Rauvolfia vomitoria is a shrub found mainly in West Africa. Various parts of the plant are used in traditional Nigerian and Chinese medicine.
Rauvolfia vomitoria contains chemicals that lower blood pressure, kill cancer cells and bacteria, and help with brain function. It is not completely clear which chemicals are the most important in Rauvolfia vomitoria or exactly how they might work together.
People use Rauvolfia vomitoria for athletic performance, diabetes, psychosis, fever, cancer, high blood pressure, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. It might also be unsafe.
Rauvolfia vomitoria is used in some workout supplements. Some countries have banned supplements containing Rauvolfia vomitoria extract from the market because some extracts contain high levels of chemicals that are prescription drugs. Don't confuse Rauvolfia vomitoria with Indian snakeroot, yohimbe, or rauwolscine. These are not the same.
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