Rauwolfia is considered an important therapeutic option for patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension not improved by lifestyle changes. Rauwolfia alkaloids bind irreversibly to catecholamine storage granules in neurons, primarily those in the mid-brain autonomic centres and cells in the adrenal medulla, causing depletion of catecholamines and 5-HT from those granules. As a result…
In India, rauwolfia has been employed for centuries in the treatment of various central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including anxiety states, maniacal behaviour associated with psychosis, schizophrenia, insanity, insomnia and epilepsy. Extracts of the roots are valued for the treatment of intestinal disorders and also as an anthelmintic: mixed with other plant extracts, they have…
The root system consists of a prominent tuberous soft tap root upto 6 cm in diameter when fresh and having a corky outer bark with longitudinal fissures. Generally roots and sometimes leaves are harvested. Roots are harvested during winter months for maximal alkaloidal content. The root is to be harvested 15–36 months after planting to…
The root and the root bark which constitute 40% to 60% of the whole root contain over 60 indole alkaloids, the most significant being reserpine, rescinnamine, deserpidine, reserpinine, serpinine, serpentine, ajmaline, ajmalicine, rauwolfinine and yohimbine. The root bark contains more than 90% of total alkaloids, which varies from 1.4–3% depending on location, season and soil…
An erect, small, evergreen perennial semi-shrub growing upto 50 cm tall, the species is wide ranging in Asia and found in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. It is found in almost all parts of India up to an altitude of 1000 m, and is more common…
An important component of traditional medicine in India, the drug is a source of hypotensive alkaloids, principal of which are reserpine, rescinnamine and ajmaline. First isolated from the roots in the early 1950s, it quickly became important in the treatment of hypertension and mental illness through its effect as a tranquillizer. Use has decreased in…
Rauwolfia One of the most important native medicinal plants of India, the crude drug consists of the air-dried roots and rhizomes of Rauwolfia serpentina Benth (Apocynaceae). Synonymns Rauwolfia trifoliata (Gaertn.) Ophioxylon salutiferum Salisb. Ophioxylon obversum Miq. Ophioxylon serpeninum L. Rauwolfia obversa Miq. Common names English: Indian snake root, rauwolfia Sanskrit: Sarpagandha Hindi: Chotachand Tamil: Civanamelpodi Telugu: Paatala garuda
The simplest examples of functional foods are fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. These offer life-essential vitamins and minerals and also an array of phytochemicals that may fight certain diseases. Most traditional diets incorporate a host of plant-derived articles under the guise of colouring or flavouring in effect actually adding a number of non-nutrient phytochemicals…
Overall health foods may be of three types.
Foods in general provide us either taste/convenience benefits or nutrition/enhancement utility. Food habits in several traditionally established cultures world over were largely dictated by the need for nutrition and energy. Fruits, leaves and other plant parts were essential components of diet in these societies and apart from being an energy source, food thus also included…