What does emetine mean?
Emetine is a bitter, poisonous alkaloid found in the root of the ipecacuanha plant, a South American shrub long valued in medicine. The substance takes its name from the Greek verb meaning 'to vomit,' because one of its most striking effects is to provoke vomiting — a property exploited for decades in syrup of ipecac, once a household standby for treating accidental poisoning. Beyond its emetic action, emetine is a potent amoebicide and was historically injected to treat amoebic dysentery, particularly in the era before safer synthetic antiprotozoal drugs such as metronidazole became available in the mid-twentieth century. However, the drug is toxic: it can cause severe nausea, muscle weakness, and damage to the heart muscle, so its medical use has largely been discontinued. Today emetine survives mainly in pharmacological research and in discussions of the history of medicine.
nounA bitter white alkaloid obtained from ipecacuanha root, formerly used as an emetic and as a treatment for amoebic dysentery.
- A bitter crystalline alkaloid extracted from ipecacuanha root, used medically as an emetic and formerly in the treatment of amoebic dysentery.
"Emetine, extracted from the roots of ipecac, was once a mainstay in treating amoebic infections."
"The physician administered syrup of ipecac, whose active ingredient is emetine, to induce vomiting after the accidental ingestion."
"Before modern antiprotozoal drugs became available, emetine injections were standard therapy for severe amoebiasis."
Rarely pluralized; the plural appears only in technical contexts referring to different salts or derivatives of emetine.
"Several emetines, including its hydrochloride salt, were prepared for clinical study."
Named for its power to make you vomit — this ipecac alkaloid was both a life-saving amoebicide and a notorious poison before safer drugs replaced it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of emetine
The word emetine was formed in the nineteenth century from the Greek 'emetikos' ('causing vomiting'), itself derived from 'emein' ('to vomit'), combined with the chemical suffix '-ine' typical of alkaloids. It shares this Greek root with related words such as 'emetic' and 'emesis.' The name reflects the compound's most famous physiological effect when it was first isolated from ipecacuanha root.
How emetine is actually used
Emetine is a technical term confined chiefly to pharmacology, medicine, and toxicology; it is rarely encountered outside scientific or historical contexts. Because of its toxicity, its therapeutic use has been largely abandoned.
Easily confused with emetine
An emetic is any substance that induces vomiting, while emetine is one specific alkaloid compound derived from ipecac that happens to have emetic properties.