Witnessed by: Ayurveda · Western · Unani
Indian snakeroot (Rauvolfia serpentina), of the Apocynaceae family. Erect evergreen undershrub with a stout tapering root; native range: Sub-Himalayan tracts and moist forests of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Globally recognized as sarpagandha in Sanskrit, chota chand in Hindi, asrol in Arabic, and serpentwood, rauwolfia in English. The part used is root and root-bark. A pale, twisting, snake-like root, bitter and acrid to the tongue, faintly aromatic when broken.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
INDIAN SNAKEROOT
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Indian snakeroot
- Scientific name
- Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz
- Family
- Apocynaceae
Form
- Part used
- root and root-bark
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Ayurveda
- bitter (tikta)
- Western
- bitter · acrid
- Unani
- bitter
Temperature
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
- Western
- warm
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- nervous system · circulation · heart
- Unani
- brain · nerves · heart
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Ayurveda
- nidrajanana (hypnotic), medhya, manasa-shamana (calms the mind), krimighna, used against visha (poison)
- Western
- hypotensive, sedative, tranquillising; source of reserpine, lowering blood pressure and quieting agitation
- Unani
- musakkin (sedative), munawwim (hypnotic), for junoon (insanity) and hysteria, and against snakebite
Cautions
Contraindications: depression and low mood, marked bradycardia or hypotension, peptic ulcer, pregnancy
Toxicity: overdose brings excessive sedation, depression, bradycardia, nasal congestion, diarrhoea and Parkinsonism
Sourcing status: cites-ii
Interactions
- Western
- antihypertensives: additive lowering of blood pressure · sedatives / CNS depressants: additive central depression and sedation · MAO inhibitors: catecholamine release may provoke hypertensive excitation · cardiac glycosides: additive bradycardia and arrhythmia risk
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