Page 219 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

susceptible people. Prolonged use should be avoided owing to the danger of
sensitization.

Larger amounts of the drug or its preparations, i.e., about 10 times the
therapeutic dose, are strongly emetic. The symptoms of intoxication that
have been observed are bloody diarrhea, spasms, and even shock and coma.

Test for identity
Digest about 0.1 gm of powdered ipeca with 4 cc of HCl and 1 cc of water,
filter. Add to the filtrate a few small crystals of potassium chlorate, a
yellowish color is rapidly produced which gradually changes to orange and
finally to red within an hour.

Cartagena Ipeca (C. acuminata) is imported from Columbia. It differs from
Rio one by the following:
1- It is larger in diameter (3-9 mm).
2- No annulations but is marked by transverse ridges which not complete
circle around the root (1-6 per cm).
3- starch granules are larger (up to 20 microns,)
4- Its emetine content is only 30-40% of the total alkaloid content.

Nicaragua Ipeca resembles that of Cartagena, but it yields 2.0-2.75% total
alkaloids, 20-25% of it is emetine. Minas Ipeca is prepared from the cultivated
plants in the Province of Minas Geraes. It is usually carefully cleaned. It is related
to Rio grade but its surface shows ridges but no annulations (as Cartagena one) but
emetine is 60% of total alkaloids (as Rio one). Indian Ipeca is related to Rio Ipeca
in structure and constituents, but emetine is 50% of total alkaloids, which are 2%
only.

Adulteration
Undulated Ipeca roots has occasionally been observed in the drug trade. So-
called Radix Ipeccuanhae Amylaceae, the root of Richardsonia scabra L. A.
ST.HIL which is very similar to genuine Ipeca root in external appearance, should
not be forgotten. However, it has larger and more clearly layered (striated) starch
grains. It is collected from Brazil and the roots are tortuous at one end and bearing
some small slender aerial stems. On one side, the bark is fissured (as in Rio) but
differs, in the transverse section, showing porous wood (due to the presence of
pitted vessels) not dense wood. Moreover, the medullary rays (l cell wide) in the
xylem and its simple starch granules (reach up to 22 µ in diameter) can be
recognized. The drug doesn't contain any emetine.

Black Ipeca root or Greater Striated Ipeca (Radix Ipecacuanha nigra or
Ipecacuanha glycyphloea) has been identified several times as an adulterant. It is

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