Ephedra: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Ephedra is a genus of gymnosperm shrubs, the only genus in the family Ephedraceae and order Ephedrales. These plants occur in dry climates over a wide area mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, across southern Europe, north Africa, southwest and central Asia, southwestern North America, and, in the Southern Hemisphere, in South America south to Patagonia. They are also called Joint-pine, Jointfir, yellow horse, country mallow, squaw tea or Mormon Tea. The chinese species are known as Ma huang. These plants have traditionally been used by indigenous people for a variety of medicinal purposes. Ephedra is sometimes called sea grape although that is also a common name for Coccoloba.

An extract, high in concentrations of ephedrine, is derived from these shrubs. Because ephedra is a herb, it was marketed as a dietary supplement and therefore subject to looser FDA regulation. Ephedra was found in many popular weight control products, some of which the FDA believed may be hazardous.

According to the FDA, 155 deaths, including that of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler, as well as dozens of heart attacks and strokes have been attributed to the use of ephedra. In spite of this, many advocates of ephedra maintain that it is safe when used as directed, and continue to regard it as a dietary supplement rather than a drug. Health food store GNC banned ephedra-containing products in June 2003, and the National Football League banned players from using it as a dietary supplement in 2001. Finally, on December 30, 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a ban on the sale of ephedrine-based products, citing "an unreasonable risk of illness or injury" from the use of the drug. The ban is effective as of 12 April 2004.

Species

The following list of species is from the ITIS page for Ephedra.

• Ephedra antisyphilitica Berl. ex C.A. Mey. -- Clapweed, Ephedra, Erect ephedra
• Ephedra x arenicola Cutler -- Sand mormon tea, Sandy jointfir
• Ephedra aspera Engelm. ex S. Wats. -- Aspera mormon tea, boundary ephedra, rough jointfir
• Ephedra californica S. Wats. -- California jointfir, California mormon tea
• Ephedra coryi E.L. Reed -- Cory ephedra, Cory's jointfir, Navajo mormon tea
• Ephedra cutleri Peebles -- Cutler mormon tea, Cutler mormontea, Cutler's ephedra, Cutler's jointfir
• Ephedra distachya L. -- Joint-pine, Jointfir
• Ephedra equisetina Bunge -- Ma huang
• Ephedra fasciculata A. Nels. -- Arizona ephedra, Arizona jointfir, Desert mormon tea
• Ephedra foliata Boiss
• Ephedra funerea Coville & Morton -- Death Valley ephedra, Death Valley jointfir, Funera mormon tea
• Ephedra gerardiana Wallich ex Stapf -- Gerard's jointfir
• Ephedra x intermixta Cutler -- Intermixed jointfir
• Ephedra nevadensis S. Wats. -- Nevada ephedra, Nevada jointfir, Nevada Mormon tea
• Ephedra pedunculata Engelm. ex S. Wats. -- Vine ephedra, Vine jointfir
• Ephedra sinica Stapf -- Chinese ephedra
• Ephedra torreyana S. Wats. -- Torrey ephedra, Torrey mormon tea, Torrey's ephedra, Torrey's jointfir, Torrey's mormon tea
• Ephedra trifurca Torr. ex S. Wats. -- Longleaf ephedra, Longleaf jointfir, longleaf mormon tea
• Ephedra viridis Coville -- Green ephedra, Green mormon tea, Mormon tea, Mormon-tea