Syrup of ipecac, which is extracted from the roots of a South American shrub (Cephaelis ipecacuanha), was made an
over-the-counter medication in 1965. However, its usage has fallen dramatically since the mid-1980’s as posion control centers have generally stopped recommending its use because it turns out that substances move from the stomach to the intestines much more quickly than was believed years ago.
For more details on the FDA’s pending review, see the Reuters story (via Yahoo!), or the USA Today story.