Ipecac

Cephaelis ipecacuanha

Other Names: Ipecacuanha, Brazil Root, Brazilian Ipecac, Callicocca ipecacuanha, Cartagena Ipecac, Cephaelis acuminata, Cephaelis ipecacuanha, Ipéca, Ipéca du Brésil, Ipéca du Nicaragua, Ipéca du Panama, Ipecacuana, Ipécacuana, Ipecacuanha, Matto Grosso Ipecac, Nicaragua Ipecac, Panama Ipecac, Psychotria ipecacuanha, Racine Brésilienne, Rio Ipecac, Uragoga granatensis, Uragoga ipecacuanha.
Ipecac is a plant. It is used to make medicine. Ipecac syrup is available both as a nonprescription product and as an FDA-approved prescription product.

Special Precautions of Ipecac

• Only homeopathic use !
• Ipecac might be safe for most people when taken by mouth and used for a short time. It can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach irritation, dizziness, low blood pressure, shortness of breath, and a fast heartbeat.
• Ipecac is UNSAFE when used long-term, in large amounts, and in children under the age of one. Misuse of ipecac can lead to serious poisoning, heart damage, and death. Signs of poisoning include difficulty breathing, digestive tract problems, abnormal heart rates, blood in the urine, convulsions, shock, coma, and death.
• Children: Ipecac is UNSAFE when used in children under the age of one. Children are more sensitive than adults to the side effects of ipecac. Misuse of ipecac can lead to serious poisoning, heart damage, and death. Signs of poisoning include difficulty breathing, digestive tract problems, abnormal heart rates, blood in the urine, convulsions, shock, coma, and death.
• Ipecac seems to be safe for children when used appropriately as a prescription product to induce vomiting. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation to keep a 1-ounce bottle of syrup of ipecac at home has recently been reversed. The new statement reads, “Syrup of ipecac should no longer be routinely used as a poison treatment intervention in the home.” The thinking is that keeping ipecac at home hasn’t been proven to save lives. Talk with your healthcare provider or poison control center about how to use ipecac correctly in cases of poisoning in children.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is UNSAFE to use ipecac if you are pregnant. It might stimulate the uterus and cause a miscarriage. Not enough is known about the safety of using ipecac if you are breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
• Unconsciousness or certain kinds of poisonings: Ipecac should not be used in people who are unconscious or have been poisoned with certain chemicals including corrosives, petroleum products, strychnine, and others. Talk to your healthcare provider or poison control center about whether ipecac is appropriate to use in each case of suspected poisoning. If ipecac is used incorrectly, serious complications can arise including damage of the esophagus, pneumonia, and convulsions.
• Digestive tract problems including ulcers, infections, or Crohn's disease: Ipecac can irritate the digestive tract. Don’t use it if you have one of these conditions.
• Heart disease: Ipecac can affect the heart. Don’t use it if you have a heart condition.
• Activated charcoal interacts with IPECAC
• Do not take homeopathic remedies without first consulting a homeopathic practitioner. Do not take several remedies at the same time as that is often discouraged in homeopathic treatment. Take the recommended dose only and immediately report any changes in condition to your doctor.

The benefits of Ipecac are

• Nausea and Vomiting: Ipecac is used when there is a type of nausea experienced for which vomiting does not bring about relief. This homeopathic remedy can help with a bloated feeling in the abdomen as well and when there is excessive belching and gas present. There may be diarrhea associated with the condition, and it seems nearly impossible to digest food for the sufferer.
• Migraine: This type of migraine headache usually encompasses the entire head and can even bring about nausea and vomiting as a result of the pain. The pain can move into the face and the teeth and leave the person feeling exhausted.
• Coughs and Wheezing: Ipecac can assist with a cough that is dry and irritating in nature. This homeopathic remedy can be particularly helpful if there is a wheezy type of breathing and if there is a necessity to get help in bringing up phlegm. There may even be other symptoms associated with this type of cough such as gagging, nosebleeds, and even vomiting in extreme cases.
• Gynecological Problems: Gynecological problems that include: extremely heavy menstrual flow that may even bring about nausea, vomiting, and fainting. There may be spotting between periods that suddenly turn into gushing. In pregnancy, there may be help gained by using ipecac for morning sickness or unwanted bleeding.

Profile Type

Ipecac typically works well as a homeopathic remedy for those who are irritable in nature. These people may be very difficult to deal with, particularly when they are sick. They may seem demanding and may even become depressed when they feel ill. They are often impatient and have a difficult time in dealing with the people around them at times.