Dried aerial parts of the listed ephedra species were used to determine the tac, tpc and tfc using spectrophotometric methods. Ephedrine levels may vary according to how old the plants are, where they are grown, when the seed is harvested, how the herb is processes, whether the nodes are used or not, how long the dried herb has been stored, etc. They are then dried and later ground to extract some powder. Probably the most effective approach is to prepare the planting site with the plant s specific environmental needs in mind, and then plant at least 3, because this seems to reflect critical mass and because the plants. Ephedra, genus of 65 species of gymnosperm shrubs of the family ephedraceae. This project shows that there is a need for improvement in view of public health. Ephedra or ma huang is a sympathomimetic herbal extract used for asthma treatment, weight loss.
The medicinal significance of ephedra is based on the sympathomimetic properties of ephedrine e alkaloids. Ephedra ephedra californicaover 50 species of ephedra, or joint fir, can be found growing all around the world. Mormon tea, ephedra sinica, epitonin, herbal ecstasy, ma huang. When deer browse, they tend to select the youngest and most tender growth first, which is usually the new leaves and stem tips. Ephedra sinica stapf and other ephedra species, used to treat asthma, nose and. Pdf in india, medicinal plants have traditionally occupied an important place. Scientific assessment of ephedra species ephedra spp. Ephedra is an evergreen shrublike plant native to central asia, and mongolia. Pdf a new species of ephedra ephedraceae, ephedrales. Ephedra herb uses alternative nature online herbal.
Ephedra sinica, also called ma huang, is a plant native to asia, though it also grows in other areas around the world. Well the main reason i didnt plant them yet is the lack of grow lights. The plant list includes a further 79 scientific plant names of infraspecific rank for the genus ephedra. This is a good herb for breathing issues but it seems we are not able to purchase the dried herb from mountain rose so it would be nice to have the actual plant. Ephedra herb is defined in the sixteenth edition of the japanese pharmacopoeia jp as the terrestrial stem of ephedra sinica staf. Plants of the ephedra family the ephedras produce naked seeds like the pines, but they form on a colored, cuplike structure called a perianth. Ephedra is an evolutionally isolated group and is the only genus in the order ephedrales. Hello i was wondering if i could buy the ephedra for a house plant for now. Its been used in chinese medicine for thousands of years 1, 2. The thermogenic properties of ephedrine are mainly due to its action as a sympathicomimetic compound.
Pdf chemical composition of various ephedra species. These are primarily included because names of species rank are synonyms. Ephedra intermedia is higher in pseudoephedrine than ephedrine. Ephedra altissima highclimbing jointfir ephedra antisyphilitica.
The plant is a common site as you travel deep into the canyon and can be found growing along the trails as well as in arbitrary locations about the various outcrops in the neverending maze of rock. People are familiar with healing properties of ephedra for thousands of. The biggest difference is that in ephedra viridis, the male and female reproductive parts are cones and they are located on separate plants. Figure 1 the gymnosperm ephedra sinica, after drawings by h riedl. A new species of ephedra ephedraceae, ephedrales from india article pdf available in phytotaxa 2182. Scientifically called ephedra sinica, it is a plant which has been used for its medicinal purposes for more than 2000 years. The pollen cones are clustered at nodes either sessile or stalked. Green ephedra mormon tea is a dioecious, scraggly shrub rarely more than 60 cm to 150 cm high. This is true with most herbs, but especially with ephedra, since other plant constituents can help buffer or. Meyer, or ephedra equisetina bunge ephedraceae, which have stems with ephedrine alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine content greater than 0.
Lephedrine is a natural plant alkaloid isolated originally from the dried young branches of ephedra, a plant with interesting pharmacological activities. This ephedra extract has been a part of traditional chinese medicine for over 2,000 years in fact, ephedra is one of the oldest plants to be used medicinally by early humans. Find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Characterization of phenolic constituents from ephedra. It is the source of ephedrine alkaloids and has an extremely long history of use in china. Ephedra ephedra sinica plant profiler sigmaaldrich. Some dozen or so species occur in the western united states, with three ephedra viridis, ephedra cutleri, ephedra torreyana common in the four corners area. Hi kelly, as long as you give full sun and a welldrained soil you can grow true mahuang in texas, the humidity doesnt matter. Green ephedra is highly sensitive to soil salinity. In chinese characters ma means astringent and huang means yellow, probably referring to the.
Ephedra nevadensis is an american species of ephedra that can be found growing in many of the dry areas of the country, including the grand canyon. Ephedra is a medicinal preparation from the plant ephedra sinica. Unlike using the isolated or synthesized ephedrine, using the whole plant in alternative medicine is much more effective and rarely gives rise to serious sideeffects. It has been used in traditional chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. Ephedra sinica ma huang, chinese ephedra pfaf plant database. Light microscopy lm is used to examine the early developmental stages of the male cones and combined light lm and scanning electron microscopy sem were used to analyze the mature pollen grains. The species is dioecious individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Pharmacological effects depend on the phytocomposition of individual ephedra species. Several additional species belonging to the genus ephedra have traditionally been used for a variety of medicinal purposes, and are a possible candidate for the soma plant of indoiranian religion. Mormon tea, ephedra viridis, is one of sixteen species of ephedra that grow in the deserts of the southwestern states and has an interesting story to tell. Witkamp, in comprehensive natural products ii, 2010.
