Indian Snakeroot

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Indian Snakeroot
• Java devil-pepper
• ajmaline
• rauwolfia
• serpentine-wood
• snakewood
• Snakeroot
• serpentine wood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Rauvolfia obversa
• Rauvolfia serpentina var. obversa
• Ophioxylon salutiferum
• Ophioxylon album
• Rauvolfia trifoliata
• Ophioxylon serpentinum
• Ophioxylon trifoliatum
• Ophioxylon obversum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified within the order Gentianales and the family Apocynaceae. Finally, it is identified under the genus Rauvolfia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several key regions in Asia. In China, it can be found specifically throughout the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan areas. Its presence extends into the Indian Subcontinent, where it is notably located in Assam. Additionally, the species is documented to grow within the borders of Bangladesh. Together, these locations highlight the plant's significant footprint across diverse subtropical landscapes.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Rauvolfia serpentina is characterized by its preference for moist, shady, and tropical environments, typically thriving in the undergrowth of deciduous and evergreen forests. It is commonly found in well-drained, loamy soils rich in organic matter, often occurring in areas with high humidity and filtered sunlight. The species demonstrates a specific altitudinal distribution, occupying an elevational range that extends from a minimum of 200 m AMSL to a maximum of 1200 m AMSL. This distribution pattern suggests the plant is well-adapted to various tropical sub-montane zones, where it plays a role in the forest floor ecosystem by stabilizing soil and providing micro-habitats within the shaded strata of its native habitats.

Elevational range max:

1200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Rauvolfia serpentina is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It exhibits a phanerophyte life form, characterized by its woody structure and elevated buds, though it can also be classified under the nanophanerophyte category depending on its specific growth stage and environmental context. Throughout its life cycle, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present across different periods of the year.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Rauvolfia serpentina is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub, maintaining a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, occupying a terrestrial habitat. The plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 0.775 m, with individual specimens ranging in height from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 0.6 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.6 m

Plant height mean:

0.775 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiological profile of Rauvolfia serpentina is characterized by specific morphological dimensions and nutritional strategies. The plant's foliage exhibits significant variability in size, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 7 cm to a maximum of 17 cm, maintaining a mean length of approximately 12 cm. In terms of lateral expansion, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 2 cm and a maximum of 5.5 cm. Regarding its metabolic and symbiotic capabilities, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized physiological mechanisms required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms for its own growth.

Leaf length max:

17 cm

Leaf length mean:

12 cm

Leaf length min:

7 cm

Leaf width max:

5.5 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Rauvolfia serpentina has 3 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, leaf, seed.

Root

1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
2. Journal of natural products
3. Journal of chromatographic science
4. Saudi journal of biological sciences
5. Fitoterapia

Leaf

1. Scientific reports

Seed

1. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis

Chemicals

Rauvolfia serpentina has 59 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include reserpine, ajmaline, Ajmalicine, Serpentine, Strictosidine.

reserpine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Schizophrenia research and treatment
3. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
4. Journal of chromatographic science
5. 3 Biotech

ajmaline

1. Dr. Duke
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
3. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
4. Journal of chromatographic science
5. The Plant cell

Ajmalicine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
3. Journal of chromatographic science
4. 3 Biotech
5. PloS one

Serpentine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
3. 3 Biotech

Strictosidine

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. FEBS letters
3. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Vinorine

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
2. Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology

Yohimbine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

tryptamine

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. FEBS letters

10-Hydroxy-19(S),20(R)-dihydroperaksine

1. Journal of natural products

16-epi-Vellosimine

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Activities

Rauvolfia serpentina has 152 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiarrhythmic, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antipsychotic, Abortifacient.

Antiarrhythmic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
3. Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
3. Scientific reports

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Antipsychotic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Schizophrenia research and treatment

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Adrenergic-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

Adrenolytic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Rauvolfia serpentina has 14 reported investigations on conditions identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include hypertension, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, COVID-19, Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Hypertension

1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
2. PloS one
3. Fitoterapia

Schizophrenia

1. Schizophrenia research and treatment
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Alzheimer's disease

1. PloS one

Covid-19

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Klebsiella pneumoniae

1. Journal of pharmaceutical analysis

Sars-cov-2

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Abdominal pain

1. Fitoterapia

Anxiety

1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Cognitive disorders

1. PloS one

Dysentery

1. Fitoterapia

Preparations

Rauvolfia serpentina has 10 reported preparations identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Ayurvedic and Unani medicinal preparations, Extracts, Petroleum ether root extract, dried root, enzyme extracts.

Ayurvedic and unani medicinal preparations

1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Extracts

1. PloS one

Petroleum ether root extract

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Dried root

1. Schizophrenia research and treatment

Enzyme extracts

1. Natural product research

Hairy root culture

1. Journal of natural products

Leaf extract

1. Scientific reports

Pectin

1. Cryo letters

Plant cell suspension cultures

1. Natural product letters

Roots

1. Journal of natural products