My experiences and interactions with growers and traders of medicinal herbs Sarpgandha (Rauwolfia serpentina) and Chandrashoor (Lepidium sativum) in India with special reference to Chhattisgarh

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

In between two rows of Aloe, the Chhattisgarh farmers prefer to plant Sarphandha herb in order to repell away the venomous creatures particularly the snakes. Yes, since centuries, in Chhattisgarh natives are using this useful herb as snake repellent successfully. Its common name Sarpgandha (Sarp-Snake and Gandha - the smell) reflects its properties to repell away the snakes. As dense plantation and typical smell of Aloe and also common aromatic crops attract the snakes, the farmers use Sarpgandha not only for protection but also to earn additional income by selling its important and valuable roots. In forest areas the natives still plant this herb in their home gardens to keep the snakes away. Early ethnobotanical surveys conducted in different parts of India clearly indicates that Indians are well aware of medicinal and repelling properties of Sarpgandha. Many workers have reported that traditional healers use this herb for the treatment of snake and dog bite but many scientific studies conducted in India and abroad have shown that this herb is ineffective against snake and dog bite. The traditional healers of Raigarh region informed me that the Sarpgandha is effective in case of snake and dog bite but only in combination with other herbs. Raigarh region of Chhattisgarh is known as ‘Nag Loke’ (Snake Kingdom) and every year there are many cases of deaths due to this venomous creatures. During my ethnomedico surveys since 1994, I have met over 200 traditional healers practising and using local herbs in case of snake and dog bite and also I have seen the uses practically. But these healers never disclose the ‘secret formula’. In order to list out the common herbs used in these cases, I always ask one important component of the mixture used by the traditional healers, and they never hesitate to disclose the name of important component. In majority of cases, I have noted the name of Sarpgandha herb. In reference literatures, the use of roots for the treatment of snake bite is reported but the traditional healers use whole plant or individual parts, including roots for treatment. I feel reinvestigation on medicinal properties of Sarpgandha herbs against snake and dog bite is essential.

Common and popular names of Chandrashoor (Lepidium sativum) around the world
Languages/Regions/Countries	Common Names
1) Afganistan	Tara tezak
2) Arabic	Habb-er-reshad, Habrasjot, Half, Hurf, Harfulabaz, Jarjir, Reschad
3) Bengal	Alevarie, Alleevree, Halim
4) Myanmar	Mongnyin, Samungni
5) Kanarese	Allibija, Kurutige
6) Egypt	Habb-er-reshad,
7) English	Common cress, Garden cress, Passerage, Pepperwort, Town cress
8) French	Anitor, Cresson alenois, Cresson des jardins, Cresson de terre, Nasitar, Nasitor, Nasit art, Passerage cultivee
9) German	Gartenkresse, Kresse, Pfefferkraut
10) Gujarati	Asalio, Halim,
11) Hindi	Chansur, Chandrashoor, Halim, Chaunsar, Halor, Hurf, Malavam, Tara, Tezac
12) Iraq	Rashad
13) Italian	Lepidio, Nasturzio
14) Marathi	Ahliva
15) Pakistan	Halang, Halim
16) Persian	Rukhame-ispanda, Tereh tizec
17) Portuguese	Mastruco
18) Punjabi	Halim, Halon, Shargundai, Tezak
19) Sanskrit	Ashalika, Chandrashura, Raktabija, Raktaraji
20) Sindh	Ahree, Ahreo, Assaria
21) Spanish	Berro de jardin, Malpica, Mastuezo
22) Tamil	Aliverai
23) Telugu	Adalavitulu, Adeli, Adityalu, Adiyalu
24) Urdu	Halim

