IPECAC 645 



tine, while in Cartagena ipecac there are four-fifths cephaeline to one- 

 fifth emetine. 



Allied Plants. A number of drugs, some of which resemble ipecac, 

 sometimes find their way into commerce, and, while they all possess 

 emetic properties, none of them contain emetine. The following 

 drugs obtained from plants of the Rubiacese have been substituted for 

 Ipecac. Undulated (or Farinaceous) Ipecac from Richardsonia 

 scabra, a plant growing in tropical and sub-tropical America, is an 

 undulate, annulate root, the bark of which is nearly as thick as the 

 yellowish, soft wood. Striated ipecac from Cephaelis emetica, a 

 plant growing in South America, is a dark purplish-brown root, with 

 a few transverse fissures and a thick bark in which starch is absent. 

 Several members of the Rosacese contain emetic principles and the 

 roots of the following plants growing in the United States have been 

 substituted for Ipecac: American Ipecac [Gillenia (Porteranthus) 

 stipulata] ; the root is annulate, and somewhat resembles ipecac, but 

 has a thinner bark with numerous resin cells; and Indian Physic 

 (G. trifoliata), the roots of which resemble those of American Ipecac 

 but are not annulate. 



The roots of several of the plants of the Euphorbiacese are used 

 as emetics. Ipecac spurge is the root of Euphorbia Ipecacuanha, a 

 plant common in sandy soil of the eastern United States. The roots 

 are 30 cm. or more in length, about 1 cm. in thickness, nearly cylin- 

 drical, light brown ; internally the wood is yellow and the bark white, 

 having numerous laticiferous vessels. The taste is sweet, somewhat 

 acrid and bitter. Ipecac spurge contains crystalline resin, euphor- 

 bon; probably a glucoside, and starch. Purging or Emetic root is 

 obtained from the large flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata), a 

 plant found in sandy soil east of the Mississippi. The root resembles 

 the Ipecac spurge but is dark brown or brownish-black externally, 

 and the constituents are similar (p. 398). 



The following emetic drugs are obtained from plants belonging to 

 the Violacese: lonidium, or the so-called White Ipecac, is obtained 

 from the root of Hybanthus Ipecacuanha of Brazil. It is easily 

 distinguished from ipecac by being somewhat branched, larger and 

 having a thin bark. An emetic principle is also present in the roots 

 of other species of Hybanthus, the root of Anchieta salutaris of Brazil, 

 and possibly also in the rhizome of Viola odorata. 



A few emetic drugs are also obtained from plants belonging to 

 the Meliacese. The alkaloid naregamine is found in the Goanese 

 Ipecac derived from Naregamia alata of the East Indies. The alka- 

 loid rusbyine is found in the bark of Cocillana (Guarea Rusbyi) of 



