About Rauvolfia tetraphylla L.
Rauvolfia tetraphylla L. is a species of plant in the Apocynaceae family that grows as a bush or small tree. It is commonly called the be still tree or devil-pepper. This plant is native to Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and northern South America. It has been widely cultivated both as an ornamental plant and for use in traditional medicine. It is now naturalized across all tropics, including Australasia, Indochina, and India. The fruits of Rauvolfia tetraphylla are called devil-peppers, and hold an important place in the Indian traditional system of medicine. The plant holds various cultural and medicinal significances, and is widely used by South Indian tribes. Asima Chatterjee began the chemical investigation of alkaloids in this species, which was previously known as Rauwolfia canescens. Phytochemical studies have identified indole alkaloids in this plant, including serpentine, reserpine, serpentinine, and other Rauwolfia alkaloids.