Due to heavy demand of Sarpgandha roots in national and international drug markets, the natural occurrence of this herbs decreasing with alarming rates in Chhattisgarh. Although the collection and trading of Sarpgandha roots are banned in state but it is bitter fact that for buyers it is more easy to get the banned items than the regular items. The traditional healers are worried due to their decreasing treasure. You will be surprised to know that the Sarpgandha roots are traded in name of Turmeric roots. The collection and trading of Turmeric roots are not banned and in name of these, we are loosing Sarpgandha roots. During my ethnomedico surveys. I have seen many rich and untouched spots in dense forests having rich population of Sarpgandha. Regular letters and phone calls from the natives and traditional healers are increasing my worries. In general, the officers blame local people for illegal trades but all people are not involved in this game. I have observed and noted that natives have deep respect towards their natural resources and they want to keep it forever. They are well aware of sustainable management and non-destructive methods of harvesting, but our intellectuals do not want to learn from these real scientists, and when we pressurise them to adopt our methods, then the problems begin. As the germination capacity of Sarpgandha seed is very poor, one herb is uprooted from any place, it is lost forever from that particular place. I have complaints of traditional healers from human beings, but the traditional healers from wild animals group have no way to make complaint against decreasing population of this useful herb. Many traditional healers and herb collectors, who invest most of their time in dense forests, told me that many times they have seen wild animals eating different parts of Sarpgandha herbs. They further told me that the specific animals eat a very little amount and among all species, they have noted frequent visits of monkeys and wild bears I personally feel that a close observation on these species can help us a lot to get more benefits from their traditional (?) knowledge. In absence of this herb in natural habitat, may encourage these species to use another herb having similar properties as substitute and close view on this search can save the cost of our expensive R&D activities, and also valuable time. As the Sarpgandha roots from cultivated origin are free from ban, many local traders are taking advantage of this rule. They establish a small nursery, adjacent to forest areas and show that they are growing this herb in fairly large areas. In name of this nursery, they collect the Sarpandha from forest (which is banned) and show the authorities that these are from cultivated origin. No one can differentiate between the roots of herbs from cultivated and forest origin visually. As advanced laboratories have yet not been established in the state, for sincere officers it is impossible to go for chemical analysis. This is the common observation not only in Chhattisgarh, but also in other parts of the country. There is a strong need to keep close vigilance on activities of these herbal nurseries, particularly those situated nearer to forest areas. I am hoping that this bare fact will help the key persons associated with policy making process to suggest new ways to stop these activities.

Common and popular names of Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina)
Languages/Regions/Countries	Names
1) Assamese	Arachoritita
2) Bengali	Chandra
3) Hindi	Chandrabhaga, Chota-chand, Sarpagandha
4) Kanarese	Sarpagandhi, Shivanabhiballi, Sutranovi, Patal Gandhi
5) Khasi	Todong-paint-parao
6) Malyalam	Churannavilpori, Suvapaval poriyan
7) Marathi	Harkaya, Harki
8) Oriya	Patalagarur, Sanochado
9) Sanskrit	Sarpagandha, Chandrika, Patalogaruda
10) Marathi	Harkaya, Harki
11) Tamil	Chevanamalpodi
12) Telugu	Patalaguni, Patalgaruda, Sarpagandha

The increasing demand of Sarpgandha in national and international markets and decreasing availability have encouraged many innovative herb growers of Chhattisgarh (and also of other states) to cultivate this useful herb, but the farmers are facing many problems. The main problem is the duration of crop. According to Agronomical studies conducted in India, the good crop of Sarpgandha requires 18 months and for best crop, one have to wait for 28months. No one wants to engage his land under one crop. If crop is extra profit giving then only one can be ready to wait for this long duration. Unfortunately, the Sarpgandha growers are not getting good prices of their produces. In these regions, the cost of planting material is very high and as the forests are still supplying the herb, no one want to buy the costly roots of cultivated origin. As high cost of cultivation is involved, the cost of roots of cultivated origin automatically increases. Many farmers are cultivating Sarpgandha under my technical guidance and with the help of organic inputs, we are getting nearly same alkaloid content as compared to natural roots. This is really surprising and depressing that national buyers prefer the roots of bigger size and they have nothing to do with the alkaloid contents. According to farmers, the use of Chemical inputs can increase the size of roots but I am against this use and the traditional healers also believe that use of chemical inputs can alter the unique medicinal properties of Sarpgandha. The traders of Bastar region told me that from last five years the size of roots they are getting from collectors is decreasing. Possibly the increasing demand is the responsible factor and it is encouraging the collectors to go for destructive harvesting and to collect premature roots. The traders of Bastar also informed that as the size is decreasing, the rates and demand are also decreasing. The trader and exporter from Kolkata city told that the Sarpgandha roots collected from Chhattisgarh are not true to the species. According to him, it is not Rauwolfia serpentina and may be Rauwolfia tetraphylla or other related species. I am not agree with him. I personally feel that there is a strong need to encourage the farmers, particularly the farmers engaged in organic farming, in order to reduce the pressure on natural forests. With the help of strict legal power, the state authorities can do a lot in this field. In order to root out the problem of poor germination, the scientific studies are essential. With my farmers, I am trying to get some organic ways to increase the germination percentage. The problem of poor germination is forcing the farmers to use cuttings for propagation. The increasing demand of cuttings is again becoming a problem for natural population.

