ROOT ALKALOIDS OFRAUWOLFIA OREOGITON

Abstract

The indole alkaloids ajmalicine, ajmaline, rescinnamine, reserpiline, reserpine, a-yohimbine, another yohimbine isomer, renoxydine and serpentine were de-' tected in the root bark of R. oreogiton MGF. Reserpiline, reserpine and ajmaline were the principal alkaloids. Confusion concerning the identities of Rauwolfia volkensii STAPF and R. oreogiton M G F. resulted in the assumption that the species were synonymous because silviculturists regarded the species as doubtfully distinct (WILLAN, 1960). &lore recent communications with the East African Herbarium, Nairobi, Kenya, inform us that the specimens ,,Semsei 2827" and ,,Semsei 2948" supplied as R. volkensii should be renamed R. oreogiton. Thus earlier publications (COURT, 1961, 1964, 1968) refer to R. oreogiton. R. oreogiton is a shrub growing to a height of about 2 m and indigenous to Tanzania, occurring at an elevation in excess of 1260 m (FEUELL, 1955; COURT, 1966). Local enquiries in Tanzania indicated that the roots are used in the treatment of gonorrhoea and snakebite, and to increase lactation in nursing mothers (WOOD, 1964). R. oreogiton has been shown by chromatography to contain the indole alkaloids ajmaline, reserpine, reserpiline and serpentine (COURT, 1968). More detailed work using improved techniques has enabled us to demonstrate the occurrence of nine alkaloids in R. oreogiton root bark. Experimental Plant material R. oreogiton roots collected by the Forest Department, Lushoto, Tanzania and vouched for by the East African Herbarium, Nairobi, from botatlical specimens sent under collector's num

The Alkaloids of Rauwolfia oreogiton

“…Subsequent work [10] extended the list and added ajmalicine, rescinnamine, renoxidine and a-yohimbine; the principal alkaloids found were reserpine, ajmaline and reserpiline. The present work further extends the list to include isoreserpiline, aricine, carapanaubine and yohimbine but serpentine was not detected.…”

ALKALOIDS OFRAUWOLFIA CAMBODIANAFROM THAILAND

“…MONACHINO (BISSET, 1961) suggested that there was a typical northern R. verticillata occurring in China and Burma and a southern R. perakensis type occurring in Malaysia. WAN (1959) stated that the types could be readily distinguished by qualitative and quantitative microscopy. It was concluded that R. verticillnta represents a species complex, R. canzbodiana being a member of the group.…”

Chemical constituents from rauvolfia verticillata and bioactivities research

“…The extracts of the leaves and roots have been used as an antihypertensive preparation named verticilum. Previous investigations of this plant have shown that species of Rauvolfia are rich sources of bioactive indole alkaloids, such as reserpine [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Since our current interest includes all natural products, we investigated not only the indole alkaloids but also other types of chemical constituents with important biological activity in Rauvolfia.…”