People get sick so often and so much that pharmaceutical companies will always thrive. But we must give them their due: they supply the market with a huge range of all kinds of medicines, so there is always plenty to choose from. In a series of conventional medicines, homeopathic remedies stand apart. And among them there is one called "Ipecacuana". We will talk more about homeopathy and Ipecacuan later.
What is Homeopathy
It must be said right away that homeopathy is the subject of the most severe disputes of the scientific community, and many luminaries of medicine do not consider it a science at all, calling it deceit and quackery. But first things first.
The word "homeopathy" comes from the Greek language and literally means "a similar disease". Such a translation corresponds to the essence of homeopathy - if we speak more or less briefly and in simple words, then this is a kind of alternative, otherwise - complementary (translated from English- additional), medicine. Methods of such medicine are non-drug and non-surgical methods of treatment. These are all kinds of massages, extrasensory perception, aromatherapy and so on. Homeopathy is also one of them.
This kind of alternative treatment is that people take minimal doses of a substance that, in a he althy person, if taken in large (easier to say, normal) dosage, will cause symptoms of the disease that he suffers from. Thanks to this, the patient recovers. In other words, this treatment is based on the principle of "knocking out a wedge with a wedge", "like is cured by like". For example, the practice of treating a sore throat with ice cream is widely known - the same story here.
According to some reports, clinical trials have not confirmed the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies; many believe that in this case there is simply a placebo effect (a sincere and strong belief of a person that after taking this remedy he will get better). That is why there has been controversy around homeopathy and its preparations for many years, decades.
The difference between homeopathic remedies and conventional remedies
What is the essence of homeopathy, understood. The difference between homeopathic medicines and "real" medicines is that in the manufacture of the first they use a variety of substances, both animal or vegetable, and mineral origin. They are bred in a special solvent - and not once, but dozens, or even hundreds. Sometimes it also happens that in the resultinga homeopathic remedy may not have a drop or a crumb of the active substance. The solvent is usually either water or a sugar solution. Before diluting the substance, the container with the solvent is shaken, and so every time, no matter how many times it is diluted. By the way, to understand how many times this substance has been diluted, a special marking helps: the Latin letter D (sometimes it is replaced by X) denotes a decimal dilution, and the letter C denotes a hundred. After the letter is a number (sometimes before). For example, D5 will mean ten to the fifth power - that is how many times this drug was diluted (that is, one hundred thousand times). And if the tool is marked, for example, C30, it means one hundred to the thirtieth degree, and so on.
When homeopathic medicines are prescribed
First of all, you need to remember that in our country it is forbidden for everyone to prescribe homeopathic remedies. This can only be done by a qualified doctor who has completed a course in homeopathy and has the appropriate certificate as confirmation. He can prescribe such a remedy to the patient in the following cases:
- If the disease is in an acute form, that is, it began suddenly, and emergency treatment is required, then the homeopathic remedy is taken for several hours or a couple of days.
- If the disease is seasonal and has a relapse - this is, for example, as in the case of allergies.
- For skin diseases.
Homeopathic preparations: "Ipecac"
So we got close to the drugwith such an interesting name. It is named after the plant from which, in fact, it is produced. Ipecac is a small herbaceous subshrub, the second name of which is not so poetic - emetic root. As an emetic, ipecac also works - but in large quantities; in small doses, this plant has a medicinal effect when coughing - it is used as an expectorant in the form of a decoction, infusion or powder.
The drug "Ipecac" is used in the latter case. Do not forget that this is a homeopathic remedy, that is, diluted, which means that you should definitely not be afraid of an emetic effect.
Types of homeopathic remedy
Ipecac has many forms: syrup, granules, decoction, tincture or powder. The latter, in combination with milk sugar, is used for rubbing the body, or rather, the affected part. The broth is prepared, of course, on water - or rather, on boiling water; it should be infused for ten to fifteen minutes. The tincture is made as follows: the root is turned into powder and soaked in a seventy-degree alcohol solution.
What is a decoction, what is an infusion, what is a powder - these forms of "Ipecac" are more likely to be used at home. On the shelves of pharmacies, you can often find only syrup and a granular variety of the drug.
Pharmacological action of the drug
In whatever form the above preparation is, it is made in any case from the root of ipecac. The roots of the plant contain malic and citricacid, alkaloids, phytosterol, and so on, due to which the plant's properties include the ability to thin sputum - and therefore it is no wonder that a homeopathic remedy produced on their basis has an excellent expectorant effect.
Ipecac in homeopathy: indications for use
So, two actions of ipecac, depending on the dosage: expectorant and emetic. When can such a drug be prescribed by a specialist?
