संस्कृत नाम- नाकुली
Botanical name - Rauvolfia serpentina
Description - An erect glabrous shrub, 30-75 cm high; leaves whorled; 8-20 cm long, gradually tapering into a short petiole. Flowers about 1.5 cm long, petals white or pinkish, and peduncle deep red, in small clusters. Fruits small, round, dark purple or blackish white rewrite
Chemical_Constituents- Roots, stem, leaves and seeds contain many alkaloids. The important ones are - ajmalicine, ajmaline, isoajmaline, ajmalinine, chondrine, rauwolfinine, renoxidine, rescinamine, reserpiline, reserpine, reserpinine, sarpagine, serpentine, serpentinine, tetraphylline, indobinine, rescinnamidine, ajmalinimine, indobine, yohimbine, 3-epi-alpha-yohimbine, yohambanoide rescinnaminol. Seeds contain fatty acids.
Uses - The Drug consists of the dried roots with bark intact, preferably collected in autumn and from plants of about 3-4 years age. It is known in Indian medicine for about 4,000 years. A mention of the plant is found in Charaka Samhita. The roots contain several alkaloids. The chief use of the drug is as a sedative and hypnotic and for reducing blood pressure --- used for relief from nervous disorders including anxiety states, excitement, maniacal behaviour associated with psychosis, schizophrenia, insanity, insomnia and epilepsy.. Extract of roots used in intestinal troubles. Roots used in difficult delivery. Juice of leaves used for clearing corneal opacity. Rauvolfia preparations are used in the treatment of hypertension and as a sedative and tranquilizing agent.