Rauvolfia serpentina L.
Local Name: Sarpogandha.
Synonyms: Chandra, Chhoto chand.
Scientific Name: Rauvolfia serpentina L.
Family: Apocynaceae.
Growth Habit: Undershrub.
Taxonomic Hierarchy:
| Kingdom | Plantae – Plants |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta – Vascular plants |
| Superdivision | Spermatophyta – Seed plants |
| Division | Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants |
| Class | Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons |
| Subclass | Asteridae |
| Order | Gentianales |
| Family | Apocynaceae – Dogbane family |
| Genus | Rauvolfia L. – devil’s-pepper |
| Species | Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. |
Figure: Sarpogandha (Rauvolfia serpentina L.)
Plant Description:
An undershrub. Leaves whorled, elliptic-lanceolate, acute or acuminate at apex. Flowers purplish-white, in umbellate cymes. Drupes obliquely ovoid, purplish black when ripe.
Chemical constituents:
Roots contain some 50 indole alkaloids including the therapeutically important reserpine, deserpidine, rescinnamine and yohimbine. Some of the other alkaloids are ajmaline, ajmalinine, ajmalicine(δ-yohimbine), serpentine, serpentinine, isoajmaline and neoajmaline.
Used Plant part:
Generally the root and leaf is used.
Common use of the plant:
- Liver pain.
- Eye inflammation.
- Malarial fever.
Local Use of the study:
- Malarial fever.
Diagnosis of the disease:
Characterized by raise in body temperature within 4-6 days. Eyes become red color.
Preparation:
Root and leaf paste by mortal pastel. Paste is made into pill.
Treatment:
Root and leaf paste by mortal pastel. Paste is made into pill .The pill is taken orally thrice daily during morning, afternoon and night for 1 week.
