International Journal of Research ISSN NO:2236-6124

“Review of serpentina(L.) Benth.exKurz.”

Varsha Umesh Ghate1, Manisha P Gajendragadkar,2Arun B. Jadhav3 1) Ph.D. (Scholar), Bharti Vidhyapeeth( Deemed to be) University Homoeopathic Medical College and hospital, Pune. 2) Department In-charge, Homoeopathic Pharmacy, Bharti Vidhyapeeth( Deemed to be) University Homoeopathic Medical College and hospital, Pune. 3) Principal, Head of Institute Bharti Vidhyapeeth( Deemed to be) University Homoeopathic Medical College and hospital, Pune.

Email id –[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Rauvolfia serpentina is medicinal explained in homoeopathic literatures for curing various upcoming non-communicable lifestyle disorders like hypertension, insomnia, anxiety, stress etc. and these newer incidences of freshly occurring cases in youth will be the big catastrophic strategy for upcoming years in medical and pharmaceutical world. Ever increasing cost of treatment in conventional medicine brings enormous burden over economy and budget. Offering few options to the treatment and management; homoeopathic system of medicine found some good maladies to put forward the efficacious and safe replacement or application in conjunction to modern medicine to give better quality of life. This paper is going to through light upon identification, description (organoleptic, macroscopic and microscopic), historical background, classification, distribution, habitat, cultivation, harvesting of roots, phytoconstituents mainly , uses and side effects of in homoeopathy.

Keywords: Rauvolfia serpentina, sarpgandha, phytoconstituents, reserpine

1. Introduction

Increase in world population poses huge challenges to satisfy the demands for herbal medicine. There is a rise in demand for herbal medicine. Medicinal plant includes various types of used in herbalism (herbal medicine). The word herb has been derived from the Latin word, “herba” and an old French word herbe. Now days, herb refers to any part of the plant like fruit, seed, stem, bark, , leaf, stigma or a root, as well as a non-woody plant. These are also used as food, flavonoid, medicine or perfume and also in certain spiritual activities

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[1].Recently, WHO (World Health Organization) estimated that 80 percent of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some aspect of their primary health care needs. According to WHO, around 21,000 plant species have the potential for being used as medicinal plant. As per data available over three-quarters of the world population relies mainly on plant and plant extracts for their health care needs. More than 30% of the entire plant species are used for medicinal purposes. It has been estimated, that in developed countries such as United States, plant drugs constitute as much as 25% of the total drugs, while in fast developing countries such as and China, the contribution is as much as 80%. Treatment with medicinal plants is considered very safe as there is no or minimal side effects. In India, various indigenous plants are used to cure disease, as nature has provided a perfect storehouse of remedies to cure all elements of humanity. The medicinal plants show the presence of various chemical substances such as , hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, glycosides, volatile oils, fatty acids, resins, gums and tannins that are responsible for treating various diseases[2]. Now a day large amount herbal species of medicinal and aromatic plants are used worldwide in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics and fragrance industries.

2. Material and method:

Material: Type of study: Literary study. For thorough understanding of this topic available literatures and research papers on Rauvolfia serpentina has referred.

Method: Extensive theoretical study was done from various source books of homoeopathy, Homoeopathic pharmacopoeia of India, Homoeopathic encyclopedia. Review work done in PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Shodhadhara, Scopus etc.

3. Review of literature:

Rauvolfia serpentina (L.)Benth.exKurz is known as Sarpagandha in Hindi. Extract of this plant is used since ancient time. Rauvolfia serpentina is used in Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and modern system of medicine. [3] The Indian political leader Mahatma Gandhi was known to employ Rauvolfia, reportedly using the root to make a tea that he consumed in the evening to help relax after a busy, overstimulated day [4].

Description of Rauwolfiaserpentina Plant: Rauvolfia serpentina is an erect herb or under which is 15-75 cm high. Its roots are tuberous, irregularly nodular with pale brown bark. Its leaves are in whorls of three. Its are 1.5 cm long, white or pink in color [5].

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Historical Background: Rauvolfia serpentina has mentioned since 4000 years, its properties are described in SushrutaSamhita, CharakaSamhita in Ayurveda. In the 20th century, Sarpagandha made its place in MateriaMedica as one of the first herb listed for its use to cure hypertension. The Rauvolfia was named in honor of the 16th-century German physician Dr. Leonhard Rauvolfia, who studied plants while travelling in India [6, 7].

