Age Ayurveda Nighantu

Sarpagandha

Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz

Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz) is a plant used in Ayurveda, from the Apocynaceae family. CITES Appendix II (trade regulation for conservation); IUCN Endangered status; WHO acknowledges traditional antihypertensive use; reserpine is on WHO Model List of Essential Medicines.

Key facts
Botanical nameRauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz
FamilyApocynaceae · other entries in this family
OrderGentianales
Pharmacopoeia statusCITES Appendix II (trade regulation for conservation); IUCN Endangered status; WHO acknowledges traditional antihypertensive use; reserpine is on WHO Model List of Essential Medicines
Taxon identifiersGBIF 3169787 · Wikidata Q1145301 · NCBI Taxonomy 4060

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishSarpagandha
Latin/BotanicalRauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz

Key Phytochemical Constituents

  • Reserpine
  • Ajmaline
  • Ajmalicine (raubasine)
  • Serpentine
  • Yohimbine
  • Rescinnamine
  • Deserpidine
  • Serpentinine

How does it work?

  • Antihypertensive: Reserpine irreversibly inhibits vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), depleting catecholamine (norepinephrine, dopamine) stores in sympathetic nerve terminals, reducing peripheral vascular resistance
  • Sedative/Antipsychotic: Central depletion of monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine) produces tranquilizing effect; historically used before synthetic antipsychotics
  • Anti-arrhythmic: Ajmaline blocks sodium channels (Class Ia antiarrhythmic), prolonging cardiac action potential and effective refractory period

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

  • Antihypertensive use (Raktachapa-hara) extensively validated; reserpine was one of the first effective antihypertensive drugs used in Western medicine
  • Sedative and anxiolytic use (Nidrajanana) confirmed through VMAT2 inhibition and central monoamine depletion mechanism
  • Anti-arrhythmic use validated: ajmaline is still used clinically in the Ajmaline test for diagnosis of Brugada syndrome

What do recent clinical trials show?

3 further claims previously listed here could not be traced to a published paper and have been removed. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Serious adverse effects at high doses: depression (from central monoamine depletion), severe hypotension, bradycardia, nasal congestion, and sedation; contraindicated in patients with history of depression
  • Contraindicated during pregnancy (may cause neonatal respiratory depression); interactions with MAO inhibitors, barbiturates, and other CNS depressants; requires close medical supervision

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Ajmalicine
  • Reserpine
  • Ajmaline
  • Serpentine
  • Yohimbine
  • Rescinnamine
  • Deserpidine
  • Serpentinine

Analytical Methods: HPLC fingerprinting, TLC (identity), LC-MS/MS (marker quantification)

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Vati (tablet), Churna (powder), Capsule, Tincture (mother tincture), Ghana vati (solid extract tablet), Sustained-release tablet

Standard Dosage: 250-500 mg root powder per day; 2-4 mg reserpine equivalent per day in standardized extract form. Must be used under medical supervision due to potent hypotensive action.

Bioavailability: Reserpine has high oral bioavailability (50-70%) with slow onset (days to weeks for full antihypertensive effect). Ajmaline shows moderate bioavailability (30-45%). Alkaloids are lipophilic bases with good intestinal absorption. Extensive hepatic metabolism generates active metabolites. Long biological half-life (45-168 hours for reserpine) due to tight binding to vesicular monoamine transporter.

Optimal Timing: Evening/bedtime dosing preferred for antihypertensive use; always with food to reduce GI side effects

Standardized Extract: Standardized root extract (10:1), standardized to NLT 1.0% total alkaloids (as reserpine equivalents by HPLC); individual alkaloid specifications: reserpine NLT 0.15%, ajmaline NLT 0.2%

Shelf Life: 36 months for standardized extract tablets in aluminum blisters; 24 months for churna

Storage: Store below 25 deg C in airtight, light-protected containers. Reserpine is photolabile — amber glass or aluminum blister packaging mandatory. Controlled substance storage may apply per local regulations.

Marker Compounds: Reserpine, Ajmaline, Ajmalicine (raubasine), Serpentine, Yohimbine, Deserpidine

Extraction Methods

  • Hydroalcoholic extraction (70% ethanol for total alkaloid enrichment)
  • Acid-water extraction (0.5% tartaric acid) for alkaloid isolation
  • Column chromatography for individual alkaloid purification
  • Traditional aqueous decoction (lower alkaloid yield)

Synergistic Combinations

  • Jatamansi (antihypertensive synergy with anxiolytic benefit)
  • Shankhpushpi (calming and blood pressure-lowering combination)
  • Brahmi (cognitive support with anti-anxiety action)
  • Arjuna (comprehensive cardiovascular formulation)

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Other clinical studies and reviews3

  1. Mukherjee E, Gantait S, Kundu S and others. 2019. Biotechnological interventions on the genus Rauvolfia: recent trends and imminent prospectsApplied microbiology and biotechnology. PMID 31363825 · doi:10.1007/s00253-019-10035-6
  2. Bhadane BS, Patil MP, Maheshwari VL and others. 2018. Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and biotechnological advances of family Apocynaceae: A reviewPhytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 29575195 · doi:10.1002/ptr.6066
  3. Wu F, Kerčmar P, Zhang C and others. 2016. Sarpagan-Ajmalan-Type Indoles: Biosynthesis, Structural Biology, and Chemo-Enzymatic SignificanceThe Alkaloids. Chemistry and biology. PMID 26827882 · doi:10.1016/bs.alkal.2015.10.001

Laboratory and animal studies8

  1. Khromov A, Dobrelia N, Konvalyuk I and others. 2025. Alkaloid Composition and Antiarrhythmic Activity of the Extracts from Rauvolfia serpentina Tissue CulturePlanta medica. PMID 40633549 · doi:10.1055/a-2629-0226
  2. Neupane A, Jnawali B, Ghimire SK. 2025. Anthropogenic Disturbances and Invasion of Mikania micrantha Threaten Rauvolfia serpentina Populations in NepalEcology and evolution. PMID 41438954 · doi:10.1002/ece3.72731
  3. Guo J, Gao D, Lian J and others. 2024. De novo biosynthesis of antiarrhythmic alkaloid ajmalineNature communications. PMID 38212296 · doi:10.1038/s41467-024-44797-z
  4. Nitin K, Rajakumara E. 2024. Proxy-approach in understanding the bisubstrate activity of strictosidine synthasesInternational journal of biological macromolecules. PMID 38354931 · doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130091
  5. Touqeer SI, Jahan N, Abbas N and others. 2022. Formulation and Process Optimization of Rauvolfia serpentina Nanosuspension by HPMC and In Vitro Evaluation of ACE Inhibitory PotentialJournal of functional biomaterials. PMID 36547528 · doi:10.3390/jfb13040268
  6. Afsheen N, Khalil-Ur-Rehman, Jahan N and others. 2018. Cardioprotective and Metabolomic Profiling of Selected Medicinal Plants against Oxidative StressOxidative medicine and cellular longevity. PMID 29576858 · doi:10.1155/2018/9819360
  7. Prakash P, Rajakani R, Gupta V. 2016. Transcriptome-wide identification of Rauvolfia serpentina microRNAs and prediction of their potential targetsComputational biology and chemistry. PMID 26815768 · doi:10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2015.12.002
  8. Wachsmuth O, Matusch R. 2002. Anhydronium bases from Rauvolfia serpentinaPhytochemistry. PMID 12423893 · doi:10.1016/s0031-9422(02)00372-2

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