Ephedra in perspective--a current review. Phytother Res 2003 Aug;17(7):703-12
Date
08/14/2003Pubmed ID
12916063DOI
10.1002/ptr.1337Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0041976090 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 233 CitationsAbstract
Although the traditional use of Ephedra 'ma huang' has been established for thousands of years, its resurgence in the US as a herbal dietary supplement is currently a matter of national controversy. At the heart of the debate are three important questions: (1) the identity and composition of Ephedra products with regard to ephedrine and related alkaloids; (2) the potential therapeutic utility of Ephedra supplements for weight loss or performance enhancement; and (3) potential health risks associated with such uses of Ephedra, particularly in sensitive individuals or in cases of intentional abuse for its stimulant properties. This review surveys the literature on Ephedra with regard to traditional uses, botany, chemistry, analytics, pharmacological effects and health risks. A brief discussion of the central issues in the current debate on the regulation of Ephedra in the United States is included as this is where most of the problems have occurred to date.
Author List
Abourashed EA, El-Alfy AT, Khan IA, Walker LAuthors
Ehab A. Abourashed PhD Professor in the School of Pharmacy Operations department at Medical College of WisconsinAbir El-Alfy PhD Assistant Dean, Professor in the School of Pharmacy Operations department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Central Nervous System StimulantsDietary Supplements
Ephedra
Ephedrine
Humans
Obesity
Phytotherapy
Plant Components, Aerial
Plant Extracts
