Sarpagandha

Latin name: Rauwolfia serpentina (Linn.) Benth. Ex Kurz.

(Ophioxylon serpentinum Linn.)

Family: Apocynaceae

Gana/Varga:

Bhavaprakasha Nighantu	Haritakyadi Varga Shloka 145- 146
API Part I	Vol V
DG II	P. V. Sharma Nidrajanana Page 36
Nighantu Adarsh Part I	Kutajadi Varga page 864-866

Sushruta mentioned this plant only once in S. U. 60^th chapter.

Synonyms:

चन्द्रमार : चन्द्रमाह्लादं मारयति ।

Chandramara : It makes mind pleasant, relieving all tension.

धवलविटप : धावयति शोधयति मनो देहं च । 

Dhavala vitapa : It purifies both Sharira and Manas.

Nakuli (Bp. Ni.), Surasa (Bp. Ni.), Nagasugandha (Bp. Ni.), Gandhanakuli (Bp. Ni.)

Nakuleshta (Bp. Ni.), Bhujangakshi (Bp. Ni.), Sarpangi (Bp. Ni.), Vishanashini (Bp. Ni.)

Vernacular names:                      

Hindi	Nakulakanda, Chandrabhaga
Kannada	Sutranabhi, Patalagaruda
Bengali	Chandar
Marathi	Chandra
Gujarati	Amelpodee
Telagu	Patalagandhi
Tamil	Sarppaganti
Malayalam	Amalpori
English	Rauvolfia root, Serpentina root, Serpentine root

Morphology:

Habit : Small, erect shrub or undershrub with red pedicels and calyx; Leaves : three in a whorl, thin, glabrous, bright green above; Inflorescence : irregular corymbose cymes , Flowers white often tinged with violet in irregular corymbose cymes; Fruits : drupes, purplish black when ripe.

            Roots when dry are very hard, less flexible tortous with a yellowish brown surface provided with vertical and irregular cracks or wrinkles, when rubbed with water yields a light yellowish tinged paste. The bark does not separate easily from the woody portion when dry but separates easily in fresh conditions.

Distribution: Throughout India, as forest undergrowth.

Types:-- NA

Guna-Karma:                      

Guna	Laghu, Ruksha
Rasa	Kashaya, Tikta, Katu
Vipaka	Katu
Virya	Ushna
Prabhava	Nidrajanana
Karma
Doshaghnata	Vata-Kaphahara Vatahara: Pertaining to Ushna virya Kaphahara: Pertaining to Kashaya, Tikta Katu Rasa and Ushna virya
Anyakarma	Dipana, Nidrakara, Kamavasadaka, Raktabharashamaka, Garbhashaya sankochaka;

Prayoga: Sarpa Visha, Luta visha, Vrushcika visha, Akhu visha, Jwara, Krumi, Vrana, Anidra, Hypertension

Chemical composition: Rauwolfia contains Phenols, Saponins, indole alkaloids, such as reserpinine, serpentinine, ajmaline, rescinamine, desrpidine and ajmalicine.

 

Prayojya Anga: Pieces of roots mostly about 8 to 15 cm long and 0.5 to 2 cm in thickness, subcylindrical, curved, stout, thick and rarely branched; outer surface greyish-yellow to brown with irregular longitudinal fissures; rootlets 0.1mm in dia; fracture, short, slight odour and bitter taste.

Sangraha Kala: Whole root should be collected in Sharad Rutu from 3-4 yr old plant.

Matra: 1-2 gms; For Nidrajanana- 3-6 gms;

Vishishta Yoga: Sarpagandha vati, Sarpagandha churna;

Amayika prayoga:

Bahya:

1.     Sarpadamsha: Kalka is applied at the site of bite.

Abhyantara:

1.     Manovaha srotas: It is best Nidrajanaka and relieves stress so given in Manovikara such as Unmada and Apasmara..

Nidranasha(Insomnia): Churna should be given with Madhu.

2.     Annavaha srotas: Due to Ushna virya and Katu rasa, it acts as Agni dipana and Kapha hara in Pravahika.

Pravahika: Churna prepared of its Twak and Kutaja twak should be given with Takra.

3.     Sarpavisha: Kalka is given.

4.     Artavavaha srotas: It acts as Garbhashaya sankochaka so given for quick expulsion of Apara(placenta)

Research :

1.     Antibacterial activity  : The aqueous and methanol extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria show antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella, Pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.

2.     Antihypertensive activity: The main alkaloid of R. serpentina is reserpine. It exerts antihypertensive property by depleting the catecholamine. Rescinnamine has the same activity like reserpine; however, it inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) that catalysis conversion of angiotensin I, resulting in a decrease of plasma angiotensin II. Ajmaline possesses antiarrhythmic effect by blocking the sodium channel. Serpentine has antipsychotic property because it inhibits type II topoisomerase. Yohimbine is selective alpha-adrenergic antagonist in blood vessels for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. High concentration of phenols R. serpentina reveals significant anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic properties.

3.     Antivenom Activity : The plant extract significantly reduced the lethal effect of the N. naja venom. About 0.14 mg of R. serpentina plant extract was sufficient to neutralize the lethal effect of 2LD50 of N. naja venom.

4.     Anxiolytic: The findings of the reported clinical study suggested that reserpine, alseroxylon and the whole crude rootexhibited anxiolytic action in ambulatory patients showed Rauwolfia serpentina use as an anxiolytic agent (https://journalcra.com/sites/default/files/issue-pdf/41003_0.pdf) 

Others: Bhavamishra explained this drug as Rasna bheda. Chunekarji has explained two drugs under this name – Rauwlfia serpentina and Aristolochia indica the later is considered as Ishwari by other authors. 

Important References: