Detailed description of Rauwolfia.

1. By. Mrs. Vrunda Amol Jadhav
Lecturer,
Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, (D), warananagar

2. ANTI- HYPERTENSIVES
Anti- hypertensives : The drugs which are used in
treatment of Hypertension are called as Anti-
hypertensives
 Hypertension is elevation of B.P above normal range
 Hypertension is sustained elevation of arterial B.P
 This is a result of increased peripheral resistance
 Leads to cardio-vascular and renal complications and
increased force of myocardial contraction

3. RAUWOLFIA
Syn : Sarpagandhi, Indian snake root, Patalagandhi (Telugu)
Biological Source : Dried roots and rhizomes of Rauwolfia serpentina ,
Family : Apocynaceae
Geographical Source : Commercially produced in India, Srilanka,
Myanmar, Thailand, America and Africa
Rauwolfia Plant Rauwolfia roots

4. Cultivation and Collection:
Sowing of fresh seeds
Loamy soil with acidic pH
250-500 cm rain fall
in the month of May or break monsoon
Seedlings
Transplanted in August at 16-30 cm distance,
provided with fertilizers
3-4 year old plants uprooted

5. Morphological Characters
• Size : 10-18cm long, 1-3cm diameter
• Shape : Sub-cylindrical, slightly tapering, tortuous
• Fracture : Short and irregular
• Colour : Grayish yellow to brown
• Odour : Odorless
• Taste : Bitter
• Extra features : Roots are rough with longitudinal marking and slightly
wrinkled surface. Rootlets are absent

6. Chemical Constituents
• About 30 Indole alkaloids have been reported
• The total alkaloidal content in roots range from 0.7 to 3%
• Rauwolfia alkaloids classified into
1. Indole alkaloids
2. Indoline alkaloids
3. Indolenine alkaloids
4. Oxyindole alkaloids
5. Pseudo indoxyl alkaloids
• Major alkaloids are Reserpine and Rescinnamine
• Other alkaloids are Ajmaline, Ajmalicine, Rauwolfinine, Reserpinine,
Yohimbine, Serpentine and Serpentinine
• Also contains Oleo-resin, Phytosterol, Fatty acids, alcohol and sugars
Chemical Tests
1. Freshly fractured surface + Conc. HNO3 Red Coloration along medullary
rays
2. Reserpine Vanillin in acetic acid Violet red colour

7. Uses
• Antihypertensive - Used in Hypertension
• Tranquillizer - Used in mild anxiety and Neuropsychiatric
disorders
• Used in the treatment of Circulatory disease like
obstruction of cerebral blood flow

8. Thank You