Cephcelis Ipecacuanha

The roots of Cephcelis Ipecacuanha (Brot) A. Rich constitute the Brazilian ipecacuanha of commerce and also that cultivated in the Federated Malay States, Bengal and Burma. Carthagena ipecacuanha is derived from Cephcelis acuminata Karsten collected in Colombia. Emetine, the principal alkaloid of this drug, was first obtained by Pelletier and Magendie in 1817, but was first prepared in a pure state by Paul and Cownley, who separated from commercial emetine the phenolic base, cephaeline, and later obtained a third alkaloid, psychotrine. To these Pyman added emetamine and 0-methylpsychotrine. 

A method for the estimation of the total alkaloids and of non-phenolic alkaloids (emetine fraction) is given in the British Pharmacopoeia, 1932, Addendum VI, which requires the drug to contain not less than 2 per cent, of alkaloids, of which at least 55 per cent, must be non-phenolic bases, calculated as emetine. The British Pharmacopoeia also gives an assay process for emetine in emetine bismuth iodide, the form in which the drug is chiefly used in medicine it is required to contain not less than 25 and not more than 28 per cent, of emetine. In the United States Pharmacopoeia, XIII, both Cephcelis Ipecacuanha and C. acuminata are recognised and must contain not less than 2 per cent, of ether-soluble alkaloids. 

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