Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina)

Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina), commonly known as Indian snakeroot, is a perennial, evergreen shrub native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is renowned for its antihypertensive, sedative, and tranquilizing effects and has been extensively used in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. The root contains powerful alkaloids, notably reserpine, which plays a significant role in managing high blood pressure and mental disorders.

Sarpagandha Scientific Names

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiosperms
Class: Eudicots
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Rauvolfia
Species: Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz

Sarpagandha Common Names

English: Indian snakeroot, Serpentine root
Sanskrit: Sarpagandha
Hindi: Sarpagandha
Tamil: Sarpagandhi
Telugu: Patalagaruda
Bengali: Chhota Chand
Marathi: Sarpagandha
Malayalam: Amalpori

Sarpagandha Uses

Management of Hypertension - Acts as a natural antihypertensive due to the presence of reserpine, which reduces blood pressure by depleting catecholamines.

Mental Health Disorders - Used as a tranquilizer and sedative in conditions like anxiety, insomnia, schizophrenia, and hysteria.

Menstrual Disorders - Employed in the management of amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea due to its uterine stimulant action.

Gastrointestinal Relief - Traditionally used to relieve colic, indigestion, and constipation.

Phytochemical Constituents

Sarpagandha contains a wide range of indole alkaloids which are responsible for its pharmacological actions:

Alkaloids: Reserpine, Ajmaline, Ajmalicine, Serpentine, Yohimbine
Triterpenoids: Lupeol, β-Sitosterol
Phenolic Compounds: Rauvolfianine, Serpentinine
Flavonoids: Quercetin
Others: Saponins, Tannins

References

Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API), Part I, Vol. I. Government of India, Ministry of AYUSH.

Sharma, P.V. (1995). Dravyaguna Vijnana (Materia Medica – Vegetable Drugs). Chaukhambha Bharati Academy.

World Health Organization (WHO). (1999). Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants, Vol. 1. WHO, Geneva.

Singh, R.H. (2007). Ayurvedic Drug Plants. Chaukhambha Sanskrit Pratishthan.

Kapoor, L.D. (2001). Handbook of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants. CRC Press.

Bhattacharjee, S.K. (2001). Handbook of Medicinal Plants. Pointer Publishers, Jaipur.

Chopra, R.N., Chopra, I.C., & Handa, K.L. (1958). Indigenous Drugs of India. Academic Publishers.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). (2003). The Wealth of India: A Dictionary of Indian Raw Materials and Industrial Products, Vol. 9. National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources.

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