The history of Ephedra (ma-huang)

Abstract

Ephedra is a Chinese shrub which has been used in China for medicinal purposes for several thousand years. The pure alkaloid ephedrine was first isolated and characterised by Nagai in 1885. It was then forgotten until it was rediscovered by Chen and Schmidt in the early 1920s. Its actions on the adrenoceptors could be classified into separate alpha and beta effects--a defining moment in the history of autonomic pharmacology. Ephedrine became a highly popular and effective treatment for asthma, particularly because, unlike adrenaline (until then the standard therapy), it can be given by mouth. Ephedrine as a treatment for asthma reached its zenith in the late 1950s, since when there has been a gradual and inevitable decline in its therapeutic use. From mainstream medicine, ephedrine moved into the twilight zone of street drugs and nutritional supplements. Ephedra and ephedrine products are now banned in many countries, as they are a major source for the production of the addictive compound methamphetamine (crystal meth).

Toxicity of Weight Loss Agents

“…It has been used medicinally in China for thousands of years [42] and is marketed in the USA as an energy booster and weight control agent through its agonism of adrenergic receptors [43]. Treatment is supportive with symptomatic control of the patient's adrenergic state.…”

Growth Rate Differences of Chrysomya sp. Larvae on Rattus novergicus Wistar Strain Corpse Exposed and Unexposed to Ephedrine Toxic Dose

“…At this stage, the larvae eat more than 1 st larva stage. The outer skin of larvae then inflate until molting process occurs for second time to turn the larvae into 3 rd larva stage [3]. In 3 rd larva stage, there are two stages, namely feeding stage and post-feeding stage.…”

“…Ephedrine can help relax the bronchial muscles so that it can be used in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Ephedrine is also able to boost appetite and also methamphetamine precursor materials due its similar structure [2,3].…”

History full circle: ‘Novel’ sympathomimetics in supplements

“…and characterized to great acclaim by elite pharmacologists Ko Kuei Chen and Carl Schmidt, the drug exhibited a range of adrenaline-like actions -but in a more useful form than adrenaline, the hormone blockbuster of 1901. [1][2][3] Adrenaline (as the substance was then known, but now as a mixture of epinephrine and norepinephrine (18,19)) was found to be clinically useful in slowing bleeding from soft tissue surgery and treating shock. Adrenaline was also widely consumed as a decongestant (applied via atomizer, in place of previously popular cocaine) and bronchodilator (injected for cases of severe asthmatic attack).…”

“…[5,6] By the end of the 1930s, both the Benzedrine Inhaler and Benzedrine tablets were achieving great market success, so much so that they attracted competitors with imitative products based on methamphetamine (6), which was unpatentable (because of the publication of its 1919 synthesis and pharmacological characterization, in the course of structural studies on ephedrine, by Japanese chemist Akira Ogata). [3,7] These methamphetamine products included Pervitin tablets from the German firm Temmler and Methedrine tablets from Burroughs-Wellcome, and the Drinalfa Inhaler from Squibb. Given the mood-elevating and dependenceproducing properties of amphetamine and methamphetamine, there is no surprise that by the end of the Second World War these products were causing significant abuse and dependency.…”