Ephedra contains several additional alkaloids that undergo analogous reductions to form amphetamine and n,ndimethylamphetamine also drugs of abuse. Some dozen or so species occur in the western united states, with three ephedra viridis, ephedra cutleri, ephedra torreyana common in the four corners area. Ephedra may be found further east in dry areas where it has escaped cultivation. It grows at 9002,300 metres 3,0007,500 ft elevations. While ephedra is considered to be a weightloss drug, the doses recommended for losing weight mostly exceed the usual prescribed limit. It prefers a sandystony well drained moderately fertile soil in an open sunny position and is drought, light frost and salt spray tolerant.
Ephedra is an evergreen shrublike plant native to central asia, and mongolia. Cultivation requires some effort, prefers light sandy dry, acid, soil in sunny position, cannot grow in the shade and not selffertile, both male and female plants must be grown if seed is desired. For species with more than two cytotypes, ephedra fasciculata was notable for having four cytotypes 2x4x5x6x based on the analysis of eight individuals, while e. California ephedra plant provided various benefits for. Ephedra is also called chinese ephedra, ma huang and herbal ecstasy. Before 2004, ephedra was sold as part of a number of weightloss and energy supplements used to enhance athletic performance. Date march 30, 2012 author by russ bianchi category moringa benefits, zija is superior.
Ephedra the ephedra family, ephedraceae, has but one genus, ephedra. Ephedra sinica or mahuang is an evergreen shrub native to central asia. Ephedra regeliana in kew science plants of the world online. Ephedra is a shrublike evergreen plant that is found in arid regions of europe, central asia, and other parts of the world. Ephedra is inherent to china, pakistan and northwestern india.
Scientific assessment of ephedra species ephedra spp. Ephedrine is currently sold primarily as a bronchodilator for use in asthma and other disorders that cause tightening and spasms of. The pure alkaloid ephedrine was first isolated and characterised by nagai in 1885. When react the raw product from a crude ephedra extraction, you will get a product which contains most methamphetamin and a little amphetamine and. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Ephedra grass is grown and cultivated in many parts of china and india on governmentowned farms. This ephedra extract has been a part of traditional chinese medicine for over 2,000 years in fact, ephedra is one of the oldest plants to be used medicinally by early humans. Determination of ephedrine alkaloids in botanicals and. It is shown by c nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy that the labelled c2 fragment of. Gardner contribution from departments of pharmaceutics and pharmacy practice, college of pharmacy, university of arkansas for medical sciences, 4301 west markham street, slot 522, little. People have used ephedra for centuries in china for colds, fever, flu, headaches, asthma, nasal congestion, and wheezing. A new species of ephedra ephedraceae, ephedrales from india.
The plant list includes 157 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus ephedra. It has been used in traditional chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. The thermogenic properties of ephedrine are mainly due to its action as a sympathicomimetic compound. Ephedra viridis is the most common ephedra in our area, but any one of the three. The various species of ephedra are widespread in many lands, native to southwestern north america, southern europe, northern africa, southwest and central asia, northern china and western south america in temperate climates, most ephedra species grow on shores or in sandy soils with. Some asian species have been used as a source of the stimulant ephedrine, and many are important in herbal medicine. Ephedrine is one of the most commonly used noncatecholamine sympathomimetic drugs in the perioperative period. Ephedra is an evolutionally isolated group and is the only genus in the order ephedrales. Ephedra ephedra altissima, where it is an herbal stimulant drug composed of two active compounds pseudoephedrine and ephedrine and that are of ingredients in many overthebe produced by chemical sant tasting.
Ephedra is the sole genus in ephedraceae dumortier 1829, which many authors designate as the sole family in order ephedrales dumortier 1829. Ephedrinetype alkaloid content of nutritional supplements. It is indigenous to the western united states, where it is a member of varied scrub, woodland, desert, and open habitats. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Like coffee and tea, ephedra has also been brewed into a beverage and consumed for its stimulant effects. Witkamp, in comprehensive natural products ii, 2010. Ephedra regeliana in world checklist of selected plant families. The plant list includes a further 79 scientific plant names of infraspecific rank for the genus ephedra. Meyer is a research ecologist at the usda forest services rocky mountain research station, shrub sciences laboratory,provo utah table 1ephedra,ephedra. Native americans and mormon pioneers drank a tea brewed. Browse pictures and read growth cultivation information about mormon tea ephedra nevadensis supplied by member gardeners in the plantfiles database at daves garden. Plants of the ephedra family the ephedras produce naked seeds like the pines, but they form on a colored, cuplike structure called a perianth.
Ephedra is particularly effective in improving the bronchial tubes or airways, thus it can successfully cure colds, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, asthma and other respiratory disorders. The board of trustees of the royal botanic gardens, kew. The history of ephedra mahuang abstract ephedra is a chinese shrub which has been used in china for medicinal purposes for several thousand years. An ephedra rupestris in uska species han plantae in nahilalakip ha divisio nga gnetophyta, ngan nga ginhulagway ni george bentham.
