Herb of The Day – Serpentwood (Rauvolfia serpentine)
Serpentwood
has a 4,000 year history of use in the treatment of snake and insect bites and
other ailments. It is not ornamental,
aromatic, or palatable. The only way to
grow it in North America is in a greenhouse.
Yet this plant is the medical source for 30 medically significant
alkaloids, most noticeably Reserpine which is used to treat high blood
pressure. In our look into the World of
Herbs we will not only touch on the tasty and spicy, but those that provide the
building blocks for better health. In
this case, Serpentwood is a pharmacy with roots.
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