rauwolfia.ppt for pharmacognosy 5 th semester

complete pharmacognostical study of rauwolfia important for B-Pharma students

1. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA Prity priya 5 th semester, 3 rd year Krishna institute of nursing & paramedical seiences Samastipur , bihar PHARMACOGNOSY

2. PHARMACOGNOSTICAL STUDY OF RAUWOLFIA ( INDOLE ALKALOIDS)

3. SYNONYMS :- Sarpagandha , Chhotachand ,Chandrika ,Indian snake root ,Serpentina root BIOLOGICAL SOURCES :- Rauwolfia consists of dried roots of the plant knowns as Rauwolfia serpentina Benth . , FAMILY :- Apoocynaceae GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCES :- It is an erect ,evergreen ,small shrub native to the orient and occurs from India to Sumatra . It is also found in Burma ,Thailand ,Philippines ,Vietnam ,Indonesia , Malaysia ,Pakistan and Java. In India ,it occurs in the Sub-Himalayan tracts from sirhind eastwards to Assam ,especially in Dehradun ,Shivalik range , Rohelkhand , Gorekhpur ascending to 1300m, east and west ghats of Tamil Nadu ,in Bihar (Patna, Bhagalpur) ,Konkan ,Karnataka and Bengal.

4. MORPHOLOGY :- APPEARANCES – The drug occurs in pieces. SHAPE – Sub-cylindrical or slightly tapering ,tortuous pieces ,Roots are rarely branched. SIZE – 5-15 cm long and 0.5-3 cm in diameter surface – Longitudinal ridges are found in old pieces ,while young pieces contain wrinkles. Fracture – Short ,irregular Colour – Greyish yellow to brown Odour - Odourless Taste –– Bitter

5. MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS :- T.S of the roots shows a stratified cork , which is divided into two- right alternating zones. It consists of 1-7 layers of smaller and radially narrower ,sub-erased ,nonlignified cells alternating with one to three layers of layer radially broader ,lignified cells. The phelloderm is composed of about 10-12 layers of tangentially elongated to isodiametric ,cellulosic parenchymatous cells. Cells of secondary cortex are parenchymatous and contain starch grains , simple and compound ,spherical with a distinct hilum in the form of a split . Phloem is narrow and consist of parenchyma with scattered sieve tissue , parenchyma alternate with broader medullary rays composed of large cells and usually two to four cells wide . Xylem is wide ,entirely lignified and 2-5 annual rings . Medullary rays ,1-5 cells wide , contain starch grains and alternate with secondary xylem consisting of vessels , tracheids ,fibres and parenchyma. Xylem vessels have pitted thickening .

6. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS :- Rauwofia roots contain about 1-3% alkaloids which are mostly concentrated in the bark. About 45 alkaloids Hve been isolated from the drug ,of which the prominent alkaloids are ajmaline , ajmalinine ,ajmalicine ,serpentine ,serpentinine ,iso-ajmaline , rauwolfinine and alstonine . Other substances are also present include phytosterols ,fatty acids ,sugars and unsaturated alcohols . Syrosingopine is methyl carbethoxy syringoyl reserpate . CHEMICAL TEST :- Reserpine shows violet red colour when treated with solution of Vanillin in acetic –acid . A red coloration along the medullary rays is observed when the freshy fractured surface is treated with concentrated nitric acid . Powdered rauwolfia when treated with H2SO4 and P-dimethyl amino benzaldehyde , develops violet to red color .

7. ALLIED DRUGS :- Roots &rhizomes of Rauwolfia canescens ,Rauwolfia micrantha ,Rauwolfia densiflora and R. perakensis . Roots and rhizomes of R. vomitoria (African Rauwolfia ) ADULTERANT :- Rauwolfia is adulterated with ophiorrhiza mungos ,white –flowered and red –flowered Clerodendrum species and Tabernaemontana divaricate .

8. USES :- Rauwolfia liquid extract is also prepared from it . Ajmaline is used in angina pectoris and cardiac arrhythmia . It is used as anti-hypertensive and tranquilizer due to reserpine . Reserpine has depressant effect on CNS hence ,also used as sedative and in a cuety condition . Syrosingopine shows peripheral effects similar to reserpine . It is given in labours to increase uterine contractions and in certain neuropsychiatric disorders . It is specific for insanity ,reduces blood pressure and curess pain due to affections of the bowels .