The generic name is often mis-spelt as Rauwolfia[].

Common Name:

General Information

Rauvolfia mannii is a shrub or a tree that can grow from 0.3 - 8 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

Extracts from the roots are highly toxic. In Kenya and DR Congo the roots are used as an arrow poison supplement[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Liberia to Cameroon, Central African Republic, Uganda and Kenya, south to Angola, DR Congo, Malawi and Tanzania.

Habitat

An understorey plant growing in wet places in rainforest, riverine forest and old secondary forest, at elevations from sea-level up to 2,500 metres[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	5.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant flowers and produces fruit all year round[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The dried or fresh pulverized roots are infused in palm wine or water and taken as a treatment for gastro-intestinal disorders, poisoning, jaundice, gonorrhoea or female sterility[]. A root decoction is taken to treat fever and diabetes[].
A decoction of the root is used as a gargle to treat dental caries. The decoction, mixed with fat, is rubbed on the body of a person suffering from itch and pimples[]. The powdered root is applied to wounds to improve healing[].

The powdered root, the pulp of the fruit, or the pulped seeds, are rubbed onto the head to kill lice and onto other parts of the body to kill skin parasites[].

The bark is infused in gin and taken as a general tonic[].
The sap of the bark is applied to the eyes as a treatment for epilepsy[].

The roots contain several indole alkaloids, mainly reserpine and ajmaline, with lesser amounts of ajmalicine, reserpiline, serpentine and alstonine[].
Vincamajine has been isolated as major component of the leaves[].
Reserpine is hypotensive, reducing heart beat; it is sedative and tranquilizing[].
Reserpiline is hypotensive[].
Ajmalicine is a coronary and peripheral vasodilator[].
An extract from the root caused skeletal muscle relaxation in rats following intraperitoneal administration. In another experiment a root extract showed invitro antibacterial and anti-amoebic activities against a range of human pathogens, and also antispasmodic activity[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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