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In this article we will discuss about Sarpagandha:- 1. Botanical Name of Sarpagandha 2. Family of Sarpagandha 3. Description 4. Distribution 5. Parts Used 6. Description of the Drugs 7. Collection 8. Uses 9. Constituents 10. Average Dose 11. Trade.
Contents:
- Botanical Name of Sarpagandha
- Family of Sarpagandha
- Description of Sarpagandha
- Distribution of Sarpagandha
- Parts Used in Sarpagandha
- Description of the Drug
- Collection and Preparation of Sarpagandha
- Uses of Sarpagandha
- Constituents of Sarpagandha
- Average Dose of Sarpagandha
- Trade of of Sarpagandha
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1. Botanical Name of Sarpagandha:
RAUVOLFIA SERPENTINA (L.) Bth. ex Kurz
2. Family of Sarpagandha:
APOCYNACEAE
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3. Description of Sarpagandha:
Sarpagandha are glabrous undershrub’s, un-branched or with few branches, up to 1 m. high. Leaves are whorled, 3 at each node, simple, elliptic lanceolate, acuminate, entire; up to 17 cm. long and 5.5 cm. broad, dark green and shinning above, pale beneath; petiole up to 1 cm. long.
Inflorescence a terminal umbelliform cyme, often appearing as lateral due to the growth of the shoot Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomarphic, short pedicelled, bracteate Calyx 5-fid, bright scarlet; segments 2 mm. long.
Corolla salver-shaped, densely hairy inside, pink or rose; tube slender, slightly dilated at the middle, 1-1.5 cm. long; lobes 5; elliptic oblong, 3-4 mm. long, imbricate, stamens 5, inserted at the swollen portion of the corolla tube, included.
Disc cup shaped, membranous; obscurely lobed. Carpels 2, connate; ovules 2 in each carpel, style filiform, stigma broad, calyptriform at base and 2-fid at the tip. Fruit a single drupe or didymous and connate, about 5 mm. in daim, purplish black when ripe.
6. Description of the Drug:
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The root is stout, up to 40 cm. long, some-times branched, cylindrical to cylindrical-tapering, about 2 cm. in daim in the wider end, externally greyish yellow to brown, often with purplish blotches, slightly wrinkled, course and rough with longitudinal and irregular markings on the surface; fracture short, irregular, breaking with a snap and exhibiting some projecting strands of cork along periphery, wood yellowish white to pale yellow, of hard texture, indistinct odour and bitter taste.
4. Distribution of Sarpagandha:
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Indigenous to India occurring almost all over the country in the plains excepting the arid regions and climbing up to an elevation of 4200 mtr. in the hills. It is however, nowhere abundant. It is also found in the Andaman’s, Ceylon, Bangladesh, Burma, Malay, Thailand and Japan. It is also cultivated in a small scale in other tropical countries.
5. Parts Used in Sarpagandha:
Root of mature plant in dry state.
7. Collection and Preparation of Sarpagandha:
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Root should be collected with bark in-tact in autumn from plants which are 3-4 years old.
8. Uses of Sarpagandha:
The root is purgative, anthelmintic, a sedative and hypotensive and is an antidote for snake — and insect-bite; now mostly used in hypertension.
9. Constituents of Sarpagandha:
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The root contains many alkaloids the most important of which is reserpine which is a specific remedy in hypertension and certain neuropsychiatric disorders.
10. Average Dose of Sarpagandha:
Reserpine — 0.5 mg. 1-4 times daily; or crude drug – 100 mg.
11. Trade of of Sarpagandha:
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A small quantity is used in India by the pharmaceutical firms while 20600 kg, of roots and 600 kg. of the alkaloid are exported annually to other countries.
