Phytochemical Standardization and Clinical Verification of Rauvolfiaserpentina Mother Tincture

Abstract

Background: newlineThe Rauvolfia serpentina contains approximately 200 alkaloids, the most important of which is Reserpine. As one of endengred species, R. serpentina is adulterated with the other Rauvolfia species. To avoid adulteration, need to search for another preference that is cultivated species. newlineMethods: newlineComparative qualitative and quantitative phytochemical standardization of wild and cultivated R. serpentina mother tincture (MT) were done by TLC, HPTLC, UV Spectrophotometry and LCMS/MS analytical techniques. As Reserpine has been linked to depression, animal study was conducted to rule out acute oral toxicity and CNS depression related to Reserpine. Further we have conducted clinical trial for clinical verification of R. serpentina MT (wild and cultivated) in mild essential hypertension. newlineResult: newlineIn phytochemical screening Reserpine concentrations in wild and cultivated MT were found to be 0. 548 mg/g. dry wt. and 0.440 mg/g. dry wt. respectively by LCMS/MS analysis. Animal study for acute oral toxicity confirms that administration of R. serpentine MT (Wild and Cultivated) at the dose of 30 drops in rats (300 drops in humans) was toxic as it causes mortality of all animals. Further we can conclude that daily dose of 50 mg of Reserpine is safe but daily dose of 100 mg/1gm of Reserpine was producing CNS depression in rats beyond 7 days (ie. 4 drops in rats / 40 drops in humans). The clinical varification of this research revealed, homoeopathic R. serpentina MT from wild and cultivated species has a significantly favorable effect in patients suffering from mild essential hypertension, but the effect observed in the wild sample for pulse rate, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and m- Mininichal score were greater than the cultivated sample. The complaints like insomnia, headache, palpitation, pain in chest were reduced in most of the cases along with general improvement of the patient. newline