Scientific Name ipecacuana cephaelis ipecacuanha FASTENED WITH RINGS SMALLER
Other Names:
Fastened with rings Smaller, Bejuquillo, Picahonda, Poaja, Raicilla, Brazilian Root
In 1912 the active principles of the ipecacuana were discovered, and since then it comprises of numerous prepared phamacists.
Habitat: original of the humid and warm forests of Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Mexico.
Description: small shrub from 30 to 50 cms. of height, the family of the Rubiáceas, with long and ringed roots. Their small flowers, white and, grow in a terminal small head.
Used parts: the root crushed in dust.
Properties and indications: the root contains emetina and other alkaloids, in addition to ipecacuánico acid and saponinas. These are their properties:
Emética: due to the emetina, it causes the vomit easily. One is used to drain the stomach in case of poisoning, when the accomplishment is not possible from a gastric washing.
Expectorante: the emetina and the saponinas confer an intense expectorante action to him to low doses, reason why it enters the bronchial syrup composition diverse.
Amebicida: The emetina destroys the amoebas that cause disentería amebiana and the amebianos abscesses of the liver. In these cases it is recommended to use some of the prepared phamacists who exist with emetina.
Use: from 4 to 6 grs. of dust by root dissolved in water. For 0.1 children gram per year of age. It is used like vomitivo and expectorante. If it is taken in syrup, with 1 or 2 spoonfuls it produces a easy vomit. In infusion of 8 grs. by root crushed in 1/4 of liter of water. As expectorante they take solely 4 or 5 spoonfuls every hour, to avoid that vomits take place.
Precautions: not to exceed the prescribed doses to avoid that violent vomits take place. The root dust is very irritating for the skin.