Indian snake root is an ancient medicinal plant from South Asia. It was used in India for the treatment of snakebite, among other things.
Occurrence and cultivation of the Indian snake root.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses Indian snake root to treat liver disorders, dizziness, and hypertension associated with headaches. The botanical name of Indian snake root is Rauwolfia serpentina. It is also known as Indian snakeroot, snakewood, Java devil’s pepper or mad herb. The medicinal plant belongs to the dog poison family (Apocynaceae). It should not be confused with American snakeroot. The name Rauwolfia is due to the French botanist Charles Plumier (1646-1704), who thus honored the German botanist Leonhard Rauwolf (1535-1596). The name Serpentina is considered a reference to the snake-like shape of the plant. Indian serpentine is one of the evergreen shrubs and grows erect. It has a white smooth bark as well as milky sap. The small flowers appear between April and May. The sepals have a reddish color, while the petals are white. In addition, the Indian snakeroot forms black drupes, which reach a size of about 8 millimeters. The place of origin of the Indian snake root is India. From there, the plant spread to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Rauwolfia serpentina thrives mainly in the tropical areas of northeast India and in the Himalayan region. Other growing areas are Malaysia, Burma and Thailand. The harvest season takes place from the end of October to the beginning of November.
Effect and application
Medicinally usable active substances of the Indian snake root are the approximately 60 different alkaloids. These include primarily the monoterpene alkaloids of the yohimban, heteroyohimban, ajmalan and sarpagan type. Rescinnamine and reserpine are considered to be the main active ingredients. Thus, reserpine has an antihypertensive and sedative effect. Also among the alkaloids are yohimbine, serpentine, ajmaline and deseripine. The mixture of alkaloids has the property of having mood-lifting, antispasmodic and laxative effects. Medicinally, the Indian snake root is usually administered as a finished preparation. In higher doses, however, Rauwolfia is considered toxic. For this reason, it is only allowed to be used according to a doctor’s prescription. The intake of the Indian snake root is initially in small doses. These are administered until the appropriate dosage is reached. After that, a long-term treatment with the preparation takes place, which can last up to one year. In homeopathy, Indian snake root is used in low potencies D1 to D4. The remedies are mainly taken to treat depression and high blood pressure. Up to the potency D3, Rauwolfia is considered to require a prescription. In the potency D6 it can be administered for the therapy of nervous disorders. The remedy is usually taken in the form of tablets or drops. Combinations with reserpine are primarily used. The only monomedicament is Gilurytmal, which contains ajmaline. It is used for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Ayurvedic medicine also appreciates the Indian snake root. There it is classified as heating and drying. Despite its bitter taste, it exerts a pungent effect on digestion. Due to its calming effects, it is used against nervous restlessness and cramps. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses Indian snake root to treat liver disorders, dizziness and hypertension associated with headaches.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
From Ayurvedic texts, Indian snake root was mentioned as early as the 7th century BC. In ancient India, healers used it mainly against snakebites. The exotic medicinal plant did not reach Europe until the early 18th century, when it was discovered during research trips. Rauwolfia was also initially used on the European continent as in Indian folk medicine. In 1952, scientists were able to isolate the most important active ingredient of Indian snake root, reserpine, which made chemical production possible.In this way, Rauwolfia was widely used in medicine just two years later. The main field of application was psychiatric diseases such as psychoses. Indian snake root was one of the first drugs to be tested for the treatment of schizophrenia. Through intensive research, scientists also gained important knowledge about the metabolism of the human brain, which in turn led to the development of new useful preparations. However, reserpine had the disadvantage of numerous side effects. This eventually led to a decline in the use of reserpine. In the 1970s, reserpine was replaced by preparations that were better tolerated. For a long time, Rauwolfia was also considered an important treatment for hypertension. In 1986, Indian snake root was positively evaluated by Commission E and recommended for the treatment of mild hypertension, psychomotor restlessness, tension, and anxiety when other measures were ineffective. However, due to the strong side effects, the medicinal plant was hardly used. Rauwolfia was only used as reserpine in low doses together with other antihypertensive drugs. Nowadays, Indian snake root is still a proven remedy in homeopathy. There, the preparation is administered in homeopathic dilution for mild heart pain and essential hypertension. As already mentioned, various side effects are possible when taking Indian snake root, which can be attributed to the strong effect of the plant. These may include nightmares, depression, anxiety, heart problems, circulatory problems, Parkinson’s symptoms, and muscle weakness. Rauwolfia should not be used if the patient suffers from conditions such as depression, nephrosclerosis or arteriosclerosis of the cerebral vessels.
