College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Sarpagandha (indian Snakeroot / Rauwolfia) (Rauvolfia serpentina)

Relaxing but hot and invigorating herb for Kapha type anxiety and high blood pressure.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

One of the most powerful herbs to reduce blood pressure.

Metabolic Nature of Sarpagandha (Indian Snakeroot / Rauwolfia)

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

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DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY

HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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BITTER

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER

PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

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PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Pitta aggravating Vata aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

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PACIFIES
PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

AGGRAVATES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot & moist. Full-blooded, vigorous. Vivacious, social, and epicurean. Bullish.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Sarpagandha (Indian Snakeroot / Rauwolfia)
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Nerve Relaxant Grounding

NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts.

SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS

,
Analgesic

STRONG ANALGESIC

Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne.

SEE ALL 'ANALGESIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Sedative

SEDATIVE

Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

SEE ALL 'SEDATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Beta Adrenergic Blocker

BETA-ADRENERGIC-BLOCKER

Sedates the sympathetic nervous system. Used to calm the heart, manage abnormal heart rhythms, and reduce high blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'BETA-ADRENERGIC-BLOCKER' FOODS / HERBS

,
Hypotensive

HYPOTENSIVE

An herb that lowers blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'HYPOTENSIVE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Vasodilator

VASODILATOR

A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.

SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Muscle Relaxant

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma.

SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-RELAXANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, heart palpitations, migraine, or IBS.

SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Sarpagandha (Indian Snakeroot / Rauwolfia)

  • Lavender

    Lavender has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Muscle-relaxant, Antispasmodic, Sedative

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  • Poppy Seed

    Poppy Seed has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Analgesic, Muscle-relaxant, Antispasmodic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Chamomile

    Chamomile has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Antispasmodic, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Nutmeg

    Nutmeg has these Actions in Common

    Antispasmodic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Analgesic, Muscle-relaxant

    LEARN MORE

  • Hemp Seed

    Hemp Seed has these Actions in Common

    Muscle-relaxant, Analgesic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Beets

    Beets has these Actions in Common

    Muscle-relaxant, Antispasmodic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic, Vasodilator

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  • Cloves

    Cloves has these Actions in Common

    Analgesic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Antispasmodic, Vasodilator, Anxiolytic

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  • Garlic

    Garlic has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Vasodilator, Hypotensive, Antispasmodic, Sedative

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  • Nigella (black cumin)

    Nigella (black cumin) has these Actions in Common

    Analgesic, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Hypotensive

    LEARN MORE

  • Sorghum Flour

    Sorghum Flour has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Hypotensive

    LEARN MORE

  • Mint

    Mint has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Analgesic, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Sarpagandha (Indian Snakeroot / Rauwolfia)

  • Tagar (Indian Valerian)

    Tagar (Indian Valerian) has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Hypotensive, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Valerian

    Valerian has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Hypotensive, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative, Analgesic, Antispasmodic

    LEARN MORE

  • Skullcap

    Skullcap has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Hypotensive, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Black Cohosh

    Black Cohosh has these Actions in Common

    Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Hypotensive, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Motherwort

    Motherwort has these Actions in Common

    Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Beta-adrenergic-blocker, Hypotensive

    LEARN MORE

  • Lavender Essential Oil

    Lavender Essential Oil has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant

    LEARN MORE

  • Passionflower

    Passionflower has these Actions in Common

    Hypotensive, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative, Analgesic, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • California Poppy

    California Poppy has these Actions in Common

    Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Encourage a Sweat / Sweat Therapy

    Encourage a Sweat / Sweat Therapy has these Actions in Common

    Vasodilator, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Sit in the Sauna

    Sit in the Sauna has these Actions in Common

    Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

Guidelines - Preparation & Dose

1 dropper full 2x/day or as directed by your practitioner.
See guidelines for tinctures?

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Sarpagandha (Indian Snakeroot / Rauwolfia) may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Sarpagandha (Indian Snakeroot / Rauwolfia) may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

Here are some potential herb drug interactions with Sarpagandha (Indian Snakeroot / Rauwolfia). Please see your health care provider for more information.

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What is Ayurveda?

Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’

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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.