Definition

Noun 1. A type of shrub or small tree: Any plant belonging to the genus Rauwolfia, characterized by leaves arranged in whorls (circles around the stem) and flowers growing in cymes (flat-topped clusters). These plants yield substances used in medicine. 2. A medicinal alkaloid: Any of several specific chemical compounds (alkaloids) extracted from the plant Rauwolfia serpentina, used for their pharmacological effects.

Usage and Examples

• The rauwolfia plant has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.
• Researchers studied the effects of the rauwolfia alkaloid on blood pressure.
• The garden features a collection of medicinal plants, including rauwolfia.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• The name is often used specifically in a medical or botanical context. The most famous species is , commonly known as Indian snakeroot.
• The medicinal alkaloids derived from rauwolfia, such as reserpine, were historically significant as some of the first effective treatments for hypertension (high blood pressure) and certain mental health conditions. Their use in modern medicine has declined due to the development of drugs with fewer side effects.

Variants and Related Words

• Rauwolfia serpentina (n): The most medically significant species of the rauwolfia plant.
• Reserpine (n): A specific, potent alkaloid isolated from rauwolfia.

Synonyms

• Indian snakeroot (common name for )
• Serpentina (common name derived from the species name)

Word Origin and Notes

The genus is named after Leonhard Rauwolf, a 16th-century German botanist and physician. The word is used almost exclusively as a scientific or technical term.

Noun

1. any shrub or small tree of the genus Rauwolfia having leaves in whorls and cymose flowers; yield substances used medicinally especially as emetics or purgatives or antihypertensives
2. any of several alkaloids extracted from the shrub Rauwolfia serpentina