What is the common name of Ephedra?

Common names in English include joint-pine, jointfir, Mormon-tea or Brigham tea. The Chinese name for Ephedra species is mahuang (simplified Chinese: 麻黄; traditional Chinese: 麻黃; pinyin: máhuáng; Wade–Giles: ma-huang; lit. ‘hemp yellow’).

What is Ephedra called in India?

BOTANICAL NAME :- Ephedra gerardiana FAMILY :- Ephedraceae LOCAL NAME :- Ephedra HINDI NAME :- Soma, soma-valli. HABITS AND HABITATS :- Evergreen. shrubs, found in temperate drier part of India. Also in alpine Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim.

Where does Ma huang grow?

Native to the steppes of north and northwestern China.

Where is Ephedra found in India?

Himachal Pradesh, India
& Uniyal, P.L. (2009) Ephedra sumlingensis (Ephedraceae) Sharma & Uniyal a new species from Himachal Pradesh, India.

Is Ephedra a drug?

While ephedra is a naturally-occurring herb, its main active ingredient ephedrine can also be synthesized as a medication. Synthetic ephedrine compounds, such as pseudoephedrine, are widely used in over-the-counter cold remedies and are regulated as a drug.

Is Ephedra banned in the US?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the sale of ephedra-containing products in April 2004 in response to mounting scientific evidence and the receipt of more than 18,000 adverse-event reports. The U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the ban in 2006, and ephedra sales remain illegal today.

Where is Ephedra found?

There are 40 known ephedra species distributed among the arid and semiarid regions of Asia, Europe, northern Africa, western North America, and South America. They can grow from sea level up to 5,000 meters high in the Himalayan and Andes mountains.

Does Ephedra grow in India?

In India, Ephedra Gerardiana is found in the Alpine Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim, Chamba & Ladakh. It is locally called Soma, Somlata & the divine Somaras from Holy Geeta is an extract of this plant.

Is ephedra and ma huang the same?

Ephedra (Ephedra sinica), also called ma huang, is an herb that has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for more than 5,000 years, primarily to treat asthma, bronchitis, and hay fever. Ephedra is also prescribed for symptoms of cold and flu, including nasal congestion, cough, fever, and chills.

Is Ephedra legal in Canada?

In the interest of public safety, importing or reselling ephedra/ephedrine products is illegal unless you are a manufacturer or wholesaler licensed to produce or sell these products. Customs Canada is now confiscating ephedra/ephedrine products being brought into Canada.

Why was ephedra banned?

The FDA banned dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids because of their serious safety risks. The supplements were associated with cases of heart attack, seizure, stroke, and sudden death.