Studies on biochemical changes in Reserpine content of Rauwolfia serpentina Benth ex Kurz due to root rot disease caused by Macrophomina phaseolina Tassi Goid

Abstract

Rauwolfia serpentina Benth.ex Kurz is most important medicinal plant of the world belongs to family Apocynaceae. It is commonly known as Indian Snakeroot (Sarpagandha). newlineRauwolfia root is one of the important crude drugs used in modern medicine. Its leaves are simple, 7.5-10 cm long and 3.5 5 cm broad. The roots are prominent, tuberous, usually branched, 0.5 to 2.6 cm in diameter and up to 40 to 60 cm deep into soil. The root bark constitutes 40-60% of the whole root Viz. rich in alkaloids. Root is known for its efficacy in reducing high blood pressure and as a sedative or tranquilizing agent. The fresh roots emit a characteristic acrid aroma and are very bitter in taste. The roots possess high alkaloid concentration. Reserpine is the compound i.e. active principle used for hypertension as a life saving drug in allopathic system of medicine. newlineThe alkaloids are accumulated in the roots over a period of 1-3 years and total content varies from 1.0-3.0% of the dried roots. More than 50 alkaloids have been reported from Rauwolfia serpentina. The alkaloids are classified into 3 groups, viz, reserpine, ajmaline and serpentine groups. Reserpine group comprises of reserpine, rescinnamine, deserpine etc. Ajmaline, ajmalicine, ajmalinine, iso-ajmaline etc. are of the ajmaline group. Whereas, serpentine group includes serpentine, sepentinine, alstonine etc. newlineDue to its intense medicinal uses there is a great demand for its roots, which is the prime cause of its indiscriminate uprooting from wild sources, where it grows abundantly. Its intensive collection brought the plant to the verge of extinction. In India, it has also become an endangered species due newlineto overexploitation and Government of India has prohibited the collection of plants growing as wild in forests and exported since 1969. In this scenario, there is urgent need for developing its conservation strategy. newlineIn this investigation, the collection of the healthy and infected roots was carried out. The isolation, purification and the pathogenecity of Macrophomina phaseoli