Drug Therapy (Rauwolfia) of Hypertension

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Abstract
Many recent studies have established the therapeutic effectiveness of Rauwolfia alkaloids, both in internal medicine and in neuropsychiatry. As a consequence, there is great interest in the chemistry, and particularly in the pharmacodynamics, of these alkaloids. Although a chemical study of preparations made from the roots of Rauwolfia serpentina had been attempted toward the end of the 19th century, it was not until 19311that the alkaloids were subdivided into the two principal groups containing the ajmaline and serpentine alkaloids, respectively. Later other extracts were made from Rauwolfia serpentina. The alseroxylon fraction was prepared in 1952.2In spite of the efforts of many investigators, it was not until recently that pharmacologically and clinically active alkaloids were prepared in pure forms. The first such alkaloid to be isolated was reserpine.3Some investigators have attributed the hypotensive action of the whole root to this single alkaloid * when used for

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