Dosage Seed—l—3 g powder.
(CCRAS.)
138 Cephaelis ipecacuanha (Brot.) A. Rich.
Cephaelis ipecacuanha
(Brot.) A. Rich.
Synonym Psychotria ipecacuanha Stokes.
Family Rubiaceae.
Habitat Native to tropical America. Now cultivated in Darjeeling, Assam, in the Nilgiris, and in Sikkim.
English Ipecac, Ipecacuanha.
Action Root—Antiprotozal, expectorant (in low doses), diaphoretic, emetic (in high doses); used in amoebic dysentery, stubborn cough, whopping cough (for liquefying bronchial phlegm).
Key application As expectorant, emetic. (The British Herbal
Pharmacopoeia.)
The root contains isoquinoline alkaloids (consisting mainly of emetine and cephaeline); tannins (ipecacuanha and ipecacuanhic acid; glycosides including a monoterpene isoquinoline derivative); saponins; a mixture of glycoproteins; starch; choline; resins.
The alkaloids are clinically useful in the treatment of amoebiasis.
Emetine and cephaeline are emetic due to their irritating effect on stomach; cephaeline is more toxic. Emetine is a standard antiamoebic principle. In smaller doses, both are expectorant.
The fluid extract is 14 times stronger than the syrup of the crude drug. The powder is toxic at 1—2 g.
Emetine accumulates in liver, lungs, kidneys and spleen; traces are detectable after 40—60 days. (Francis Brinker.)
Ceratonia siliqua Linn.
Family Caesalpinaceae.
Habitat Cultivated in Punjab.
English Locust Bean; St. John’s Bread, Carob tree.
Unani Kharnub Shaami.
Action Pod and husk from seed— antidiarrhoeal (stools in gastroenteritis and colitis are known to solidify within 48 h).
The pods contain tannin from 0.88 to 4.09%.
Pulp of the pod contains 30—70% sugars, fats, starch, protein, amino acids, gallic acid; leucoanthocyanins and related phenolics. Leaves contain catechols.
