RAUWOLFIA SNAKEWOOD RAUVOLFIA SERPENTINA

RAUWOLFIA, SNAKEWOOD (Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz) +

Activities (Rauwolfia) :
Antiandrogenic (1; CRC); Antiarrhythmic (1; CRC; PHR; PH2); Antibacterial (1; CRC); Antidote, opiate (1; CRC); Antifertility (1; CRC); Antipyretic (1; KAP; WHO); Bitter (f; DEP; KAP); Carcinogenic (1; CRC; WHO); Cardiodepressant (1; KAP); Cardiotonic (f; WHO); CNS Depressant (1; CRC; KAP); Expectorant (1; HHB); Hypnotic (1; KAP; SUW); Hypotensive (2; KAP; KOM; PH2; SUW; WHO); Hypothyroid (1; HH2); Lactagogue (1; FNF); MDR Inhibitor (1; ABS; FNF; PR14:139); Narcotic (1; CRC); Peristaltic (1; WOI); Respiradepressant (1; KAP); Sedative (2; CRC; KOM; PH2; SUW; WHO); Sympathicolytic (1; PHR; PH2); Teratogenic (1; CRC); Tonic (f; KAP); Tranquilizer (1; KAP; WHO); Uterocontractant (1; HH2; KAB; PH2; SUW); Vermifuge (f; CRC; KAB).

Indications (Rauwolfia) :
Addiction (f; CRC); Anxiety (2; HH2; KOM; PH2); Arrhythmia (1; CRC; PHR; PH2); Asthenia (f; WHO); Bacteria (1; CRC); Bite (f; PH2; WHO); Childbirth (f; DEP; KAP; PH2; SKJ; SUW); Cholera (f; CRC; DEP; KAB); Colic (f; HHB; KAB; PH2); Constipation (f; PHR; WHO); Corneal Opacity (f; DEP; KAB; SKJ; SUW); Cramp (f; HH2); Debility (f; PHR); Dermatosis (f; HHB); Diarrhea (f; DEP; PHR); Dropsy (f; PHR); Dysentery (f; DEP; KAP); Dyslactea (1; TGF); Dysuria (f; PH2); Eclampsia (f; HH2; PH2); Enterosis (f; CRC; KAB; KAP; PHR; SUW); Epilepsy (f; HH2; SKJ); Fever (1; DEP; KAP; PHR; PH2; WHO); Gas (f; PH2; WHO); Gastrosis (f; CRC; SKJ); Headache (1; CRC); Hepatosis (f; PHR; PH2; WHO); High Blood Pressure (2; CRC; KAP; KOM; PH2; SUW; WHO); Hyperthyroid (1; HH2); Hypertony (1; PHR; PH2); Hypochondria (1; CRC); Hysteria (f; HH2); Insanity (1; CRC; HH2; KAP; SKJ; SUW); Insomnia (2; CRC; KAP; KOM; PHR; PH2; SUW; WHO; WOI); Mental Problem (1; CRC; PHR); Migraine (f; CRC); Nausea (f; PH2); Nervousness (2; CRC; KAP; KOM; PHR; PH2; SUW; WHO); Ophthalmia (f; DEP; SKJ; SUW); Pain (f; DEP; KAB; SUW); Parasite (1; HH2); Parturition (f; SKJ); Rheumatism (f; HH2; PHR; WHO); Satyrism (1; CRC); Schizophrenia (1; CRC); Sinus Tachycardia (2; KOM); Snakebite (f; CRC; HHB; PHR; WOI); Somnambulism (f; HH2); Sore (f; KAB); Staphylococcus (1; ABS); Sting (f; CRC); Swelling (f; HHB); Tension (1; PH2); Ulcer (f; CRC); Vomiting (f; PH2; SKJ); Worm (f; CRC; HH2; KAB; SKJ); Wound (f; PH2).

Dosages (Rauwolfia) :
1–3 g powdered root for insanity (KAP); 20–30 g powdered root for high blood pressure (KAP); 200 mg root/day for 1–3 weeks (WHO); 600 mg drug or 6 mg alkaloids (KOM; HH2; PH2).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Rauwolfia) :
Not covered (AHP). “Health hazards not known with proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). Commission E reports for root, contraindications, adverse effects, and interactions of the toxic alkaloid reserpine (AEH). Contraindications: depression, lactation, pheochromocytoma, pregnancy, and ulcer (KOM; PH2). Side effects, often with minimum therapeutic dose (WOI), include depression, dizziness, drowsiness, dyspnea, erectile dysfunction, lethargy, rash, and reactive changes (dangerous while driving), reduced sexual potency, and stuffy nose (KOM; PH2; WOI). Drug interactions: appetite suppressants, barbiturates, digitalis glycosides, levodopa, neuroleptics, and sympathomimetics (KOM).

Extracts (Rauwolfia) :
With normotensive cats, the alkaloid mix (as hydrochloride) at 2 mg/kg ivn lowered pressure 20 mm Hg, 1 mg/kg serpentine lowered it 30 mm, 2 mg/kg ajmaline lowered 16 mm, 2 mg/kg serpentinine 10 mm Hg. With experimentally hypertensive cats (155–165 mm Hg), the alkaloid mix (as hydrochloride) lowered pressure 70–76 mm Hg; ajmaline 40, serpentine 80, serpentinine 26–35 mm Hg (HH2). Reserpine, by its dopamine-depleting effect, may raise prolactin levels. Galactorrhea is one side effect of reserpine. Reserpine given orally to rabbits increased mammary gland secretions. Hypothalmic dopamine inhibits prolactin. Conversely estrogens promote prolactin production (in males and females). Galactorrhea is a side effect of estrogenic contraceptives. Sulman (1970) developed a mammotropic index on which reserpine scored highest (5; 1 = normal mammary gland), when administered subcutaneously at 1 mg/kg for 5 days to estrogen-primed female rats. Other Rauvolfia alkaloids showed mastogenic activity as well, ajmalicine, ajmaline, and yohimbine are about half as potent as deserpidine, rescinnamine, and reserpine. Deserpidine modifies secondary sex characteristics. In female rats it suppresses vaginal keratization, induces permanent estrus, stimulates the mammaries; in males, it dissociates the endocrine and germinal functions of the testicles (KAP). Reserpine is considered useful in schizophrenia. It acts synergistically with chlorpromazine, leading to lower and minimizing adverse side effects. Serpentine is twice as hypotensive as ajmaline and synergistic with reserpine (KAP). Rescinnamine has the same activities, but weaker (and it is less toxic), raunescine, epsilon-reserpine, residine (WOI) are also active but less so than reserpine. Efflux pumps can be inhibited by reserpine, which, at 20 mg/L, reduced sparfloxacin, moxifloxacin, and ciprofloxacin IC(50)s and MICs by up to four-fold (Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 42, no. 6, Dec 1998 p. 807–810).