Firstly, of course, in chronic and acute diseases of the respiratory system, which are inflammatory in nature and are accompanied by sputum discharge, which is not always easy. In addition to sputum, whooping cough, laryngitis of various forms, and shortness of breath are treated with ipecac. If the dilution of the drug is higher, then it is possible to use ipecac in homeopathy in order to eliminate hay fever, typhoid, bleeding and hemorrhage, including uterine, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and so on. In some cases, ipecac can also be used to treat eye problems. And among the indications for ipecac in homeopathy are migraine and photophobia. That is how wide the possible application of this homeopathic remedy is! It is only important to adhere to the prescribed dosage of "Ipecac" (usually prescribed by a doctor in each case and depending on the form in which the patient is going to take ipecac). And then the effect will not be long in coming.
Contraindications for the use of ipecac
With indications for ipecacin homeopathy everything is clear. But after all, although this is not a traditional drug, Ipecac should also have contraindications. It really is. However, there are not so many cases when the aforementioned homeopathic remedy is not allowed to be taken.
It, firstly, should not be taken by those people who have an individual intolerance to the drug (or any of its components), and secondly, by pregnant women and nursing mothers, despite the fact that it is usually homeopathic remedies that categories of citizens and are allowed to be treated. Probably, the ban on the use of "Ipecac" for future and present young mothers is due to the possible emetic effect of the above remedy and the weakness of the body that occurs after that, as well as the severe nausea that accompanies the emetic effect. By the way, it is for the latter reason that "Ipecac" as an emetic is now practically not prescribed. In addition, the appointment of "Ipecac" for coughing to babies before they reach one year of age is doubtful.
Side effects and overdose
Like any other drug, albeit of homeopathic origin, Ipecac has its side effects. One of them has already been mentioned above, and more than once: even intended for the treatment of cough, in large doses, ipecac can cause vomiting and subsequent nausea, weakness, dizziness. Another side effect that can occur as a result of an overdose is muscle soreness. Among other things, problems with the activity of both the cardiovascular and nervous systems may begin. It is also important to know that if said powder comes into contact with the skin, it will cause irritation and a rash. If you accidentally inhale it, you can get a slight burn of the mucous membrane, and an uncontrollable cough that will be difficult to stop will be provided. Also among the side effects of the drug are increased salivation, diarrhea, skin reactions, including those of an allergic nature.
Granules: briefly about the method of application
First let's talk about ipecac granules - after all, they are the most common in pharmacies. The instructions for use of "Ipecac" granular say that you need to take a homeopathic remedy three to four times a day, eight pieces at a time at once. These manipulations should be taken each time before meals, approximately thirty minutes, or, if you forgot to do this before eating, then after it - but not less than an hour later. The course of treatment, according to the instructions of "Ipecac", should be at least three weeks, and preferably a month. Then you need to take a short break, after which any maintenance therapy will be good. The instruction also warns: if the symptoms of the disease worsen, it is necessary to interrupt treatment for a week, and if the remedy does not have any desired effect, you should contact your doctor with this question.
A few words about syrup
The effect that "Ipecac" has on the body has been repeatedly emphasized abovehuman: either expectorant or emetic. It is thanks to the latter effect that Ipecac syrup is very often used to eliminate poisoning and its symptoms. This, in general, is not surprising: not only homeopathic, but also traditional medicines that are recommended to drink in case of poisoning, have a similar effect (for example, Enterosgel). He drank the drug, it caused vomiting, the stomach was freed, it became easier: something like this is the system. Since many conventional medicines are prohibited for use by children under a certain age (usually up to twelve or fourteen years), but no one, including children, is able to avoid poisoning all his life, Ipecac syrup is perfect for them to help cope with this problem.
However, this remedy also has its opponents, pointing to the disadvantages of the drug. So, for example, the emetic effect does not always occur immediately, as it is necessary. In addition, he can be so unstoppable that it becomes truly difficult to control himself (especially if the patient is a small child), and self-control in this situation is extremely important, if only because after the stomach is released, activated charcoal or a similar drug should be taken (“Filtrum ", for example). However, studies confirm that this form of "Ipecac" in homeopathy does an excellent job with its main task - removing various toxins from the body. However, this does not prevent specialists from now prescribing the drug only in special cases. Not taken into accountself-use of ipecac syrup by patients at home, the so-called self-prescription and self-treatment.
Another interesting information from clinical studies: the desired effect after taking the syrup occurs in about half an hour (we are talking about children), it can vomit from one to eight times, and the duration of vomiting reaches sixty minutes. Until the age of twelve they drink fifteen milliliters of syrup, after twelve - twice the number of milliliters (30).