The ephedra family of plants, most notably species ephedra sinica ma huang, contains nonalkaloid and alkaloid compounds, ephedrine one of the latter. Fisher, world renown antiaging specialist, author of 16 books including moringa olifera magic, myth, or miracle at. Ephedra extract benefits as mentioned above, ephedra was widely used in traditional chinese medicine and other branches of alternative medicine. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. Ephedra rupestris ingar i slaktet efedravaxter, och familjen ephedraceae. One famous species, ephedra sinica, is the source for the chinese supplement ma huang. Ephedra ephedra sinica plant profiler sigmaaldrich. Ephedra ephedra californicaover 50 species of ephedra, or joint fir, can be found growing all around the world. An ephedra rupestris in nahilalakip ha genus nga ephedra, ngan familia nga ephedraceae.
These are primarily included because names of species rank are synonyms. Ebert, in pharmacology and physiology for anesthesia second edition, 2019. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and uptodate information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in. It could be found in rocky mountains and deserts but thrives well in arid and semiarid climates. We do not intend the plant list to be complete for names of infraspecific rank. The ephedra plant has been identified as an excellent source of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, both of which can be chemically reduced to form the widely abused illicit drug methamphetamine. Karyotypes of seven ephedra species with a range of ploidy levels are given in appendix a1, figs a2 and a3. Issn 23203862 qualitative and quantities analysis of. Ephedra is a genus of gymnosperm shrubs, the only genus in its family, ephedraceae, and order, ephedrales.
Ephedra products claims ephedra products ingredients the science or lack thereof behind ephedra productsand the controversy word on the street about ephedra products the bottom line are overthecounter ephedra products worth a try. The aim of this study was to measure the total alkaloids content tac, total phenolics content tpc, and total flavonoids content tfc and determine their relationship in dry herb of ephedra major. When it comes to weight loss, let clinical weight loss eca xtreme with 25 mg ephedra extract 90 tablets be your answer where other weight loss and diet supplements have failed. Several additional species belonging to the genus ephedra have traditionally been used for a variety of medicinal purposes, and are a possible candidate for the soma plant of indoiranian religion. The traditional chinese medicine ma huang is derived from aerial parts of ephedra, and has been used for the treatment of asthma, bronchial spasms, and as. Ephedra is a medicinal preparation from the plant ephedra sinica. Sideeffects, such as high blood pressure, rapid heart beat, nervousness, irritability, headache, urination disturbances and insomnia, can be experienced, especially when the herb is consumed as a recreational drug. There are several local names have been recorded in.
A new species of ephedra ephedraceae, ephedrales from india article pdf available in phytotaxa 2182. Ephedra, genus of 65 species of gymnosperm shrubs of the family ephedraceae. Calothamnus rupestris is naturally found in southwest western australia growing on the coast to the adjoining mountains and inland. Ephedra californica and ephedra viridis contain pseudoephedrine, but no ephedrine adams jr. Dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids from herbal sources ephedra are brought to the attention of the cswg as part of an ongoing national institutes of health nih office of dietary supplements ods research initiative on the safety and efficacy of these products. The microsporophylls are similar to the stamens of the flowering plant. Ephedra viridis, known by the common names green mormon tea, green ephedra, and indian tea, is a species of ephedra.
Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine stimulate the opening of air passages in the lungs and are used as decongestants. Claremont, california 91711 abstract wood of two specimens of ephedra from high alpine localities is nearly vessellcss. China is the worlds largest exporter of bulk ephedrine. Ginklasipika han iucn an species komo diri gud kababarakan. Nearvessellessness in ephedra and its significance sherwin carlquist1 rancho santa ana botanic garden and department of biology.
Ang ephedra rupestris sakop sa kahenera nga ephedra sa kabanay nga ephedraceae. Pharmacological effects depend on the phytocomposition of individual ephedra species. Purpose of assessment the federal office of consumer protection and food safety bvl, in collaboration with the als working party on dietary foods, nutrition and classification issues, has compiled a hit list of 10 substances, the consumption of which may pose a health risk. Green ephedra is a dioecious, scraggly shrub rarely more than 60 cm to 150 cm high. The naked seeds are the features, which places ephedra with the classical group, the gymnosperms.
An evergreen shrub growing 2 to 3 feet high with no leaves. Thus it superficially appears that these plants are an evolutionary link between the conifers and the true flowering plants. The actual quantity may also differ considerably from that stated. Major species of ephedra include ephedra sinica stapf. The text of this page is licensed under the creative commons attribution license version 3. Giklaseklase sa iucn ang espesye sa kinaminosang kalabotan. Ephedrinetype alkaloid content of nutritional supplements containing ephedra sinica mahuang as determined by high performance liquid chromatography b. The medicinal significance of ephedra is based on the sympathomimetic properties of ephedrine e alkaloids. Ephedra herb uses alternative nature online herbal. Ephedra commonly known as joint pine, joint fir, mormon tea or brigham tea is the only genus in family ephedraceae and order ephedrales. Polyploidy in gymnosperms insights into the genomic and. Espesye sa tanom sakop sa kaulo nga tracheophyta, ug nga gihulagway ni george bentham ang ephedra rupestris. Distribution of ephedra vegetative features of ephedra anatomy of ephedra reproduction of ephedra embryogency of ephedra economic importance of. Ephedra products contain ephedra haulm or extracts of ephedra haulm and their ephedra alkaloid content differs widely.