of Circulatory
disease like obstruction of cerebral blood
flow

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Allied Drugs
 Rauwolfia tetraphylla
 Rauvolfia vomitoria
 Rauwolfia densiflora
 Rauwolfia perakensis
 Rauwolfia micrantha

35. Pharmacological action

36. Uses-
Antidote against snake bite, venomous
reptiles, insects, animal bite
In anxiety state,
Intestinal disorder, in early stage of
pneumonia, fresh juice in eye infection