Ma Huang Ephedra
Ma Huang is just another name for ephedra as is Mormon Tea, Squaw Tea, Herbal Ecstasy, Epitonin, Desert tea, and Chinese Ephedra. The ephedra plant or shrub is found in different desert areas around the globe and has been used by the Chinese for over 5,000 years and by the Mormons, Native Americans, and Mexicans for medicinal purposes for many years. Ephedra has also been made synthetically. It has been used for asthma, fever, congested sinuses, congested lungs or bronchial tubes, cough, common colds, weight loss aid, as an energy booster, as a sports performance booster, and more. The dangers and serious health issues caused by ephedra out weighed the good uses of the product because the Federal court banned ephedra in 2003 and again in 2006. Side effects experienced from the use of products containing ephedra were heart attacks, strokes, seizures, irregular heart beat, rapid heart beat, allergies, hives, itching, nausea, vomiting, nervousness, tremors, psychosis, insomnia, death, and more.
Ephedra is found in the ephedra shrub in the desert regions around the world and it was also made synthetically. The stems of the shrub were cut, dried and made into a white powder. It is a stimulant and may be the oldest medicine on record. It is definitely one of the oldest on record. There are four members of the ephedra family. They are Ephedrine, Nor-pseudo-ephedrine, Nor-ephedrine, and the weakest form Pseudo-ephedrine. Even the weakest form has side effects and dangers just like the other members. Ephedra is the herbal form of ephedrine. Ephedrine is controlled by the FDA because it is a synthetic drug. Ephedra acts similar to adrenaline but is less powerful. It will last longer than adrenaline however. It acts as a stimulant and causes the heart to beat faster and raises the blood pressure. This is why there are so many side effects.
Many people have suffered or died from the use of ephedra based products. There were over 800 reports of serious side effects reported to the FDA and some deaths from 1994 to 2003 and this was what spurred the FDA to get ephedra banned. Ephedra was banned in 2003 but some people did not feel that ephedra was as dangerous as the FDA claimed so they filed a petition with the Federal court to get the ban on ephedra lifted so in 2005 the court agreed and lifted the ban. They felt that the FDA did not have enough evidence to prove that when taken in small amounts of 10 mg or less that there were any dangers. The FDA received over 1,000 reports of hospital emergencies and at least 17 deaths from 1997 to 2006 and after testing some of the ephedra products, the FDA decided to take their evidence back to court. They found that some of the products tested contained less and some contained more ephedra than was stated on their labels. Some of the products did not contain ephedra at all although it was listed on the labels of the bottles. Ephedra was banned again in October, 2006.
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