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Can you buy Ma Huang in the US?
ANSWER: Ephedra sinica, the herb also known as Ma Huang, is the one that was outlawed by the FDA and can no longer be legally sold as a dietary supplement.
Can ephedra damage the liver?
The severity of liver injury due to ephedrine ranges from mild, asymptomatic elevations in serum enzymes to clinically apparent acute liver injury and to acute liver failure. Chronic use of Ma Huang has been linked to a chronic hepatitis-like syndrome, but recovery was prompt when ephedra was stopped.
Can you grow Ephedra in the US?
As of April 12, 2004, dietary supplements containing ephedrine are no longer legal to sell in the United States. The ban is now in effect. Note: Seeds and plants are unaffected by the ban. It is legal to grow your own ephedra or ma huang for personal use.
Can you grow ephedra indoors?
The Ephedra is robust and doesn’t need much attention. Plant the seeds around 68°F. Grow indoors or in a warm and dry climate, free of frost. It thrives in ordinary loamy soil and does very well in a loose rocky soil with full sun and a little water.
What is the difference between ephedrine and ephedra?
Ephedrine is a chemical contained in the ephedra herb. Ephedrine has medical uses, mostly in operating rooms and intensive care units. Its chemical properties raise blood pressure and heart rate and open up the large air passages in the lungs.
Why was 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.
Is it legal to grow Ephedra plants?
Ephedra sinica is not specifically a controlled species in the United States. Live plants and seeds are bought and sold and are clearly legal in the US.
What is Ephedra sinica?
Ephedra sinica is an evergreen shrub, growing to about 18 in. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from August to September. 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 desired).
What is Ephedra used for in Chinese medicine?
Ephedra is often combined with a number of other herbs in TCM and used in treating a wide range of complaints by certified Acupuncturists and Traditional Chinese Medical Doctors. The medicinal herb Ma Huang is made of the dried, young branchlets of ephedra.
How is Ephedra harvested and stored?
Harvested in the autumn, ephedra stems are dried in the sun throughout the year for herbal production. The herb should be stored away from light and heat. Ephedra is probably the strongest stimulant and diaphoretic herb in TCM. It has an action much like pure adrenaline.
Is crushing seeds for ephedrine a waste of seeds?
Crushing seeds for ephedrine is a total waste of seeds, time and money, as no alkaloids are present in the plant’s dark seeds. Ephedra sinica stems contain a number of alkaloids including ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, norpseudoephedrine (cathine), methylephedrine and methylpseudoephedrine.