Rauvolfia serpentina
Indian snake root ( Rauvolfia sandwicensis )
The Indian snake root ( Rauvolfia serpentina, Syn. Rauwolfia serpentina, Ophioxylon serpentinum L., O. majus Hasskarl ), also called insanity herb, snake wood, Indian snake root or Java devil pepper, belongs to the family of the dogbane family ( Apocynaceae ). However, it is not the same as the American - Black - Wild snake root or designated Black Cohosh. Also do not confuse them with what is referred to as snake wood type Brosimum guianense, a South American tree.
Features
The Indian snake root is an evergreen, upright growing shrub that reaches an average plant height of 50 to 100 cm. The plants contain latex and have a smooth white bark. The stalked leaves are spitzeiförmig and shiny.
It forms between ( February), April and May (October) many small, hermaphroditic flowers from radiärsymmetrische. The sepals are reddish. The white petals are fused into a corolla tube. The corolla lobes overlapping to the left. There is only one stamen circle exists; the stamens are very short. The ovary is upper constant. There are pea-sized, first red, then black when ripe stone fruits formed, which are about 8 mm in size.
Origin
The Indian snake root is native to India and has spread from there to Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The areas are located in mountain forests at altitudes between 800 and 1500 m above sea level in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Chinese provinces: in southern Yunnan ( Gengma, Jing -hong ), southern Guangxi and Hainan ( grown in southern Guangdong). In order not to endanger the wild stocks of the plant, the export from India has been banned since 1997.
The generic name Rauvolfia The plant was given in 1703 by the French botanist Charles Plumier, who labeled in honor of the Augsburg physician and botanist Leonhard Rauwolf so.
Medical Applications
The roots of the plant ( Rauvolfia radix, also Rauwolfia radix) have been used for centuries in Indian medicine and arrived in the early 18th century to Europe.
In the medically active constituents are about 60 different alkaloids, more precisely monoterpene indole alkaloids of yohimbane, Heteroyohimban, sarpagan and Ajmalantyps. The total alkaloid content is 1-2 %. The two main ingredients are the reserpine and the rescinnamine. Other alkaloids include: ajmaline, Deseripin, serpentine and yohimbine.
The alkaloid has a laxative, sedative, hypotensive, antispasmodic and mood enhancing.
Swell
- Fried man Pahlow: The Big Book of Medicinal Plants: healthy by the healing powers of nature. Bechtermünz, Augsburg, 2001. ISBN 3-8289-1839-5
- Max Wichtl: Teedrogen and herbal products: a handbook for practice on a scientific basis. Scientific Publishing Company, Stuttgart 2002 ( 4th edition ). ISBN 3-8047-1854 -X
- Encke / Buchheim / Seybold: Zander, Dictionary of Plant Names, 15th Edition, ISBN 3-8001-5072-7