Ephedrine and ephedra alkaloids are potent alpha and beta agonists. In traditional Chinese medicine they are used as a decongestant to treat colds and asthma and hayfever.
In North America they are used to increase metabolism and hence lose weight or as an esctacy type substance.
It is illegal for these herbs to claim medical properties without Drug Identification Numbers. It is common to see such claims on an ongoing basis in "health" food stores even though it is illegal. (It may interest readers to know that the Canadian Pharmacists Association has instructed its members not to sell such products)
As previously described Ephedra can cause mild side effects such as tremor or headache to such symptoms as seizure, heart attack to stroke. Death has been reported in several United States studies.
The active ingredients, the ephedra alkaloids, are believed to be the offending substances. There is some evidence that certain plant extracts may have direct neurotoxic effects.(ie toxic effects to nerve cells in the brain)
