<I>Rauwolfia serpentina</I> - the Wonder Drug of India (Rauwolfia, Sarpagandha)

Abstract

Few drugs have attracted so much worldwide attention as the roots of Indian Rauwolfia serpentina (sarpagandha ). This is due to their efficacy in reducing high blood pressure and also to their well-marked sedative properties. The demand for roots, particularly from foreign countries, is far greater than the available supply from Indian forests. Commercial supplies are available to a greater or less degree from the States of the Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Bengal, Assam, Andhra, Madras, Travancore-Cochin Mysore and Bombay. The plant, however, is rather scarce and grows sporadically. So far 15 alkaloids have been isolated from the drug. Of these, reserpine (Serpasil) has gained the greatest prominence, since this is said to have the greatest therapeutic action for reducinc high blood pressure and as a sedative. This alkaloid is now being widely used in medicine. The whole root or its extract is also widely used. The total alkaloidal content of the root usually varies from 0-8 to 1-3 per cent. The authors have found that there is no significant difference in the yield of total alkaloids in the roots grown under irrigated agricultural conditions and forestry conditions, or according to the age of the plant up to 4 years of its growth. The root bark contains, on an average, 8 times more of total alkaloids than does the woody portion (actual range of variation is 7 to 18 times ). The percentage of root bark in the whole thick root is about 49. Hitherto only the thick roots are being marketed. It is recommended that fibrous roots, which are much richer in alkaloidal content than the thick roots, and are about one-sixth of the weight of the thick roots, should also be marketed. In times of shortage of the drug, like the present, the possibility of marketing stems, leaves and inflorescence, which also contain fair amounts of total alkaloids, may be explored. Since rauwolfia roots available from natural sources are unable to meet the increased demand that has arisen, augmentation of supplies through cultivation is advocated. Researches carried out at the Forest Research Institute show that the plant can be cultivated successfully. Plantations are best raised from the seed. Propagation through root or stem cuttings can also be done. Details of cultivation, exploitation, etc., are given investigations hitherto carried out show that it may be possible to obtain a yield of about 2,000 lb. of air-dry roots (including fibrous roots) per acre from a 2-year-old plantation and about 3,000 lb. from a 3-year-old plantation under irrigated agricultural conditions on sandy clay loam soil. Further experiments on spacing and manuring are in progress.