In Indian systems of medicine, Sarpgandha holds a prestigious position. According to Ayurveda, the roots are bitter, acrid, heating, sharp, pungent and anthelmintic. It is used as medicine from centuries but the herb came into limelight only after the isolation of reserpine, an alkaloid, in 1952 by Muller. In reference literatures, related to botany, I have noted this detailed description about Sarpgandha. It is an erect perennial shrub, with a long, irregularly nodular, yellowish root stock (Serpentina refers to snake like structure of roots); Leaves in whorls of 3, thin, lanceolate, acute, bright green above and pale beneath; Flowers in irregular corymbose cymes, white, often tinged with violet; bright red; corolla tubular, swollen a little above the middle, Fruits drupe, single or didymous, black shining; the inflorescence of this herb with red pedicels and calyx and white corolla is striking. Seeds resemble the excreta of dog (in Chhattisgarh it is known as Kukurledi; Kukur - dog and ledi - excreta). During my ethnobotanical surveys I have observed many biotypes (over 3) and at present with the help of natives and traditional healers, studying different aspects of these biotypes.

Although natural occurrence of Chandrashoor is reported in Chhattisgarh but I have yet not found it in natural forests. Many farmers in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat states are cultivating this medicinal herbs as rabi (winter) season crop. Most of these farmers are cultivating Chandrashoor for their own use. The natives and traditional healers of these states are well aware of medicinal properties of Chandrashoor. According to them it is good cattle feed and they give the produce to milch animals in order to increase the milk production. Many reputed cattle feed companies use Chandrashoor as main ingredient in their formulations. In Chhattisgarh, very few farmers are engaged in commercial cultivation of Chandrashoor. Mr. Hemant Verma, a school teacher and farmer of Siliyari village, near to Raipur city, is among them. He is qualified Homoeopathic practitioner and also lover of herbs. The credit of introduction and promotion of Chandrashoor in Chhattisgarh goes to him only. About four years back, he started the cultivation of Chandrashoor for the first time in state. According to the soil conditions and climatic factors, he has developed farming practices and today all Chandrashoor growers are adopting his practices. There is no package of practice available from regional research institutes. This is the reason all Chandrashoor growers are practising organic farming practices in Chhattisgarh. I have noted and reported heavy attack of many common insects and diseases on Chandrashoor crop. Mr. Verma uses the cow urine to repell away the insects successfully. The market of this medicinal crop has yet not been established. According to the growers, the Chandrashoor crop suits in existing cropping system in the state and they are eager to increase the area under cultivation. The traders active in state are not showing much interest in this crop. According to them, there is scope in future because most of buyers at metros are not aware of Chandrashoor cultivation in Chhattisgarh. The farmers of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are getting fair prices for this crop and according to them it is poor man’s crop. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are well aware of medicinal properties of Chandrashoor but it less frequently used herb. They informed me that poor availability of fresh herb for preparation of drugs is main reason for less frequent use and according to them, the commercial production can root out their problems effectively.In my allelopathic studies, I have identified many leachates and extracts of Chandrashoor beneficial for the germination and growth of common agricultural crops.

The scientific name of Chandrashoor is Lepidium sativum (Common English name : - Garden cress). According to Ayurveda, it is hot bitter, tonic, galactagogue, aphrodisiac and useful in treatment of dysentery, pain in abdomen, blood and skin disorders, injuries and tumours and eye diseases. In many parts of India, Chandrashoor is a popular pot herb. Chandrashoor is erect, 30-70 cm tall, branched annual herb. Lower leaves petiolated, pinnatipartile with pinnatifid segments, upper ones linear, sessile, nearly entire glabrous. Racemes lax, 20-30 flowered. Flowers 3-3.5 mm across, white; pedicels sub erect, 2-3 mm long, scarcely as long as the pods. Sepals about 15 mm long, oblong, obtuse. Petals about 3mm long. Stamens 6, broadly elliptic, winged at the top and notched at the apex with short style seeds small. The flowering time in Chhattisgarh condition varies between February to May.

Both Sarpgandha and Chandrashoor crops require attention from state and national authorities engaged in conservation and cultivation of herbs. I feel that now the time has come to take strong decision and quick step to save and promote the cultivation of both of these potential medicinal crops, not only in Chhattisgarh but also in other parts of India.