Common names: Rauwolfae Radix, Indian Snakeroot, Sarpgandha, Serpiria, Rauvolfia Canescens,Rauvolfia serpentina, Alpha , Corynanthidin, Corynanthidine, Isoyohimbine, hydrochloride, 17 α-hydroxy-yohimban-16α-carboxylic acid methyl ester.Assamese: Arachorititia, Bengali: Chandra, Chinese: Lu fu mu, English: Rauvolfia, Indian Snakeroot, Hindi: Chandrabhaga, Chot:chand, Sarpagandha, Indian Snake root, Kannada: Keramaddinagaddi, Latin: Rauvolfia serpentine, Malayalam: Churannavilpori, Suvapavalporiyam: Amalpori, Marathi: Harkaya, Harki, Hadaki, Adakai, Other names: Indian snakeroot, Devil pepper, Sanskrit: Sarpaghanda, Tamil: Chevanamalpodi, Sarpagandha, Telugu: Patalaguni, Patalgandha, Sarpagandha, Trade name: Sarpagandha [8].

Classification:Kingdom: Plantae – Plants, Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants, Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants, Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants, Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons, Subclass: Asteridae, Order: , Family: – Dogbane family, Genus: Rauvolfia L. – devil’s-pepper, Species: Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth.Ex Kurz [9].

Varieties ofRauvolfia Serpentina: About 26 different species. Important are Rauvolfia densiflora (contains sclerenchyma), , (has uniform cork, abundant sclereids of fibats but devoid of resinnumine), (having very larry vessels), Rauvolfia conescence, Rauvolfia beddomei, ,Rauvolfia cumminsfi, Rauvolfia obscura,Rauvolfia rosea,Rauvolfia mambasiana,Rauvolfia volkensii, Rauvolfia nitida, and Rauwolfiaoreogition. All varieties of Rauwolfia serpentine contain reserpine [10].

Distribution: Sub-Himalayan ranges, Western Ghats of India.

Habitat: It grows well in hot humid climate, with a temperature between10-38oC, rainfall ranging from 250-500 cm.

Cultivation: The propagation from seeds is usually the method of choice.

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Harvesting of the roots: Roots are collected from 3 to 4 year old plant in winter season, mainly after rainy season [11].

Phytoconstituents: It contains about 200 alkaloids, major important is Reserpine, where as other important alkaloids are listed below, , Ajmalimine, Ajmaline, , Indobine, Iindobinine, Reserpiline, , Rescinnamidine, Serpentine, Serpentinine, Yohimbineetc [12].

Reserpine: In 1952 reserpine was isolated by the Swiss scientist, Schiller and Mueller, of CIBA Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland, from its root and has been used by western medicine as valuable drugs for treatment of high blood pressure. Chemical constituent in this plant mainly reserpine is used by pharmaceutical company from 1954 to 1957 to treat high blood pressure and for mental disorders [13].The hypertensive properties of sarpagandha was first discovered by Chopra in 1953, but the attention of the Western countries was drawn to it only after the isolation and identification of its most active alkaloid “Reserpine” Reserpine has been classified as an indole alkaloid. It is a white-to-yellow powder that becomes darker when exposed to light. It is odorless, insoluble in water, slightly soluble in alcohol, and freely soluble in acetic acid. It has a chemical formula of C33H40N209, a molecular mass of 609 g, and a bitter taste [14].

Percentage of reserpine: All parts of the plant, including the stem and leaves, contain reserpine but found in highest concentration in the root. Alkaloids analysis in root and leaf fractions - Reserpine percentage in root is 0.416 mg/gm. and in leaves 0.217 mg/gm., as higher in root [15].

Reserpine content in the roots of six Rauvolfia species (R. hookeri, R. micrantha, R. serpentina, R. tetraphylla, R. verticillata, and R. vomitoria), Among the six Rauvolfia species, reserpine content was highest in the exotic species R. vomitoria (689.5 μg/g, dry wt.), while among the five Indian species the highest reserpine content was for R. tetraphylla (450.7 μg/g, dry wt.). In the most common Indian Rauvolfia species, R. serpentina, the reserpine content was comparatively low (254.8 μg/g, dry wt.). The endemic species R. micrantha possesses reserpine (422.1 μg/g, dry wt.)[16].

Parts Used: Dried roots of the herb are used.

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Organoleptic Characters of Rauvolfia serpentina root:Color - greyish yellow to brown, Odor – odorless, Taste – bitter, Size - 10 to 15 cm long and 1 to 3 cm in diameter, Shape – sub cylindrical, slightly tapering, Fracture – short and irregular [17].

Histological features of Rauwolfia serpentine:The cork, composed of alternating layers of broad and narrow cells giving a somewhat spongy and friable exterior to the drug; secondary cortex composed of several rows of parenchymatous cells, filled with starch grains and brown resin masses; secondary xylemconsisting of vessels, tracheids, xylem parenchyma and wood fibres traversed by xylem rays, and showing annual rings; secondary phloem consisting of sieve cells, companion cells and parenchymatous cells containing starch grains, rosette and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate and occasionally some brown resin masses[18].

