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Ephedrine is an adrenergic drug that works by stimulating alpha
-and beta receptors thus causing the release of norepinephrine.
-Alpha and beta receptors exist in the sympathetic nervous system,
-(fight or flight) and stimulation causes increased heart rate,
-bronchodilation, and vasoconstriction.
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Ephedrine is the active ingredient in many diet pills and supplements. Many use the name "thermo", "lean" or "fat burner." Brand names include, Metabolife, MeTrim, Herbalife, Adiphen, Thermalean, Lipo
drene, Zymax, Genicil, Patent Lean, Thermoslim, Ultra Lipo Lean, Trim Life, Hydroxy Cut, Xenadrine, Herbal Phen-Fen, Shapefast, Thermoburn, Thyro-slim, Trim Spa, Natural Trim, Thermo-Lift and many oth
ers.
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Since early 1990, the FDA has issued numerous warnings to consumers of diet products and supplements containing Ephedrine, Ephedra or Ma Huang. In fact, in November 1994, the FDA informed Alliance U.S
.A. that its Nature¡¦s Nutritional Formula One posed a potential health hazard and was in violation of federal laws designed to protect the public health and even issued a recall of their products due
to their combination of Ma Huang and caffeine containing Kola Nut. Alliance later removed the caffeine containing Kola Nut and was allowed to continue to sell its new product.
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The Texas Department of Health (TDH), has proposed banning certain ephedra and ephedrine-containing products made by dietary supplement companies, while preserving products of the pharmaceutical indus
try. This interesting--if a bit convoluted--proposal seeks to make the following changes in regulating products in the state of Texas:
-All ephedrine products would become prescription drugs, exce
pt:
-Ephedra (ma huang) products would be exempt only if they are less than 3% alkaloid (read "NO EXTRACTS").
-It would be illegal to sell any ephedra or ephedrine-containing product in combin
ation with combinations with caffeine or caffeine-containing plants including cola, tea or guarana.
-A list of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs made by pharmaceutical companies would be specifically e
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These terms are used to refer to the same substance derived from the plant Ephedra. (There are many common names for these evergreen plants, including squaw tea and Mormon tea.) Ephedra is a shrub-lik
e plant that is found in desert regions in central Asia and other parts of the world. The dried greens of the plant are used medicinally. Ephedra is a stimulant containing the herbal form of ephedrine
, an FDA-regulated drug found in over-the-counter asthma medications.
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Ephedrine is a naturally occuring central nervous system stimulant obtained
-from the plant _Ephedra equisetina_. It is now also produced by chemical
-synthesis, the synthetic product being mark
eted in the form of its salt,
-ephedrine sulfate; it occurs as a white crystalline powder with a bitter
-taste, soluble in water and very soluble in alcohol. Ephedrine is closely
-related in
structure to methamphetamine, although its CNS actions are much
-less potent and also longer-acting than those of the amphetamines. Its
-peripheral stimulant actions are similar to but less powe
rful than those of
-epinephrine (also called adrenaline), a hormone produced in the body by the
-adrenal glands.
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