Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
March.  1901. 
Chemistry  of  Ipecacuanha. 
"5 
is  double  that  of  emetine.  For  therapeutic  use  it  seems  probable 
that  in  cephaeline  we  have  a  powerful  and  certain  emetic  in  doses 
of  5  to  10  milligrammes.  In  acute  catarrh  and  fever,  where  vomit- 
ing is  not  required,  emetine  in  small  doses  seems  likely  to  prove  of 
considerable  value,  and  as  an  emetic  in  doses  of  10  to  20  milli- 
grammes when  a  more  depressing  action  is  required.  In  other  words, 
then,  emetine  is  a  good  expectorant,  but  cephaeline  not  quite  its 
equal,  while  cephaeline  is  undoubtedly  superior  as  an  emetic. 
BRAZILIAN  AND  COLUMBIAN  IPECACUANHA. 
The  observations  of  Dr.  Wild  are  of  importance  as  indicating 
that  ipecacuanha  for  pharmaceutical  purposes  must  be  regarded 
from  the  nature  and  the  amount  of  emetine  and  cephaeline  rather 
than  from  its  botanical  source. 
The  results  of  analyses  of  selected  samples  of  the  two  kinds  of 
ipecacuanha  show  that  although  the  total  amount  of  alkaloid  in  the 
two  kinds  does  not  differ  materially,  the  proportions  of  emetine  and 
cephaeline  are  so  different  that  the  drugs  cannot  be  regarded  as 
interchangeable. 
This  is  apparent  from  the  following  analyses: 
Brazilian. 
Columbian. 
Root. 
Stem. 
Per  cent. 
Per  cent. 
Per  cent. 
i*45 
ri8 
0-89 
'52 
•59 
•04 
03 
<ro6 
2'0I 
r8o 
2-20 
This  difference  is  made  clearer  from  the  following  percentage 
composition : 
Emetine  .  . 
Cephaeline  . 
Psychotrine 
Brazilian. 
Columbian. 
Root. 
72-14 
25-87 
1 '99 
Stem. 
65-6 
32-8 
r6 
IOO" 
40'5 
56-8 
2'7 
ioo- 
