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Ipecacuanha (Psychotria Ipecacuanha) of the family Rubiaceae is a flowering plant, the root of which is most commonly used to make syrup of ipecac.
The plant had been assigned different names by various botanists, including Cephaelis acuminata, Cephaelis Ipecacuanha, Psychotria Ipecacuanha, and Uragoga Ipecacuanha.
Its name derives from the native Brazilian "Tupi i-pe-kaa-guéne", translated as 'road-side sick-making plant'.
Ipecac has a powerful emetic,it is used in gastrointestinal diseases, diarrhea, and intermitent fevers. It is employed as an expectorant, in bronchitis, broncopneumonia, asthma and mumps, and also as a vasoconstrictor.
It is native to Brazil. For climatic reasons it will not grow elsewhere and attempts to synthesize the product has failed.
Psychotria Ipecacuanha (Brot.) Stokes [= Cephaelis Ipecacuanha (Brot.) A.Rich.] is a shrub. It's medicinal value relates to the production of emetine in the roots.
As as a native plant of Brazil, growing in clumps or patches in moist shady forests from 8° to 22° S., it has also be found in New Granada and probably in Bolivia.