Parts Used: Above-ground part of the plant.
Pharmacy name: ephedra herb – Ephedrae heiba (formerly: Herba Ephedrae).
Botanical description.In China, this wild herb has been used for over 5,000 years for poor circulation, fever, coughs, and to increase work capacity. Somewhat later, other species of Ephedra from India and Spain received the same application. Ephedrae herba is currently the collective designation for all Ephedra species that contain the active ingredient ephedrine. Ephedra grows in a small bush, resembling a horsetail, and reaches a height of 30-40 (50) cm. The twig-shaped jointed branches are located in whorls, with leathery sheaths near the nodes and are devoid of green leaves. The flowers of this dioecious plant are inconspicuous. This appearance is very characteristic of plants that, like representatives of the genus Ephedra, grow in dry, hot areas. Gathering o blank. Only young branches are cut. Do this in the fall, when the substances that make up the plant, especially ephedrine, are present in the greatest quantity. Rapid air drying yields valuable pharmaceutical raw materials.
Active ingredients: various alkaloids, mainly ephedrine. Healing action and application. This plant is used because of ephedrine, which is not difficult to isolate from it. But since ephedrine can now be made synthetically just as easily, it is most often used in its pure form, and not as an extract from a natural material. However, some doctors are of the opinion that ephedra tea has certain advantages: to normalize blood pressure as a result of infectious diseases, with asthma attacks, also with hay fever, urticaria and other allergic conditions.
- Ephedra tea: 1 teaspoon topped with herbs, pour 1/4 liter of boiling water, let it brew for 10 minutes, drain, drink 2 times a day for 1 cup.
Side effects. If you stick to the indicated doses, then there is no reason to fear side effects when using both ephedrine and natural material. However, in case of an overdose, interruptions in cardiac activity may occur.