Species:
(1) Ephedra sinica (Chinese ephedra, ma-hwang or ma-huang)
(2) Ephedra equisetina
(3) Ephedra intermedia
(4) Ephedra geradiana
(5) Ephedra nevadensis (Mormon tea)
Active ingredient: ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and related alkaloids with sympathomimetic activity
Use as an herbal product:
(1) stimulant
(2) weight loss
(3) asthma
Patients at risk for toxic reactions:
(1) very young and very old
(2) acute or chronic renal failure
(3) pre-existing cardiovascular disease
(4) taken in conjunction with caffeine or other stimulant
Cardiovascular toxicities:
(1) tachycardia
(2) cardiac arrhythmias
(3) myocardial ischemia and infarction
(4) stroke
(5) severe hypertension
Other toxicities:
(1) insomnia
(2) nephrolithiasis
(3) psychiatric reactions including agitation, bizarre behavior and psychosis
(4) seizures
(5) rhabdomyolysis
(6) hyperthermia
(7) vasculitis of the central nervous system (after chronic use)
(8) dependence
(9) urinary retention
