Carapichea
ipecacuanha. Cephaelis ipecacuanhaIpecac, Ipecacuanha
Family: Rubiaceae
Ipecacuanha is a slow-growing plant, which reduces its commercial appeal as a
crop plant. It is seldom cultivated in South America but it has been cultivated
in India and elsewhere. PART USED: Root/Rhizome TASTE: Bitter ODOR: Slight. Powder-
sternutatory.
ACTIONS
1. Expectorant.[1,2]
2. Emetic- larger doses.[1,2]
3. Diaphoretic.[1,2]
4. Antiprotozoal.[1] Amoebicide.[2]
5. Stimulant.[2] INDICATIONS
1. Used in many cough mixtures because of its expectorant activity.[2]
Bronchitis.[1] Pertussis.[1]
Laryngismus stridulus[1] = spasm of
larynx leading to a harsh breathing sound.
2. Emetic activity in larger doses, to induce vomiting in cases of drug overdose,
particularly in children.[2]
3. Amoebic dysentery.[1] CONTRAINDICATIONS: General debility and exhaustion, shock, cardiac disease.[2] COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS:
Dried rhizome and roots 25-100 mg.[1,2]
Liquid extract (BP1973) 0.025-0.1 ml.[1]
Emetic dose 0.5-2 ml.[1] 0.25-1 ml.[2]
Tincture (BP1973) Dose 0.25-1 ml.[1,2]
Emetic 5-20 ml.[1]
NOTE Copious amounts of fluid should be taken after the use of an emetic, to replace
body fluids.[1] ORIGIN:C. ipecacuanha- Brazilian, and cultivated in Southern Asia.
C. acuminata- Central America and Columbia. DESCRIPTION C. ipecacuanha root is slender, tortuous, reddish brown, up to about
4 mm, in diameter, with a characteristic annular apppearance. C. cuminata has fewer annulations and is larger, up to 7 mm in diameter,
and externally greyish brown. References
1. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983 Published by the British Herbal Medicine
Association ISBN 0 903032 07 4.
2.Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations R.C.
Wren Revised by Elizabeth M. Williamson and Fred J Evans. First published in Great
Britain in 1988 and reprinted in 1989 and 1994 by the C. W. Daniel Company Limited.
1 Church Path, Saffron Walden Essex. Published 1988 Printed and bound by Biddles,
Guildford ISBN 085207 1973. Images
1. tropical.theferns.info
by Kurt Stüber ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
2. dir.indiamart.com
3. ebay.com
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the
use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. Constituents
Isoquinoline alkaloids[1]
2-3%, consisting mainly of emetine,[1,2,5]
caphaeline,[1,2,5] psychotrine,[1,2,5]
O-methylpsychotrine[1,2,5] and emetamine.[1,2,5]
Protoemetetine.[2,5] Ipecacuanhic
acid.[1] Ipecacuanhin.[1]
Starch.[1,2]
Tannins- ipecacuanhin and ipecacunhic acid.[2,3]
Glycosides- ipecoside, saponin.[1]
Allergens, a mixture of glycoproteins of mol. Wt. 35 000-40 000.[4]
Choline and resins.[2]
Standard: Ipecacuanha contains not less than 2% of total alkaloids calcualted
as emetine C29H40N2O4 with reference
to the drug dried at 100-105oC.[1] References
[1] British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983 Published by the British Herbal
Medicine Association ISBN 0 903032 07 4.
[2]Pharmacognosy, 12th Ed. Trease, G. E. and Evans, W. C. Pub. Bailliere
Tindall (1983) UK
[3] Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients used in Food Drugs and Cosmetics,
Albert Y. Leung. Pub. John Wiley & Sons Inc (1980) NY
[4] Berrens, L. and Young, E. (1963) Int. Arch. All. Appl. Immunol. 22,51
Pub. Academic Press (1985)
Research
The alkaloids are clinically useful in the treatment of amoebiasis, and some anti-tumor
activity has been observed in vitro- though not proved effective in treating
leukaemia.[1] References
[1] The Alkaloids XXV. Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ed. A. Brossi, Pub. Academic
Press (1985)
Antidotes in Depth (A1): Syrup of Ipecac: Introduction
The role of syrup of ipecac has changed dramatically over the past decade. Once
the mainstay of poison management, a critical evaluation of animal, volunteer,
and a limited number of clinical studies suggests that ipecac administration should
be reserved for a very fewrare circumstances, if any, rather than administered
on a routine basis. The rationale for this change is based on the facts that most
poisonings in children are benign; many adults overdose with xenobiotics that
rapidly cause an altered mental status, which constitutes a contraindication to
the administration of ipecac; ipecac-induced vomiting may be delayed or persistent,
thereby resulting in a delay in the administration of activated charcoal; and
the abuse of ipecac by bulimics is substantial.
Syrup of ipecac is an emetic that has been used for the management of poisonings
since the 1950s and has been available without prescription since the late 1960s.
Pediatricians were encouraged to advise parents to keep syrup of ipecac in their
homes. Many physicians currently believe that there is no role for syrup of ipecac
in the prehospital or hospital setting and that the abuse of syrup of ipecac by
patients with bulimia outweighs any benefit originating from keeping syrup of
ipecac as a nonprescription drug. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still
reviewing whether to make syrup of ipecac available only by prescription. Advocates
for maintaining the nonprescription status of syrup of ipecac support home stocking
of ipecac for use in remote areas and limiting use in healthcare facilities to
those rare instances when activated charcoal, orogastric lavage, or whole-bowel
irrigation with polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution may be inappropriate
or inadequate. Changing the availability of syrup of ipecac to prescription status
only could result in the complete disappearance of syrup of ipecac from the pharmaceutical
market if the FDA requires a new drug application. Under these circumstances,
it might not be profitable for any drug company to invest in a new drug application.
Ipecac is derived from the dried rhizome and roots of plants found in Brazil belonging
to the family Rubiaceae, such as Cephaelis acuminata and Cephaelis ipecacuanha.
Cephaeline and emetine are the two alkaloids largely responsible for the production
of nausea and vomiting, with cephaeline being the more potent. Each 15-mL dose
of syrup of ipecac contains 16 to 21 mg of cephaeline and 6.4 to 21 mg of emetine,
resulting in variable cephaeline-to-emetine ratios. Syrup of ipecac also contains
a small amount of psychotrine, which does not contribute to emesis but is currently
under investigation for its potential anti-HIV effects.
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