Rauwolfia, Ajmaline, Java devil-pepper
Rauvolfia serpentina

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A tropical and subtropical plant that can be found in parts of East Asia and Indian subcontinent, Rauvolfia serpentina or commonly known as Rauwolfia, Indian Snakeroot, Devil Pepper, or Snakeroot is an evergreen shrub reaching a height of up to 1 m. One of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, the roots of this plant are used in the treatment of hypertension, schizophrenia, painful affections of the bowels, and to increase uterine contractions when giving birth. Leaf juice are used for wounds while bark, leaves, and roots are used against snake and scorpion poisoning. The wood known as serpent wood is used for woodcarving.

Rauvolfia serpentina is an evergreen Shrub growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 1.5 m (5ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 1.5

Where it is found

Montane forests at elevations of 800 - 1,500 metres in China. Shady places in moist forests. Sunny or shaded places in well-drained rain forest and secondary thickets up to 2,100 metres, sometimes as a weed in sugar cane fields.

E. Asia - China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

China; India; Indonesia; Malaysia; Myanmar; Sri Lanka; Thailand, Asia, Northeastern India, Laos, SE Asia,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 4

The roots are hypnotic, hypotensive and sedative. They are used particularly in the treatment of hypertension, where they are said to cause a lowering of the blood pressure without dangerous side effects, and are considered a specific in the treatment of insanity. They are also used in decoction to treat painful affections of the bowels and to increase uterine contractions when giving birth. The juice of the leaves is used to remove opacities of the cornea of the eyes and also to treat wounds and itches. The bark, leaves, and roots are used against snake and scorpion poisoning. The roots yield up to 1.3% medically active alkaloids, as well as oleoresin and the sterol serposterol. The alkaloid rauwolfine has been shown to decrease the heart rate. Several alkaloids, including serpentine, neoajmaline and isoajmaline, produce a fall in blood pressure. Serpentine also causes an increase in the tone of the small intestine and decrease in the peristaltic contractions of the intestine. The alkaloid-free oleoresin extract from the roots produces sedative and hypnotic effects. Reserpine, a highly active alkaloid, shows a very marked hypnotic effect and lowers blood pressure. It is used in allopathic medicine.

Antidote: Counters poisoning.

Hypnotic: Induces sleep.

Hypotensive: Reduces blood pressure, it is used in the treatment of high blood pressure

Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.

Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Other

Rating: 0

How it is grown

A plant of the moist to wet, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 4 - 35°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 3,500mm, but tolerates 1,100 - 4,500mm. Succeeds in full sun and in light shade. Prefers a fertile, well-drained loamy soil. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5. The roots can be harvested from plants that are 2 - 3 years old. Average yield is 2 - 4 tonnes per hectare of air-dried roots per year after the third year. It is best adapted to a well-distributed rainfall. Mentioned as a useful agroforestry species.

Propagating it: Seed -

Best place to grow:

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Although we have seen no specific information for this species, most if not all members of this genus contain poisonous alkaloids.

Its other names

Local names

Ajmaline, Java devil-pepper, rauwolfia, serpentine-wood, snakewood, Java-Teufelspfeffer - German, she gen mu - Transcribed Chinese, acawerya, adkai, aika-wairey, ajmaline, akar-tikos, amalpori, amelpodee, arbre aux serpents, arsol, asrol, bhudra, boboro, bongmaiza, candrika, chaandar, chandamaruwa, chandmaruwa, chandra, chandramara?, chandrika, chhotaa chaand, chotachand, chotachard, chundrika, chundrooshoora, churmuhuntree, chuvannayilpuri, chyarangro, covanamilpori, covannamipori, devilpepper, dhaldhaliya, dhanbarua, dhannerna, dhavalbaruaa, dogrikme, eiya-kunda, ekaweriya, garudpathal, hadki, harkai, harkaya, ichneumon plant, indian snake, indian snakeroot, indojaboku, java devil pepper, java devil-pepper, java-teufelspfeffer, karai, karavi, karuvee, makeshwar chadrika, makeshwarchurna, matavi-aloos, nogliever, nundunee, nakuli, pagal booti, pagal buti, pagla-ka-dawa, palalganni. patalaagandhi, phulchiso, poeleh pandak, poelé pandak, pushoomehnunkarika, qauvolfia, ra-yom, radix mustelae, radix rauwolfiae, radixmungo, raiz de mongo alba, rametul, ratekaweriya, rauvolfia, rauvolfia root, rauvolfiae radix, rauwalfia, rauwolfia, rauwolfia radix, rauwolfia serpentina, rauwolfiae radix, rauwolfiawurzel, rayom noi, reserpina, sanochado, sapasan, sarap gandha, sarpagandha, sarpagandha|ekaveriya, sarpagandhi, sarpagandha (root), sarpgandha, sarppaganti, schlangenholz, serpentina, serpentina indiana, serpentina root, serpentine, serpentine wood, serpentine-wood, serpentwood, she gen mu, shegen mu, sjouanna-amelpodi, snake, snake-root devil-pepper, snakeroot, snakewood, sung, sutranaabhu, suvapaval-amepodi, talona, vasoopooshpa, vasura, yindu she mu, yindu shemu.

Synonyms

Ophioxylon album Gaertn. Ophioxylon obversum Miq. Ophioxylon salutiferum Salisb. Ophioxylon serpenti