Ipecacuanha – Homeopathic Medicine: Its Use, Indications And Dosage

Ipecacuanha is a homeopathic medicine derived from dried roots of plant Cephaelis Ipecacuanha. It belongs to rubiaceae family. The dried roots of this plant undergoes potentization (process of preparing homeopathic medicines that arouse medicinal powers of a crude substance). As a result, we get homeopathic medicine Ipecacuanha which is of great clinical significance. It is a leading homeopathic medicine to treat certain respiratory problems and gastric issues mainly nausea and vomiting.

 The ‘Ipecacuanha’ Constitution

This medicine is known to be suitable to adults, obese children and physically weak individuals with a tendency to catch cold in warm humid weather. Next, it is recommended for person having a history of nose bleeding or blood loss from any other body part.

Drug Action

It has a wide action on respiratory system and gastric system. Apart from this, it has favourable action on head, nose and female genitals.

Clinical Indications

Cough, asthma, pneumonia, hemoptysis, bronchitis, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, cholera, food poisoning, hematemesis, gastric headache, migraine, nose bleeding, cold, heavy periods, frequent menses, menstrual cramps, fever.

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Respiratory complaints (cough, asthma, pneumonia, hemoptysis)

This medicine has a wide sphere of action on the respiratory system where it can treat numerous complaints. Firstly, it can give immense relief in cough. It is prominently indicated to manage spasmodic cough that ends in vomiting. The cough is paroxysmal which means it occurs in fits at regular intervals. The cough is loose, rattling cough with excessive mucus accumulation in bronchial tubes (which carry air from windpipe to the lungs). Chest feels full of phlegm and the mucus is expectorated with difficulty. Ipecacuanha is one of the best medicines administered to asthma patients for dry cough with wheezing, constriction in throat and chest, and difficult breathing. After cough, vomiting can occur. Person has shortness of breath, feels suffocated and rushes towards an open window and gasps for air. The face appears pale accompanied by sweating. Asthma worsens at the slightest movement. Ipecacuanha leads the chart of homeopathic medicines for treating asthma during damp weather or sudden weather change. Its use is recommended for cases of pneumonia (an infection that causes inflammation of air sacs of lungs). It is a wonderful medicine for managing suffocative cough in children where the child becomes stiff and face appears blue. Ipecacuanha can also manage bronchitis in children when there is spasmodic cough, accumulation of phlegm in chest, and feeling of suffocation. Besides, it is indicated for cases of hemoptysis (spitting of blood or bloody mucus from lungs). When it occurs with rattling cough or from slight exertion, Ipecac is very helpful.

Key indicating features

1. Spasmodic cough ending in vomiting

2. Asthma with dry cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, constriction in throat and chest

3. Asthma in damp weather or sudden weather change

4. Loose, rattling cough with excessive mucus accumulation in bronchi

2. Gastric issues (nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhoea)

With its action on the gastric system, Ipecac can effectively deal with various complaints, most importantly nausea and vomiting. It has shown good results when nausea is constant, not relieved by vomiting also. Its use is recommended when nausea arises from smell of food, from any kind of movement (jumping, walking, etc) or occurs with cough. The vomit may contain watery fluids, mucus, food or even blood. It is accompanied with bad breath and thirst.  Nausea and vomiting during menses is another striking feature for using this remedy. It is also suitable for managing vomiting in infants who are breastfeeding. Next noteworthy complaint for which Ipecac can be used is stomach cramps accompanied by nausea and vomiting. It can also be given when there is cutting/ drawing/ griping type pain around the navel. Stomach pain following by eating ice cream, sour fruit, and unripe fruits or drinking cold drinks is also managed well with this medicine. Additionally, stomach pain from gas with loose stool is also relieved with it. Ipecac is known to treat diarrhea. The stool is green, yellow, brown, slimy and frothy with extremely unpleasant smell and comes out with excessive gas. It may have mucus lumps or bloody mucus in it sometimes. It has tendency to check diarrhea that follows eating fats, pastries, sweets, etc. This medicine is also beneficial for treating cases of cholera (an infection of small intestine caused by bacteria vibrio cholera) and food poisoning.  A characteristic feature in cases needing it is an absolutely clean tongue with no coating.

Key indicating features

1. Constant nausea not relieved by vomiting

2. Vomiting of watery fluids, mucus, food or even blood (hematemesis)

3. Clean tongue with no coating

4. Stomach pain after ice cream or cold drinks, sour fruit, unripe fruits

3. Head (gastric headache, migraine)

Ipecacuanha also manifests action on head where it acts best to manage gastric headache and migraine. The salient feature for using it is one-sided headache attended with nausea and vomiting. There is throbbing pain in head with sensation of heat being produced. Sometimes there is stinging pain with heaviness of head. It has given remarkable results when there is pain in the back of the head (occiput) and the nape of neck that goes down to the shoulders. Lastly, headache along with nose bleeding is a notable feature.

Key indicating features

1. Gastric headache and migraine

2. One-sided headache attended with nausea and vomiting

3. Headache along with nose bleeding

4. Nose (nose bleeding, cold)

Ipecac can successfully help in case of nose bleeding (epistaxis) when blood is bright red. There may be bleeding from nose with cold, cough or pain in head where it is well indicated. Next, it works well when there is dry cold with blocked nose. Besides, there is heaviness in the head and loss of smell. Itching in nose and sneezing can attend too.

Key indicating features

1. Bright red bleeding from nose

2. Dry cold with nasal blockage, heaviness in the head and loss of smell

5. Female problems (heavy periods, frequent menses, menstrual cramps)

If we talk of female problems, this medicine is effective in helping women with heavy periods, frequent menses, and menstrual cramps. The bleeding is gushing and bright red. Nausea accompanies it with pressure across the uterus. There is also shivering and weakness.  Menses may occur every two weeks. Uterine pain is felt from left to right side. It can help to relieve menstrual cramps attended with constant nausea.

Key indicating features

1. Heavy menses with gushing, bright red bleeding

2. Heavy menses with nausea, shivering, weakness

3. Menstrual cramps attended with constant nausea

6. Fever

Ipecac can be administered for treating fever. The most important symptom to prescribe it here is fever with nausea and vomiting. There is chill alternating with heat. A chilling sensation goes up and down the back. Excessive weakness is felt. Dry heat occurs in evening time.

Key indicating features

1. Fever with nausea and vomiting

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints are worse in warm damp weather, overeating, ice cream, fruits, in cold and winter

Relieving factors: Complaints are better from pressure, and in open air

Dosage

This medicine works equally well in both low and high potency. The action of this medicine lasts for about 7 to 10 days. If taken in low potency, it can be repeated frequently. When consuming in high potency, its frequent repetition should be avoided.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Antimonium Tart, Arnica, Arsenic Album, China, Ferrum Met, Laurocerasus and Sulphuric Acid

Followed well by: Antimonium Crudum, Antimonium Tart, Arsenic Album, Bryonia, Calcarea Carb, China, Nux Vomica, Podophyllum, Pulsatilla, Tabacum, and Veratrum Album.