IPECACUANHA
Ipecac-root
(IPECA)
The chief action is on the ramifications of the pneumogastric nerve,
producing spasmodic irritation in chest and stomach. Morphia
habit. The principal feature of Ipecacuanha is its persistent nausea and vomiting, which form the
chief guiding symptoms. Indicated after indigestible food,
raisins, cakes, etc. Especially indicated in fat
children and adults, who are feeble and catch cold in relaxing atmosphere;
warm, moist weather. Spasmodic affections. Hæmorrhages bright-red and profuse.
Mind.--Irritable; holds everything in
contempt. Full of desires, for what they know not.
Head.--Bones of skull feel crushed or
bruised. Pain extends to teeth and root of tongue.
Eyes.--Inflamed,
red. Pain through eyeballs. Profuse
lachrymation. Cornea dim. Eyes tire from near
vision. State of vision constantly changing. Spasm of accommodation from irritable weakness of the ciliary
muscle. Nausea from looking on moving objects.
Face.--Blue rings around eyes. Periodical orbital neuralgia, with lachrymation, photophobia, and
smarting eyelids.
Nose.--Coryza, with stoppage of nose
and nausea. Epistaxis.
Stomach.--Tongue
usually clean. Mouth, moist; much saliva. Constant nausea
and vomiting, with pale, twitching of face. Vomits food, bile, blood, mucus. Stomach feels relaxed, as
if hanging down. Hiccough.
Abdomen.--Amebic
dysentery with tenesmus; while straining pain so great that it nauseates;
little thirst. Cutting, clutching; worse, around the navel. Body rigid;
stretched out stiff.
Stools.--Pitch-like green as grass, like frothy molasses, with griping at navel. Dysenteric, slimy.
Female.--Uterine
hæmorrhage, profuse, bright, gushing, with nausea.
Vomiting during pregnancy. Pain from navel to uterus. Menses too early and too profuse.
Respiratory.--Dyspna;
constant constriction in chest. Asthma. Yearly attacks of difficult
shortness of breathing. Continued sneezing; coryza;
wheezing cough. Cough incessant and violent,
with every breath. Chest seems full of phlegm, but does not yield to
coughing. Bubbling rales. Suffocative cough; child
becomes stiff, and blue in the face. Whooping-cough, with
nosebleed, and from mouth. Bleeding from lungs, with nausea; feeling of constriction; rattling
cough. Croup. Hæmoptysis from
slightest exertion (Millef). Hoarseness, especially at
end of a cold. Complete aphonia.
Fever.--Intermittent
fever, irregular cases, after Quinine. Slightest chill with much
heat, nausea, vomiting, and dyspna.
Relapses from improper diet.
Sleep.--With eyes half open. Shocks in all limbs on going to sleep (Ign).
Extremities.--Body stretched stiff,
followed by spasmodic jerking of arms towards each other.
Skin.--Pale, lax.
Blue around eyes. Miliary rash.
Modalities.--Worse, periodically; from veal, moist warm wind,
lying down.
Relationship.--Compare: Emetine-principal alkaloid of Ipecac (A powerful
amebicide, but is not a bactericide. Specific for amæbiasis;
of remarkable value in treatment of amæbic dysentery; also as a remedy in
pyorrhea, 1/2 gr daily for three days, then less. Emetin,
1/2 gr hypodermically, in Psoriasis. Emetin hydroch.
2x, diarrha with colicky, abdominal pains and nausea.
Emetin for endamoebic dysentery. In physiological
doses must be carefully watched. May produce hepatization of lungs, rapid heart
action, tendency for the head to fall forward and
lobar pneumonia. In hæmatemesis and other hæmorrhages, compare: Gelatin which has a marked effect on the
coagulability of the blood. Hypodermically; or if by mouth, a
10 per cent jelly, about 4 oz, three times a day) Arsenic;
Cham; Puls; Tart em; Squill.
Convolvulus (colic and diarrha). Typha latifolia-Cat-tail flag (dysentery,
diarrha) and summer complaint. Euphorbia hypericifolia--Garden Spurge--(Very
similar to Ipecac. Irritation of the respiratory and
gastro-intestinal tracts and female organs). Lippia
mexicana--(Persistent dry, hard, bronchial cough--asthma and chronic
bronchitis).
In Asthma, compare: Blatta orientalis.
Antidotes: Arsenic;
Complementary: Cuprum; Arn.
Dose.--Third to
200th potency.