ALKALOIDS OF RAUVOLFIA CAFFRA Sond.

Abstract

When this central laboratory persistently handled an annual average of 70 deaths associated with „Msesewe”, the vernacular name for Rauvolfia caffra Sond., it was decided to reexamine analytical data of the old and fresh samples of this plant materials collected from different localities. Toxicological and clinical evidence has so far been insufficient to verify that only reserpine's hypotensive and tranquilising action is responsible for these „Msesewe” deaths. Phytochemical assays using analytical methods such as T.L.C., Ultraviolet and Infrared spectrophotometry and chemcial reactions revealed that the greatest concentration of this plant's alkaloids is in its young root barks, where it reached a level of 3.05 %. Its individual alkaloid content averaged 0.16 % for ajmalicine, 1.25 % for ajmaline, 0.02 % for rescinnamine, 0.01 % for reserpiline, 0.08 % for reserpine and 1.09 % for serpentine.