Rauwolfia spp

Material Major active indole-based alkaloid in Rauwolfia spp. 

The quinuclidines (41) and, to a lesser extent, the iso-quinuclidines (42) have attracted considerable interest since they are themselves parts of alkaloids. The quinuclidine system is contained in the Cinchona alkaloids (43), in ajmaline (44) from Rauwolfia spp., and in macusine (45) obtained from Strychnos spp. The iso-quinuclidine ring structure occurs in the Iboga alkaloids (46) ... 

Ajtnaline indole Rauwolfia spp., Medlodinus balansae, Tonduzia logifolia (Apocynaccae) Inhibition of Na+ and K+ channel antiarrhythmic (class la) [1941... 

In the history of ethnopharmacology, a most significant event was the isolation and clinical application of the alkaloid reserpine from Rauwolfia spp, a plant that had been used for millennia in the Ayurvedic tradition to treat "madness". Although reserpine had clearly demonstrated antipsychotic efficacy, it was soon replaced by the first synthetic antipsychotic, chlorpromazine, which proved more effective, had fewer side-effects and was relatively inexpensive to manufacture [44]. Exhibit 4 provides overviews for representative studies on natural products with putative anti-psychotic effects. 

Claviceps purpurea, Chondrodendron tomento-sum, Colchicum autumnale, Conium maculatum, Croton tiglium, Datura spp., Gelsemium sempervi-rens, Hyoscyamus niger, Nicotiana spp., Rauwolfia spp., Stramonium spp., Strophanthus kombe, and Strychnos nux-vomica. 

Mebdinus balansae, Rauwolfia serpentina [root], R. spp., Tonduzia longfolia (Apocynaceae), Pausinystalia johimbe (Rubiaceae)... 

Rauwolfia serpentina (Apocynaceae), Pausinystaliayohimbe (Rubiaceae) [yohimbe bark] Annona glabra, A. spp. (Annonaceae), Cryptocarya odorata (Lauraceae), Papaver somniferum (opium poppy latex), P spp. (Papaveraceae),... 

Serpentine Pteridophyllum spp. (Sapindaceae) Catharanthus roseus, Rauwolfia DNA (intercalation) (nAChR,... 

The alkaloid reserpine is obtained naturally from the rhizome and roots of Rauwol-fia spp. Rauwolfia serpentina is a small shrub belonging to Apocynaceae family and found in India, Burma, Java, and Thailand. Rauwolfia vomitoria is widely grown in Congo, Africa, and contains more than twice quantity of reserpine. Ninety percent of reserpine is present in the roots and only 10 % in the stem and leaves [107] (Fig. 20.7a). 

Isol. from various plant sources, e.g. Spiraea spp., Crepis foetida, Rauwolfia caffra. Used as % soln. in dil. NH3 for gravimetric detn. of Ni, Cu. Oil. df 1.17. Fp 0.7°. 

---