Nausea ipecac

Ipecac, the root of a Brazilian plant, contains several alkaloids of which two, emetine and cephaeline, produce local irritation and nausea and emesis, by central and local action, without danger of side effects. 

The efficacy of ipecac in amebic infections depends upon its content of alkaloids, the principal ones being emetine and cephaeline. Both are amebicidal, but emetine is much more active. Cephaeline is more toxic than emetine, except for the heart, and causes more nausea and vomiting. Emetine constitutes more than one half of the total alkaloidal content of ipecac. 

There are a few important drugs that cause nausea and vomiting as undesirable side actions when used in therapeutic dosage, and perhaps a larger number that induce the state as part of a serious toxic reaction to them in overdosage, but the number that is used intentionally to cause the patient to vomit is relatively small. Here, the following four — ipecac, apomorphine, mustard, copper sulfate — are considered as a group. 

Emetine [EM e teen] and dehydroemetine [de hye dro EM e teen] are alternate agents for the treatment of amebiasis. They inhibit protein synthesis by blocking chain elongation1. Intramuscular injection is the preferred route. Emetine is concentrated in the liver where it persists for a month after a single dose. It is slowly metabolized and excreted and can accumulate. Its ty2 is 5 days. The use of these ipecac alkaloids is limited by their toxicities. Dehydroemetine is probably less toxic than emetine. Close clinical observation is necessary when these drugs are used. Among the untoward effects are pain at the site of injection, transient nausea, cardiotoxicity (e.g., arrhythmias, congestive heart failure), neuromuscular weakness, dizziness, and rashes. 

A. Ipecac syrup potentiates nausea and vomiting associated with the ingestion of other gastric irritants. 

Toxic effects of ipecac and its alkaloids include gastrointestinal irritation (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, etc.), dizziness, hypotension, dyspnea, and tachycardia, among others (Goodman and oilman usd 26th). Side effects can result from abuse by individuals with eating disorders. Cardiac side effects can be severe, for example, myocarditis, cardiomyopathies, and arrhythmias, or even lethal. "... 

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