Seasonal variation of alkaloids contained in ephedra sinica herba in inner mongolia. The ephedras are amongst the most ancient land plants, dating back more than 300 million years. In august, the flowers bear poisonous, fleshy, red cones resembling berries. Ephedra belongs to the group of gymnosperms plants that produce naked seed. Ma huang ephedra scenically referred to as ephedra sinica has been used for years as an antisleep herb. The ephedra plant has been identified as an excellent source of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, both of which can be chemically reduced to form the widely abused illicit drug methamphetamine. Click below on a thumbnail map or name for species profiles. Ephedra is a low stalky shrub with jointed green to brown stems and tiny unnoticeable leaves. Ephedra the ephedra family, ephedraceae, has but one genus, ephedra.
Ephedra l ephedra or mormontea usda forest service. The mountain quail eats the seeds of ephedra species and the plant is browsed by deer, bison, and antelope. Ephedra major is an evergreen shrub growing to 2 m 6ft by 1 m 3ft 3in. Preparation of the right microsite is particularly important for a plant of this nature, which must maintain a dry, warm crown during the growing season lest the crown begin to rot. It usually grows in the deserts, areas near the shore, plains and on the mountain slopes. Ephedra sinica or mahuang is an evergreen shrub native to central asia. One famous species, ephedra sinica, is the source for the chinese supplement ma huang. March through may, and seeds ripen from june through. It is in leaf all year, in flower from may to june, and the seeds ripen from august to september. Ephedrine is a natural product of the ephedra plant ephedra sinica, and is a mixedacting, noncatecholamine sympathomimetic with both direct and indirect stimulating effects on. The parts of the plant above the ground are collected. Derived from evergreen ephedra shrub many speciese. Davinder kaur reader in botany, maitreyi college university of delhi.
By observing which browse plants deer are eating on your property, it. Supplements containing ephedra extracts are a popular herbal stimulant. Appendix 3 reported ephedra plant species and compositions of ephedra. Ephedra compacta attains a height of about 30 cm and e. There are also other structural differences between the two plant types, but the general idea of how the plants are pollinated is the same. Flower are found in in axils, 6 to 15 pale yellow flowered, on 3 to 5 mm long stalks borne at branch apex, petals ovateoblong or oblonglanceshaped. Purpose of assessment the federal office of consumer protection and food safety bvl, in collaboration with the als working party on dietary foods, nutrition and classification issues, has compiled a hit list of 10 substances, the consumption of which may pose a health risk. To file a complaint of discrimination write usda, director, office. I was about to sow some cacti seeds as well, so i might toss in some ephedra. Ephedra viridis is the most common ephedra in our area, but any one of the three.
There are 69 species of ephedra that can be found in asia, north and south america, europe and africa. A member of family ephedraceae, ephedra sinica is the primary species that has been used in china for more than 5000 years and is still being used in ephedra preparations and extracts all around the world chen and schmidt, 1926. Though i think the seedlings might have enough with my grolux 18w tube until they germinate. The plants database includes the following 19 species of ephedra. The vegetative plant body contains roots, stem and leaves and shows xerophytic characters. Ephedra or mahuang is the entire plant or the overground portion of ephedra sinica grown in china. Ephedra contains several additional alkaloids that undergo analogous reductions to form amphetamine and n,ndimethylamphetamine. Ebert, in pharmacology and physiology for anesthesia second edition, 2019. Chemical composition of various ephedra species ncbi. Shruby plant body usually remains less than two metres in height in most of the species. Ephedrine is one of the most commonly used noncatecholamine sympathomimetic drugs in the perioperative period. Mormon tea, nevada ephedra nevadensis potted plant.
It is this powder which is them taken in different methods to experience the antisleep effects. Recently, it is used to promote weight loss and bodybuilding community. People have used ephedra for centuries in china for colds, fever, flu, headaches, asthma, nasal congestion, and wheezing. Diversity of seed plants and their systematics gymnosperms ii morphology, anatomy and life cycle of ephedra dr. We do not intend the plant list to be complete for names of infraspecific rank. The aim of this study was to measure the total alkaloids content tac, total phenolics content tpc, and total flavonoids content tfc and determine their relationship in dry herb of ephedra major. Ephedra sinica es mahuang is a wellknown plant due.
California ephedra plant provided various benefits for. Nearly leafless, the plant has slender, cylindrical, yellowgreen branches and underground runners. The plant list includes 157 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus ephedra. The various species of ephedra are widespread in many lands, native to southwestern north america, southern europe, northern africa, southwest and central asia, northern china and. Thus it superficially appears that these plants are an evolutionary link between the conifers and the true flowering plants. Some asian species have been used as a source of the stimulant ephedrine, and many are important in herbal medicine. Common woody browse plants utilized by whitetailed deer.
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