The most well known form of ephedra is a type of stimulant derived from the plant ephedra sinica and has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 5,000 years for treating colds, asthma, hay fever and more. Known as ma huang in Chinese, this...
Ephedra extract is an ingredient in some dietary supplements used to boost energy or aid in weight loss. While ephedra has been banned in supplement form, its active alkaloid, ephedrine, still is used in some asthma medications. Ephedra and...
Energy supplements are substances taken to increase energy levels, fight fatigue and improve mood and alertness. Many different energy supplement formulations exist, most of which contain the same key ingredients. While most energy supplements...
Through the years, a variety of drugs and supplements have been promoted as a shortcut to weight loss. Many were later banned due to safety concerns and serious adverse effects. Learning about the history of banned weight-loss drugs helps increase...
Ephedra sinica is a shrub that grows in the deserts of Asia, Europe and Africa. The Chinese have long used the woody stems of ephedra sinica for medicinal uses, such as the treatment of upper respiratory problems. Herbal ephedra diet pills contain...
Ephedra is an herbal stimulant that was popular as a weight loss aid and energy supplement before being banned by the FDA in 2004. Despite its modest effects on weight loss, ephedra was found to carry a significant risk of side effects like...
Ephedra, also known as Ephedra sinica or ma huang, is an ingredient that appears to promote weight loss and was included in many diet supplements. As the Mayo Clinic explains, ephedra was banned by the FDA in 2005 due to ephedra's potential to...
Ephedra occurs naturally in the Chinese herb Ma Huang. Synthesized versions of ephedrine, such as pseudoephedrine, serve as a short-term treatment for asthma, allergic reactions and bronchitis. Before 2004, when the U.S. Food and Drug...
Ephedrine is a medication synthesized from an alkaloid contained in the plant ephedra sinica, also known as ma huang. Previously a popular ingredient in dietary supplements to promote weight loss, ephedrine is now only available by prescription....
Lipodrene is a dietary supplement containing a variety of ingredients including ephedrine and caffeine. While it’s sold legally as a weight loss aid, Lipodrene can cause serious adverse effects due to the combination of stimulants it...
Ephedrine, the most commonly used ingredient from the ephedra plant, acts as a stimulate in the body. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter found in the sympathetic nervous system. It is also an important hormone that regulates many functions in...
Eczema is a skin condition that affects 2 percent of the population. It has a familial link to it. People can have acute or chronic flare ups with eczema. Itch usually presents before the actual rash. It can be exacerbated by wool clothes, harsh...
Chinese herbs are used for health, energy and vitality. There are, however, some Chinese herbs that should not be used by pregnant women due to the adverse side effects they can cause during pregnancy, which can transfer to the unborn fetus....
Thanks to gym rats looking to pack on muscle and dieters hoping to lose weight, the fitness industry sold over 94 billion dollars worth of supplements in 2007, reports the USU Consortium for Health and Military Performance. A popular practice...
Asthma can be defined as attacks of spasmodic contraction of the bronchial tubes, causing breathlessness. It can be caused by allergic reactions and hypersensitivity in the bronchial walls. Herbs that work to sedate and expel phlegm are...
In 2004, the drug ephedrine was banned by the FDA for use as an energy supplement in the United States. Ephedrine may still be an ingredient, however, in some over-the-counter cough medicines. Ephedrine is a chemical alkaloid that is derived from...
Nasal inflammation occurs when the lining of nasal passages becomes irritated, resulting in congestion, headache and other allergic symptoms. Nasal inflammation may be caused by allergies to inhaled particles like mold spores or pollen as well as...
Ephedra is a substance used as a short-term form of treatment for asthma, bronchitis and allergies, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Ephedra occurs naturally but may also be artificially produced. Ephedrine is the main...
Dietary and health supplements containing extracts of the ephedra plant were once marketed in the U.S. as energy boosters and fat reducers. Ephedra extracts contain chemical alkaloids called ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. These compounds increase...
Ephedrine is a naturally-occurring alkaloid derived from a particular species of plant called Ephedra sinica. This supplement was marketed under the brand name Ephedra and was indicated to help patients lose weight. In February 2004, the U.S. Food...
Bitter orange is an herbal supplement derived from the fruit of the Citrus aurantium tree. In recent years, bitter orange has replaced ephedra as a natural weight loss aid in many over-the-counter supplements. Like ephedra, bitter orange can...
Ephedrine, a substance refined from the plant ephedra, is an herbal product that gained popularity both as a weight-loss supplement and athletic enhancer, as well as in the treatment of colds, asthma and other respiratory disorders. Products...
Ephedra, or ma huang in Chinese medicine, is a natural substance with amphetamine-like properties. Ephedrine alkaloids derived from ephedra were often combined with caffeine and marketed as weight-loss pills. But in 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug...
Ephedra is the extract of the Ephedra sinica plant. Traditional Chinese medicine uses ephedra to treat respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, colds and flu. Ephedra also increases your metabolism, making this natural supplement a popular...
Primatene is an over-the-counter medication used to treat asthma. Ephedrine, one of the main ingredients in Primatene, is sometimes used to boost weight loss. While ephedrine has potential as a weight loss aid, it can also cause serious side...
Glaucoma, according to the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, is an umbrella term that encompasses more than one eye disease. The characteristic common to all of the subcategories of glaucoma is optic nerve damage. This nerve carries...
Ephedra is the common name of the shrub ephedra sinica, and it contains the compounds ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. The Chinese refer to the plant as ma huang and have long used it for the short-term treatment of upper respiratory problems such...
Traditional Chinese medicine has been using herbs and various other Eastern medical strategies to treat health problems for over two millennium, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Though the herbs often do have health effects,...
Ephedrine is a stimulant derived from the Ephedra genus of plants. While ephedra is no longer available as a dietary supplement in the United States, ephedrine is still included in some medications for conditions like asthma and myasthenia...
