384 POWDERED VEGETABLE DRUGS 



118. (Fig. 119.) IPECACUANHA. Ipecacuanha. U. S. 

 Fl. ex. 80. Very fine powder. 



Ipecac, E. Brechwurzel, Ruhrwurzel, G. Ipecacuanha, Racine 

 bresilienne, Fr. 



The roots of Cephaelis Ipecacuanha A. Richard, and C. acuminata 

 Karst., Rubiaceae. 



Brownish ash gray. 



Heavy, nauseous, recalling Indian hemp. 



Bitterish, somewhat pungent. 



Thin walled cork tissue. Parenchyma medium sized, typical; cells 

 filled with compound starch granules, some with acicular crystals 

 (raphides) of calcium oxalate. Porous tracheids. The starch granules 

 of Rio ipecac are simple and compound, the compound granules pre- 

 dominating (twos and fours largely) ; hili centric and distinct, polarizing 

 bands distinct. The single granules measure from 4 to 12 fj. in diameter. 

 The starch granules of Carthagena ipecac are like those of Rio ipecac 

 excepting that they are larger measuring from 4 to 17 n in diameter. 

 Six-compound granules may be found in both kinds. The Carthagena 

 variety shows the greater percentage of simple granules. 



Ash should not exceed 4 per cent. 



May be adulterated with starches, flour, almond meal; also with 

 roots of related species. The Carthagena ipecac differs from the 

 above (Rio ipecac) in that the simple starch granules are larger; the 

 end opening of the tracheids is oval in form instead of circular, differ- 

 ences which are, however, not readily detected in the powders. Other 

 false ipecacs are mostly quite different histologically; compare espe- 

 cially ducts, tracheids, crystals and starches. 



