Ma Huang

Species Name: Ephedra sinica

Also known as: Ephedra, alkaloids ephedrine, and pseudoehedrine, Ephedra sinica.

Once widely used as a diet aid, and in the use of managing allergy symptoms, asthma, the common cold, and hay fever.

In recent years attention has been focused on the safety of one ephedra, Ephedra sinica, by the Food and Drug Administration.

Critics in the biomedical community have also expressed concerns due to the abuse of Ma Huang as a stimulant and diet aid, as a result of adverse effects of Ephedra sinica.

What is Ma Huang: Any one of the various varieties of gymnospermous, mostly shrubby plants of the genus Ephedra, some of which are used as a source of ephedrine, which is a stimulant, often sold as pills or tablets, derived from a plant of this genus.

Home remedies using Ma Huang:

Benefits of Ma Huang:

L-ephedrine can increase the contraction of heart muscle, therefore; it can increase cardiac output. L-ephedrine causes less arrhythmia than epinephrine, but if there are physical diseases of the heart present, or if patients are using digitalis it can cause arrhythmia. L-ephedrine can cause systolic and diastolic pressure to go up. L-ephedrine can cause the smooth muscle to relax.   

Ma huang water extract (boiled in water) has antibiotic property.

Uses of Ma Huang:

Ma Huang has traditionally been used in Chinese medicine to promote sweating, to treat cold due to excessive exposure to chill and wind,  To treat the wheezing and coughing of asthma, To promote urination (if taken when the liquid of the herb tea is cool) 

To help control bed wetting, and to control nose bleeding. It has also been used to treat diarrhea in small children.

It can be taken as an herbal tea; both hot or cold, or as a compress. Ma Huang is also available as an additive to diet aids or cold and allergy medicines.

Side Effects of Ma Huang:

Ephedra sinica is not normally given for long periods of use and is traditionally contraindicated for people with certain constitutional or medical conditions like heart or kidney malfunctions.

In high doses ephedra can cause heart attacks, stroke, and seizures. If users of Ma huang are also using digitalis, there is a risk of developing arrhythmia. L-ephedrine can cause systolic and diastolic blood pressure to go up.

Toxic reactions include headache, restless, insomnia, palpitation, tightness in chest area, tears and nose dripping, uncomfortable, fever, sweating nonstop, upper belly discomfort, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, body temperature and blood pressure rising, it can cause heart rate to go up.

Large doses can suppress the heart and is known to cause the heart to slow down. Ephedra is not intended for use in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Traditionally ma huang is not used in diet formula nor as a recreation drug.

Avoid prescribing ma huang if you do not have the experience and diagnostic skill especially in pulse reading. It can be dangerous if used incorrectly.

Do not use with Furanzolidone. It may induce mania if used with phenelzine.