Powder Characteristics of Root: Powder is coarse to fine, yellowish-brown, free-flowing, odor slight, and bitter in taste and characterized by stratified cork cells 8–10 layers, phalloderm cells 10–12 layers in which spherical, simple to compound starch grains, calcium oxalate prisms, and clusters are present. Vessels with simple perforation, occasionally tailed, lignified tracheids, and xylem fibers are present which are irregular in shape, occur singly or in small groups, walls are lignified, tips occasionally forked or truncated, wood parenchyma cells are filled with calcium oxalate crystals and starch grains, whereas, stone cells and phloem fibers are absent [19].

Doctrine of signature of Rauvolfia serpentine: Roots of the plant resembles like snake so it is called as snakeroot and used in treatment of snake poisoning.

Uses: Hypertension - Rauvolfia serpentine has a potent anti-arrhythmic effect, control nerve impulses, reduce the heart rate, and dilates blood vessels thus lower blood pressure.Insomnia - It has a calming effect on the mind and brain, thus induces sleep.Tranquilizer - It is often used as a sedative and to reduce tension or anxiety in different countries. Anti-poison/toxin - It is useful in the treatment of snake (cobra), scorpion or reptile bite and stings of any poisonous insects. Alexander the Great used this plant to cure his general of a poisoned arrow.Schizophrenia (insanity) - It has been used as a remedy for chronic abnormal anxiety, mental disorders, and insanity. It also relieves excited state of mind.Fever – it is useful in recurrent and chronic fever.Uterus contraction - It contracts uterus and induces menstruation.Epilepsy - It is used in epilepsy, panic attacks.Premature ejaculation - It suppresses early excitement and thus useful in the treatment of premature ejaculation. Central nervous disturbances- like anxiety, excitement, psychosis and epilepsy. Breast and prostate Cancer. Rauvolfia serpentina have nutritional and medicinal value [20, 21, 22, 23, 24].

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Now days it has been became endangered plant species in India due to climacteric changes and increased demand in drug industry. Due to its intense medicinal uses there is a great demand for its roots, which is the prime cause of its indiscriminate uprooting from wild sources, where it grows abundantly. Its intensive collection brought the plant to the verge of extinction. In India, it has also become an endangered species due to overexploitation and Government of India has prohibited the collection of plants growing as wild in forests and exported since 1969.

Different available forms of the Rauwolfia serpentina: root, root powder, root extract (different alkaloid), and mother tinctures, tablets.

Rauwolfiaserpentina side effects or warnings: It is contraindicated in bronchial asthma, duodenal ulcer, hyperacidity, and renal disorders. This herb stimulates the uterus, thus should not be used during pregnancy. The most common side effect of reserpine (alkaloid of Sarpagandha) is nasal congestion occurred in 5% to 15% of patients taking Rauvolfia products. Other side effects include lethargy, sedation, hypotension, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, gastric ulceration, nightmares, bradycardia, angina-like symptoms, bronchospasm, skin rash, itching, breast enlargement, and sexual dysfunction [25].

Standardization of Rauvolfia serpentina drug is most important factor to produce safe and pure drug so in homoeopathy worked out standards of drug are released by the ministry and health of family welfare in the form of homoeopathic pharmacopoeia of India (HPI) in 1971, which describes the standard method and gives standard of purity that has to be followed when preparing the medicine [26].

4. Conclusion:

Rauvolfia serpentine is widely used from ancient era. It has high medicinal and nutritional value because of its phytoconstituents. In homoeopathy Rauvolfia serpentina is one of the best drug which is potentially used in treatment of modern life style diseases like hypertension, insomnia, anxiety, stress etc. It is safe, cost effective; dose not shows any toxic effect if given in proper dosage form. Cost of treatment in conventional medicine brings enormous burden over economy and budget. Not only lifestyle mutations but also social factors such as smoking, alcohol, stress etc. were found contributed to the disease prognosis. Lifestyle modification may add as an additional boon along with homoeopathic medicine in treatment of hypertension. The extensive literature survey revealed that Rauvolfia serpentina is being used since pre-Vedic period to treat

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various ailments including hypertension, insomnia, psychological disorders, gastric disorders, epilepsy, wounds, fever, and schizophrenia. Recent studies also suggest a role of its in breast cancer and prostate cancer. However, detail phytochemical, pharmacological and clinical studies are required to validate the effect of Rauvolfia serpentina and it’s constituent.

5. Scope For Further Study:

A detailed analysis of Rauvolfia serpentina should be done on molecular level. The pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of phytoconstituents needs to be understood and judged.

