Scientific name
Rauwolfia serpentina
Family
Apocynaceae
Origin
Himalaya, India, Ceylon
Used Parts
Drugs given by the roots
Chemical constituents
- Alkaloids (reserpine, ajmalina, raubasina)
Rauwolfia in Herbalist: Property of Rauwolfia
The decoction or infusion of the root is drunk by many populations of Central America as a remedy for the bite of snakes and scorpions, but the use of rauwolfia is to be abandoned for the easy appearance of side effects at the level of the CNS and of the cardiovascular system, due to the presence of numerous alkaloids.
In pharmacology, at present, only the single molecules extracted from the root are used: reserpine as an antipsychotic and hypotensive, and ajmalina as an antiarrhythmic.
Contraindications
Avoid taking in case of hypersensitivity to one or more components.
Pharmacological Interactions
- I-MAO: psychomotor agitation;
- levodopa: inhibition of levodopa effects;
- antiarrhythmics: sum of effects.
