Ipecac

Literature References: Dried rhizome and roots of Cephaelis ipecacuanha (Brot.) A. Rich., Rubiaceae, known as Rio or Brazilian Ipecac; or of Cephaelis acuminata Karsten, known as Cartagena, Nicaragua or Panama Ipecac. Habit. Brazil to Bolivia; cultivated in India and Malaysia. Constit. Emetine, cephaeline, emetamine, psychotrine, methyl psychotrine, protoemetine and resin. Cartagena ipecac contains ~2.2-2.5% total alkaloids, with twice as much cephaeline as emetine. Determn of major alkaloids in ipecacuanha root: A. G. Davidson, S. M. Hassan, J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. 2, 441 (1984); in pharmaceutical preparations by HPLC: D. A. Elvidge et al., J. Chromatogr. 463, 107 (1989). Review of distribution and chemistry of ipecac alkaloids: M.-M. Janot in The Alkaloids vol. 3, R. H. F. Manske, H. L. Holmes, Eds. (Academic Press, New York, 1953) pp 363-394; A. Brossi, S. Teitel, ibid. vol. 13, 189-212 (1971). Review of use in acute poisoning: W. D. King, Clin. Toxicol. 17, 353-358 (1980).