Which plant's roots are the source of ipecac syrup, formerly used to induce vomiting? Ipecacuanha is the answer.
Ipecacuanha is the common name for Carapichea ipecacuanha, a slow-growing flowering plant in the coffee family. It is native to parts of Central and South America, including Brazil, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Colombia. Its dried roots and rhizomes were processed into syrup of ipecac, whose main active alkaloids include emetine and cephaeline.
These compounds stimulate vomiting partly by irritating the stomach and partly through effects on the brain’s chemoreceptor trigger zone. For much of the twentieth century, households were advised to use ipecac syrup after some accidental poisonings. Later evidence showed that routine induced vomiting did not reliably improve outcomes and could cause complications such as aspiration, so poison-control guidance moved away from it.
“Ipecacuanha” identifies the plant, while “ipecac” can refer to the root material, the drug, or the syrup. Gentian and licorice are medicinal roots but are not the botanical source of traditional ipecac syrup. The plant should not be confused with unrelated species that have also been given local names involving ipecacuanha.