6. Acknowledgement

The authors acknowledge the support and facilities received from BharatiVidyapeeth Deemed to be University’s founder Late Dr. PatangraoKadam, Chancellor Dr. ShivajiraoKadam Sir, Pro- Chancellor and Secretary Dr.VishwajitKadam, and Dr. Mrs. Anita Patil, P. G. co-ordinator, BhartiVidhyapeeth( Deemed to be) University Homoeopathic Medical College and hospital, Pune.

7. References

1) https://www.nhp.gov.in/introduction-and-importance-of-medicinal-plants-and-herbs_mtl

2) Gokhale S B, Kokate C K, Purohit A P, Pharmacognosy, NiraliPrakashan, 2000, 11th ed. pp 64 -87.

3) KumariReeta, Rauwolfiaserpentina phytochemical, pharmacological and therapeutic aspects, nt. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res., 23(2), 2013, 56, 348-355.

4) Jerie P. Milestones of cardiovascular therapy, IV: reserpine [in Czech] CasLekCesk. 2007, 146 (7):573–577.

5) Gokhale S B, Kokate C K, Purohit A P, Pharmacognosy, NiraliPrakashan, 2000, 11th ed. pp 179-182

6) Tyler VE, Brady LR, Robbers JE. Pharmacognosy. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lea &Febiger; 1988. pp. 222–225.

7) http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/97767/8/08_chapter%201.pdf

8) Mukundsabnis, Chemistry and pharmacology ogAyurvedicac Medicinal Plant, ChaukhambaAmarabharatiPrakashan Varanasi, 2006, 1st ed, vol 12, pp 301

9) https://www.schwabeindia.com/content/168-rauvolfia-serpentina.

10) Kokate CK. Pharmacognosy. 47th ed., Vol. I. Pune: NiraliPrakashan; 2012. pp 3, 22-27.

11) PaturkarMrunalini, Khobragade .Mass cultivation of sarpagandha (Rauwolfiaserpentinabenth. ex kurz) in consideration with environmental factors and cultivation techniques .IJAPR, | October 2016, Vol 4,| Issue10.

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12) KumariReeta, Rauwolfiaserpentina phytochemical, pharmacological and therapeutic aspects, nt. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res., 23(2), 2013, 56, 348-355.

13) https://www.schwabeindia.com/content/168-rauvolfia-serpentina.

14) Ipsaranipradhan ,Standardisation of organic nutrientmanagement in sarpagandha, Department Of Floriculture And Landscaping College Of Agriculture Orissa University Of Agriculture And Technology Bhubaneswar-751003 2016 .

15) Verma KC, Verma S K, Alkaloids analysis in root and leaf fractions of sarpagandha (Rauwolfiaserpentina), Agric Sci. Digest. 2010, 30 (2):133-135.

16) S.BinduK.B.Rameshkumar, industrial crops and products, volume 62, dec. 2014, pg 430 to436

17) Gokhale S B, Kokate C K, Purohit A P, Pharmacognosy, NiraliPrakashan, 2001, 13th ed. p 180-181. 18) Rungsung W, Dutta S, Mondal DN, Ratha KK, Hazra J, Pharmacognostical Profiling on the Root of RauwolfiaSerpentina, ijppr 2014; 6(3): 612-616

19) Anonymous. Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.Part-I.1st ed., Vol. V. New Delhi: Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of ISM and H; 2001. p. 166-7.

20) Gokhale S B, Kokate C K, Purohit A P, Pharmacognosy, NiraliPrakashan, 2000, 11th ed. p 179-182.

21) https://www.draparajita.com/herbs/rauwolfia-serpentina/295/

22) Kumar S, Dandapat J, Chainy GBN, Hati AK, Nanda L, et al. Homeopathic Medicine RauwolfiaSerpentina Ameliorate Blood Pressure and Oxidative Stress Parameters of Kidney by Modulating Expression of Antioxidant Enzymes in Deoxycorticosterone Acetate (DOCA)-Salt-Induced Hypertensive Rat Model. 2016, J Drug Res Dev 2(1): http:// dx.doi.org/10.16966/2470-1009.111

23) Current Insight to the Uses of Rauwolfia: A Review NitinBiradar, IswarHazarika*, VineethChandyRRJoPC (2016) 1-4 © STM Journals 2016., Volume 3, Issue 3

24) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566472/

25) Mukundsabnis, Chemistry and pharmacology ogAyurvedicac Medicinal Plant, ChaukhambaAmarabharatiPrakashan Varanasi, 2006, 1sted, vol 12, P 306

26) Varsha U. Ghate et al. Importance of standardization of herbal drug in homoeopathy, ijr, 2019, Volume VIII, issue II, P 870- 879

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