Dried Sarpagandha Roots

Sarpgandha means something that has the smell (gandha) of a snake (sarpa). It has been used for millennia as an antidote against bites of venomous reptiles. It’s popularly known as pagal kee dawa. It is an exceptionally powerful herb.

Sarpagandha contains Reserpine, an that is responsible for lowering blood pressure and inducing a calming effect, reduces the heart rate and acts as a tranquilizer.

KEY APPLICATION: Hypertension, high blood pressure (BP), anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, schizophrenia, insanity, epilepsy, mental excitement, dysentery, high fever, snake bite, premature ejaculation

PLANT FAMILY: Apocynaceae

BOTANICAL NAME: Rauwolfia Serpentina

VERNACULAR NAMES: Black snake root / Indian snake root, Amalpari, Arachoritita, Chandra, Chandrabhaga, Sutranavi, Patalagandhi, Churannavilpori, Harki,  Patalagarur, Sanochado, Patalguruda, Chevanamalpodi, Patalaguni, Patalagaruda, Adkayi, Dhanmarua, Dhawalvitapa, Dhawalbarua

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ROOT

Roots contain more than 50 alkaloids. Therapeutically important alkaloids are reserpine, deserpidine, rescinnamine, yohimbine, ajmaline, ajmalinine, ajmalicine, serpentine, serpentinine, iso-ajmaline, reserpidine, rauwolfinine, indobine, indobinine, isoreserpine, isoreserpiline & yohimbinine.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

The understanding of medicinal properties will help us utilize the herb better. Below are medicinal properties along with its meaning indicating multiple health benefits:

· Anti-epileptic- Tend to suppress or prevent epilepsy.

· Anti-hysteric- Counter hysteria 

· Anti-tussive- Prevent or relieve cough.

· Anti-hypertensive- Reduce high blood pressure.

· Anti-depressant- Diminish or reduce nervous or functional activity.

· Anti-bacterial- Destroy bacteria or suppresses their growth.

· CNS Depressant- Depress or slow the sympathetic impulses of the central nervous system.

· Dysmenorrhea- Reduce pains occurring during the menstrual periods.

· Febrifuge- Reduce fever

· Hypnotic- Induce sleep

· Narcotic - Affect mood or behavior.

· Sedative- Provide a soothing or calming effect.

· Sympatholytic- Block the effects of stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.

· Styptic- Stop bleeding when it is applied to a wound.

· Nervine tonic- Strengthen the nervous system.

· Neuroleptic- It may produce a state of apathy, lack of initiative and limited range of emotion. In psychotic patients, neuroleptic herb causes a reduction in confusion and agitation and tends to normalize psychomotor activity.

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

Rasa (Taste) – Tikta (bitter)

Guna (Qualities) - Rooksha (dry)

Virya (Potency) – Ushna (hot potency)

Vipaka (Post digestive effect) – Katu (pungent)

Effect on tridosha (Humors)- Balances Vata& Kapha doshas

DOSAGE

1. Root powder for normalizing blood pressure 1-2gm

2. Root powder for restlessness, anxiety & inducing sleep 3-6gm

(Please note that the exact dose depends on the age, strength, digestive power, nature of the illness, the state of the viscera, humors and disorders.)

IMPORTANT NOTE

The information provided is for educational purposes only. This data is not to be considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate.