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The Lowdown on Ephedrine: The Good

Any discussion of diet pills eventually gets around to the subject of ephedrine, usually pretty quickly. Although you may be familiar with what ephedrine is and what it does, there is some fascinating history behind ephedrine that qualify it for some discussion all its own. What exactly is this stuff? Where does it come from? Is it still in use?

What is ephedrine?

Ephedrine is a naturally-occurring sympathomimetic amine. Woah. What does that mean? Basically, it is a drug that helps your brain and nervous system do things that it may not be doing well enough on its own. Thus, ephedrine has powerful medicinal qualities. It is also an alkaloid, meaning that it is a nitrogen-based chemical compound, with a construction similar to caffeine, nicotine, morphine, and quinine.

Where does ephedrine come from?

As mentioned, ephedrine is a naturally occurring drug. It comes from the Ephedra plant, a shrubby desert plant that grows in the American southwest, southern Europe, northern Africa, central Asia and other desert areas. It goes by other names, too. Some people call it Joint-pine, Jointfir, Mormon-tea, Brigham Tea, and most popularly, Ma-Huang—the Chinese name.

What does ephedrine do?

Ephedrine is considered a performance-enhancing drug. Because it affects the nervous system and mind in such a powerful way, it produces a level of behavior that is only possible through drug enhancements. It can stimulate the nervous system, increase heart rate, increase blood flow, improve synaptic processes (in the brain), and increase breathing rate and capacity, among other things.

It hasn’t always been just a performance-enhancing drug. Humans have been using the ephedra plant for millennia. The Chinese used it to treat asthma, bronchitis, hay fever, and the cold. With the realization of the powerful properties of ephedrine, it is used as an appetite suppressant, mental-stimulant, energy-booster, and seasickness medicine.

What is ephedrine used for?

Ephedrine is mostly used in prescription drugs. Small amounts of ephedrine are permitted in OTC drugs such as nasal decongestants. It is also contained in medicines that treat asthma, colds, and allergies. Although subject to limitations and restrictions, its natural form is available as a dietary supplement in limited quantities.

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