rauwolfian.
/raʊˈwɒlfɪə/, /raʊˈvɒlfɪə/, U.S. /ˌraʊˈwɑlfiə/ 1. Any of various tropical shrubs and small trees of the genus Rauvolfia (family Apocynaceae), with milky sap, clusters of small white or greenish flowers, and leaves often in whorls; spec. one of those cultivated for the tranquilizing drugs (reserpine, etc.) obtained from their roots, esp. the Indomalaysian R. serpentina and the African R. vomitoria. Also (in form Rauwolfia): the genus itself.Valid publication of the genus name: Linnaeus Species plantarum (1753) I. 208.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular medicinal plants or parts > medicinal trees or shrubs > [noun] > non-British medicinal trees or shrubs > rauwolfia
rauwolfia1739
snake-wood1835
snake-root1955
1739 P. Miller Gardeners Kalendar (ed. 5) 268 Plants now [sc. in September] in flower in the Green-House and Stove... Oleanders,..Helleborine, Rauvolfia, Malpighia, Convolvulus's, Bassella, with some others.
1752 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. (ed. 6) at Rauvolfia Four-leaved Rauvolfia, with narrow Leaves.
1823 Curtis's Bot. Mag. 50 2440 (heading) Three-leaved Rauwolfia.
1861 Rep. Secretary of War: Surv. Ship Canal Darien (U.S. War Dept.) 205 Other apocynaceous plants which have come to our notice may belong to the genera Taberna, Montana, Cerbera, and perhaps Rauwolfia.
1902 Cycl. Amer. Hort.: R–Z 1503/2 The Rauwolfia flourishes with great luxuriance in the shade of other shrubs.
1962 N. Maxwell Witch-doctor's Apprentice i. 1 Many types of rauwolfia were employed by jungle shamans centuries before our medical men thought of tranquillizers.
1976 Hortus Third (L. H. Bailey Hortorium) 942/1 Rauvolfias are cultivated as ornamentals and for curiosity; in some tropical countries some species, especially R. serpentina Baill., are grown as a source of tranquilizing drugs.
2000 New Phytologist 147 475/2 Cyanobacteria have been successfully grown in mixed cultures with cells or calli of Datura deltoides, ginseng and Rauwolfia.
2. Pharmacology. (An extract of) the dried roots of any of several species of Rauvolfia, esp. R. serpentina, containing reserpine and other alkaloids and used chiefly in the treatment of hypertension.
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the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > preparations treating or preventing specific ailments > [noun] > for blood-pressure disorders > plant-derived
rutin1845
veratridine1907
rauwolfia1950
Raudixin1953
Rauwiloid1953
reserpine1953
1950 Jrnl. Indian Med. Assoc. 19 362 (title) Rauwolfia in hypertension.
1966 New Scientist 27 Jan. 236/2 Physicians and pharmacists..are inclined to think that only a few vegetable drugs such as..digitalis, penicillin and rauwolfia are important in the present day materia medica.
1977 W. H. Lewis & M. P. F. Elvin-Lewis Med. Bot. vii. 187/1 Rauvolfia acts synergistically with other hypotensive drugs, and in the more severe cases of hypertension it is used in combination with Veratrum viride or protoveratrines A and B.
1999 Nutrition 15 911/1 The second [native substance] is rauwolfia, the root extract formerly used to produce antihypertensives.
Compounds
General attributive, as rauwolfia alkaloid, rauwolfia berry, etc.
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1932 Discovery July 231/1 Three kinds of starlings come with the great blue pigeons to the Rauwolfia berries.
1942 Biol. Abstr. 17 117/2 The various effects suggest that the Rauwolfia alkaloids probably act on the vasomotor system and also directly on plain muscles of the blood vessels and intestines.
1982 Current Anthropol. 23 45/2 A distinction between the ritual elements and the active principles is not made by the traditional healer (e.g., the Yoruba priest..speaking to the Rauwolfia tree while gathering the plant materials).
2004 Bioorganic & Medicinal Chem. 12 2788/1 The vinorine synthase gene is now the sixth pathway specific gene of Rauvolfia alkaloid biosynthesis to be isolated.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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