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Herb
Information |
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Ephedra intermedia |
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Name |
Ephedra |
Biological
Name |
Ephedra sinica, Ephedra intermedia, Ephedra equisetina, Ephedra
distacha, Ephedra trifurca
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Other Names |
Mahuang, Ma Huang, desert tea, Mormon tea, American ephedra, Chinese
ephedra, European ephedra, Pakistani ephedra, Ephedra
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Parts Used |
Stem. |
Active Compounds |
Ephedra's active medicinal ingredients are the alkaloids ephedrine
and pseudoephedrine. The stem contains 1-3% total alkaloids, with
ephedrine accounting for 30-90% of this total, depending on the
plant species employed. Both ephedrine and its synthetic counterparts
stimulate the central nervous system, dilate the bronchial tubes,
elevate blood pressure, and increase heart rate. Pseudoephedrine
(the synthetic form) is a popular over-the-counter remedy for relief
of nasal congestion.
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History |
The Chinese have used ephedra medicinally
for over 5,000 years. Ephedra is listed as one of the original 365
herbs from the classical first century A.D. text on Chinese herbalism
by Shen Nong. Ephedra's traditional medicinal uses include the alleviation
of sweating, lung and bronchial constriction, and water retention.
Coughing, shortness of breath, the common cold, and fevers without
sweat are all indications for its use. While the active constituent,
ephedrine, was isolated in 1887, it was not until 1924 that the herb
became popular with physicians in the US. for its broncho-dilating
and decongesting properties. |
Remedies
For |
Diaphoretic, bronchial dilator, diuretic
Induces perspiration, warms coldness, relieves wheezing, moves
fluids. It is used for common cold, wheezing, bronchial asthma,
bronchitis, and edema.
Useful for:
Asthma
Common Cold
Hay fever
Congestion
Cough
Weight loss and obesity
Ephedra is used to treat asthma, hay fever, the common cold, and
as a weight loss aid.
Asthma and hay fever: Ephedra is useful in the treatment of mild
to moderate hay fever and asthma. It is recommended that you supplement
the ephedra use with substances that support the adrenal glands,
such as licorice, panax ginseng, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, vitamin
B-6, and pantothenic acid.
The traditional herbal treatment of asthma involves the use of ephedra
in combination with herbal expectprants. The expectorants modify
the secretions from the respiratory tract, ultimately improving
its function by having the user spit up the secretions out. The
most commonly used expectorants are licorice, grindelia, euphorbia,
sundew, and senega.
Weight Loss Aid: Ephedrine suppresses the appetite and increases
the metabolic rate of adipose tissue. Ephedrine activates the sympathetic
nervous system, increasing the metabolic rate and increasing the
amount of the food converted to heat (thermogenesis). This prevents
the body from converting these foods to fat, thus helping in the
control of weight gain by those who have low metabolism.
Ephedrine is often used in conjunction with methylxanthine sources
such as coffee, tea, cola nut, and guarana. The methylxanthines
enhances the thermogenic effect of ephedrine. Clinical studies have
also shown that aspirin may be effective in increasing the thermogenic
effect of ephedrine.
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Description |
Ephedra is a shrublike plant found in desert regions throughout
the world. It is distributed from northern China to Inner Mongolia.
The dried green stems of the three Asian species (E. sinica, intermedia,
equisetina) are the plant parts employed medicinally. The North
American species of ephedra does not appear to contain the active
ingredients of its Asian counterparts. The plants are 1.5 to 4 foot
high. They typically grow on dry, rocky, or sandy slopes. The many
slender, yellow green branches of ephedra have two very small leaf
scales at each node. The mature, double seeded cones are visible
in the fall.
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Dosage |
The crude powdered stems of ephedra (with
less than 1% ephedrine) are employed at a dose of 1-4 grams per day
in tea form.
Tinctures of 1-4 ml three times per day can be taken.
Over-the-counter drugs containing ephedrine can be safely used
by adults at a dose of 12.5-25 mg every four hours. Adults should
take no more than 150 mg every twenty-four hours.
Pseudoephedrine is typically recommended at a dose of 60 mg every
six hours.
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Safety |
Ephedra should not be used by those with external deficiency with
symptoms of spontaneous sweating. Because the alkaloids have an
effect similar to that of adrenaline, ephedra should not be used
with symptoms of high blood pressure or insomnia.
Ephedra has a long history of safe use at the recommended amount.
However, abuse of the drug-especially for weight loss-can lead to
amphetamine-like side effects, including elevated blood pressure,
muscle disturbances, insomnia, dry mouth, heart palpitations, nervousness,
and even death due to heart failure.
Anyone with high blood pressure, heart conditions, diabetes, glaucoma,
thyroid disease, and those taking MAO-inhibiting antidepressants
should consult with a physician before using any type of product
with ephedra.
Pseudoephedrine can cause drowsiness and should be used with caution
if driving or operating machinery Ephedra-based products should
be avoided during pregnancy and lactation and used with caution
in children under the age of six years.
US FDA recommends that the amount of ephedra added to dietary supplements
to 8 milligrams. FDA wants warning labels put on the products cautioning
against taking them for more than a week, and advising consumers
not to combine them with other stimulants. These were retracted
on strong opposition from the General Accounting Office (GAO), that
the agency does not have enough evidence to make such recommendation.
However, FDA has kept the warning against mixing ephedrine with
other stimulants.
Medical experts suggest that used as a stimulant, ephedra can raise
blood pressure and heart rate, cause vomiting, heart palpitations,
dizziness, nervousness and more serious reactions, including heart
attacks, seizures and strokes. U.S. FDA has said that between 1997
and 1999 it had received 140 reports of illness or death linked
to ephedra alkaloids. Since then, the agency has gotten another
103 such reports, but those haven't been investigated. A recent
study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that
ephedra might be the main culprit for those deaths. (Read the entire
article on the discussion of the safety of this drug.)
Because of the possible danger due to the abuse, we recommend that
you should limit the amount of this herb consumed strictly. It has
been shown that many times, the actual amount of the active ingredients
present in the products can differ substantially from batch to batch
due to poor quality controls. So, caution is recommended. We also
recommend that you do not take this with stimulants such as caffeine.
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Medicinal
Plants
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List of Medicinal
Plants A - L |
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