Ipecac
Parts Usually Used
Leaves, root
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Wild ipecac is a large-rooted perennial with underground stems; the plant grows 3-12 inches tall with a stem that is smooth, succulent. The leaves are inserted at the joints; rounded to linear, green to purple. Solitary flowers are on long stalks; the “cups” have 5 glands, with narrow, white, yellow, green, or purple appendages. Blooms in April to May.
Where Found
Found in sandy soil; mostly coastal. New Jersey to Florida. Found in southwestern Brazil.
Medicinal Properties
Emetic, laxative, vermifuge
Legends, Myths and Stories
Because it induces vomiting, this herb is often abused by teenage girls suffering from bulimia, an eating disorder characterized by gorging and purging.
Uses
Native American traditions utilized a tea made from the leaves, while a tea prepared from the root was employed as a strong laxative, an emetic, and for pinworms and rheumatism. The root was also applied externally as a poultice for snakebites. Additionally, historical herbalists valued the plant's emetic properties, recommending it in cases of ingested poisoning and food poisoning.
How Sold
Sold as Syrup of Ipecac in pharmacies
Warning
It is not always appropriate to induce vomiting in cases of poisoning. Call your doctor or the local poison alert hotline before inducing vomiting or giving any drug to a poison victim. Extremely strong laxative. The juice from the fresh plant may cause blistering. The herb is very toxic except in diluted syrup form. Keep out of the reach of children and teenagers.
Bibliography
, Simon & Schuster/Fireside, Rockefeller Center 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020 Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000 Indian Herbalogy of North America , by Alma R. , Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, 1973 The Nature Doctor: A Manual of Traditional and Complementary Medicine , by Dr.
A. , 27 Pine Street (Box 876) New Canaan, CT. 06840-0876. Copyright Verlag A. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023