Sarpagandha

Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia serpentina) is a very valuable root plant, a flowering shrub that grows widely in the sub-Himalayan moist forests in Sikkim, Assam, and Uttarakhand in India as well as in tropical parts of Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Africa, and Latin-America. Although all parts of the plant- leaves, stem, flower, and bark possess medicinal qualities the roots of Sarpagandha are predominantly utilized in preparing traditional Ayurvedic formulations for internal consumption, while the leaves and other parts are incorporated into herbal pastes for topical application on snake bite, sting by poisonous insects, skin infections and wounds.

Ayurveda has recommended Sarpagandha as a miraculous herb, a time-tested solution for tackling hypertension, heart-stroke, coronary artery diseases, chest discomfort, and palpitations. Furthermore, this potent herb has also been documented in the ancient Ayurvedic manuscripts of Charak Sanhita, Ashtanga Hridya, and Sushrut Sanhita for its uses in ameliorating asthma symptoms, remedying insomnia, and healing skin infections. Sarpagandha roots are even valuable in rectifying myriad nervous system and mental health woes such as anxiety, epilepsy, panic attacks, etc.

Sarpagandha Plants or Indian Snakeroot

Description:

Sarpagandha is a perennial, evergreen flowering plant native to the Indian sub-continent and East Asia. The roots of this herb are tuberous with a cork of pale brown color. Leaves of the plant are generally found in whorls of three and are bright green colored above and pale green colored below. The flowers are white, red, and sometimes violet in color and contain nectar at the deep of the corolla tubes. Drupes of this plant are slightly connate, ovoid, and are of purplish black color. The flowering period of this plant is March to May in India. Its fruits are oval fleshy and tiny which turns shiny purple-black on ripening. The plant has been put in the category of endangered species and its export from India is banned. It grows in moist shady forests of tropical regions and hilly areas. It has many names in India as Chhota Chand, Hrakai Chand, Nayi, Nakulikand, Chandmarua, and Rasnabhed. It is called Serpentina root and Indian snake root in English. Sarpagandha has been known for its medicinal value. Ayurveda recommends it as one of the finest remedies that is widely used for high blood pressure and also as a sedative and tranquilizing agent.

Sarpagandha: Indian Snakeroot Uses

Benefits and Therapeutic Uses:

Sarpagandha root possesses a strong ability to soothe aggravated Vata and Kapha doshas, while stimulating weakened Pitta doshas in the body, thus regulating tri-doshas balance. With an inherently bitter taste i.e. Tikta Rasa; this root has a dry quality or Ruksha Guna, besides an innate Ushna Veerya, which means hot in the property. Sarpagandha displays a Katu Vipaka i.e. a sharp tart taste post digestion and is loaded with powerful medicinal qualities such as anti-hypertensive, sedative, tranquilizing, anti-anxiety, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory traits.

Effectively Lowers High Blood Pressure:

By relaxing the blood vessels and regulating the nerve function in the muscles leading to the heart, Sarpagandha brings down high blood pressure and facilitates the circulation of blood through the heart passages at a normal healthy pace. It is hence a rather valuable herbal remedy for alleviating hypertension and augmenting heart wellness.

Benefits of Insomnia:

Sarpagandha contains natural alkaloids which hold strong sedative traits that positively influence an agitated brain, mind, and central nervous system. It pacifies the mind and promotes deep sleep at night, providing an effective therapy for insomnia. It helps lower mental stress and tension thus tackling bouts of anxiety, nervousness, and panic attacks and soothing the brain and mind for peaceful sleep.

Treatment of High Fever:

The roots of Sarpagandha possess analgesic and antipyretic properties, and plant-based antioxidant constituents are present in them in appropriate amounts. Thus, ingesting a blend of Sarpagandha root powder with coconut water, when suffering from high fever effectively brings down the body temperature to the normal range, by mitigating muscle pain, weakness, and headache.

Pacifies Stomach Infections:

Sarpagandha possesses a treasure trove of bioactive elements that hold strong antimicrobial properties. Thus consuming the root extract of Sarpagandha along with warm water and honey helps treat stomach infections, diarrhea, and dysentery by killing germs and pathogens residing in the gut and promoting digestion, and metabolism, aside from reducing the frequency of loose motion and regulating bowel movements.

Heals Wounds and Skin Infections:

The leaf and root extracts of Sarpagandha house powerful plant-based compounds with anti-venom, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The crushed leaves and root powder both are very useful in treating snake bites and stings of any poisonous insects when applied directly onto the affected site on the skin, while the herbal isolates also repair damaged tissues in skin infections, injuries, and conditions like eczema, psoriasis, rosaceous, etc.

Sarpagandha Tablet

Dosage:

Ayurvedic practitioners suggest tablets, capsules, and powders packed by Ayurvedic Pharmacies or extracts prepared by practitioners themselves. Different Ayurvedic Pharmacies prepare many tablets, capsules, syrups, etc, and suggest dosage printed on the wrappers according to the powers of the medicines and also to the ages of the patients. An ideal dosage prescribed for some issues is as follows:

Sarpagandha Tablet Uses

*For Hypertension: 250 mg to 500 mg twice a day, tablets and capsules can be taken with water or cow milk but powders must be taken with rose water or honey.

*For Insomnia: 250 mg twice daily with cow milk if taken in the form of tablets or capsules, but if taken as a powder it should be taken with ghee.

*For High Fever: 250 mg for children and 500 mg for adults with warm water at the interval of four hours but four times a day.

*For Stomach Disorders: 250 mg to 500 mg with normal water once a day in the morning empty stomach.

*For any health issue the dosage should be suggested by the doctor.

Side Effects:

There is no evidence of any type of side effects from taking Sarpagandha in small amounts or moderate amounts but over dosage may cause some complications. Some allergic reactions are reported so before taking a dose or applying topically one should be sure about the allergic effects of this herb. It is very easy to test for allergic actions, take a small amount of powder of the root of Sarpagandha put it on the tongue for one minute, and wait for two minutes, if you feel irritation or itching or any abnormal effect, you are allergic, lest no problem. Pregnant women and breastfeeding women should consult their doctors before taking Sarpagandha.

Conclusion:

No doubt Sarpagandha is a remarkable herb packed with powerful bioactive compounds that confers astounding wellness incentives and aid in tackling numerous health anomalies including high blood pressure, insomnia, skin infections, etc. This Ayurvedic herb must be taken in appropriate dosage, as well as applied externally carefully, in order to prevent any unwanted complications. It has the ability to provide remedies to a number of health issues and uplift overall well-being.

FAQs:

1. What is Sarpagandha?

Sarpagandha is a medicinal plant native to India.

2. What are the medicinal uses of Sarpagandha?

Sarpagandha helps lower blood pressure and treat anxiety and many mental health conditions.

3. How Sarpagandha helps to treat mental health issues?

The sedative and tranquilizing effects of Sarpagandha promote calmness and sound sleep.

4. Are there precautions associated with Sarpagandha?

Overdose of Sarpagandha should be avoided, pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult doctors before using it.

5. Is Sarpagandha available as a prescription medication?

Yes, Sarpagandha-based medications are available with a prescription.

6. Is it safe to use Sarpagandha without any medical supervision?

Many people use it without any medical supervision but it is not safe.

7. Can Sarpagandha interact with other medications?

Yes, Sarpagandha can interact with some medications including antipsychotics, antidepressants, beta-blockers, and diuretics.

8. Is Sarpagandha safe for children?

Only under medical practitioners’ supervision children can take it, otherwise, Sarpagandha is not safe for children.