"Ipecac" as an emetic has its own separate contraindications. The syrup should not be given to infants, people poisoned by alkalis or acids, with impaired consciousness or reflexes, with a sharp deterioration in the condition, and also when swallowing sharp objects.
Possible analogues of "Ipecac"
Like any drug on the pharmaceutical market, Ipecacuana has its competitors - its counterparts, both more expensive and cheaper. At the same time, you need to understand that Ipecacuana does not have absolutely identical one hundred percent drugs. There are only those who are similar in one way or another. Among the substitutes for the aforementioned remedy, Rhodiola rosea, evasive peony, esculus and others can be mentioned. Some of them will be discussed in more detail below.
Aesculus, or horse chestnut, is also a homeopathic remedy. It is used to combat venous congestion and hemorrhoids. With "Ipecac" in homeopathy, they are united by the possibility of using it for uterine bleeding or inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Available in two types: ointment for externalapplications and rectal suppositories.
Evasive peony is used in the form of an alcoholic tincture as a sedative for insomnia, vegetative problems, as an anesthetic for a variety of gastrointestinal problems such as gastritis, ulcers, and so on. The avoiding peony is also successfully used in gynecology.
Mesereum, or wolf's bast, is prescribed for neuralgia, conjunctivitis, severe headaches, migraines, bronchitis (the last two facts make it related to "Ipecac" in homeopathy), stomatitis, stomach ulcers, cystitis. It can also be used for lichen.
Reviews about the drug
What do consumer people say? How do they feel about this homeopathic remedy? Among the reviews about "Ipecac" there are both positive and negative. Obviously, the former are left by people who believe in the power of homeopathy, and the latter by skeptics who doubt the legitimacy of the existence of such a science. Some say that the drug helped them and got better, others - that the drug did not bring any effect.
Interesting facts about homeopathy and ipecac
- Vladimir Dal was at first a fierce opponent of homeopathic remedies, but later he radically changed his attitude towards them and became their supporter and even defender.
- We owe the term "homeopathy" to a scientist, doctor from Germany, Christian Hahnemann.
- Chocolate is often used as a homeopathic remedy.
- In Britain, homeopathy is patronized by the Queen herself. And every third doctorrecommends his patients to take the above remedies.
- The true supporter of homeopathy and its preparations was Emperor Nicholas I.
- Homeopathy became anti-scientific for Russian people in Soviet times. It was then that a hostile attitude towards her was born, which was exclusively encouraged.
- Many believe that homeopathic medicines are tiny balls that must be taken throughout life every fifteen minutes. This is a myth.
- Also a supporter of homeopathic remedies is the popular musician Paul McCartney.
- Homeopathy in different countries: in Scotland more than fifty thousand people use it annually, in Brazil - seventy percent of the population, in India the demand for such alternative medicine is so great that more than two thousand corresponding clinics and ten huge concerns.
- Every eighth person who visits a homeopath belongs to the upper strata of the population.
- Even the father of medicine, Hippocrates, is called a peculiar supporter of homeopathy, because he said that there are two healing laws - the law of opposites and the law of similarity. Namely, homeopathy is based on the likeness.
- Homeopathic remedies are usually cheaper than conventional medicines.
- Clinical trials have passed more than four thousand homeopathic medicines of various kinds.
- Brazil is considered the birthplace of ipecac, to be more precise, the Brazilian forests. There, ipecac grows in the wild in free access, but in addition to this, it is also grownartificially. This is done both in Brazil itself and in other states, for example, in India or Malaysia.
- In medicine, only the roots of the above plant are used, the stem is of no interest to physicians.
- The roots of ipecac are dug up throughout the year with almost no break - it is only done during the rainy season.
- As you might guess, ipecac is a highly poisonous plant.
- There are many legends about ipecac. In particular, they say that a certain brave British navigator brought the miraculous root from Brazil, thanks to which England first learned about ipecac, then Europe, and after that the whole world. The same sailor allegedly was the author of the remedy from the ipecac root, which could even then be taken for coughing.
- Many he althy people, concerned about their appearance and passionate about losing weight, drink ipecac syrup on purpose to make them vomit after eating. True, by doing this they do more harm to their body than good.
- The appearance of ipecac is rather unpresentable - it is a small, one might even say tiny shrub no more than twenty centimeters high.
- Sometimes ipecac can cause pneumonia (if overused).
Having decided to be treated through homeopathy, you should definitely read the instructions for using Ipecac. Let's hope,this information will be useful only in theory. He alth to you!
