Ephedra traditionally has been used as a stimulant and a treatment for asthma and has been included in many weight-loss and body-building products. In late 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restricted the sale of ephedra products in the United States because of the risk of outcomes such as heart attacks and strokes. The FDA advised consumers to stop using these products.

Many products containing ephedra were previously banned from sale in Canada and some U.S. states.

The NCAA and NFL also ban ephedra for use by athletes. The death in 2003 of a major league baseball player who had taken ephedra drew increased attention to the possible hazards of this product.

There are many species of ephedra, the best known of which is Ephedra sinica (Chinese ephedra), often known by its Chinese name, ma huang.

Ephedra contains several related stimulant substances, especially ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and norpseudoephedrine.

Since the late 1990s, the FDA has investigated reports of adverse events related to taking ephedra. These included seizures in several people who had no previously reported seizures. The number of seizures was small, however, especially in relationship to the large number of people who have consumed ephedra. Also, the ephedra was taken in combination with other stimulants (such as caffeine), so determination of the cause of the seizures is difficult.

Read more about ephedra in the "About Herbs" section of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center website. (If you have not visited the site before, the information on ephedra will be preceded by a Disclaimer.)

Much of the information in this article is based on Spinella M: Herbal medicines and epilepsy: The potential for benefit and adverse effects. Epilepsy Behav 2001; 2(6):524-532. (PMID 12609386)

Topic Editor: Steven C. Schachter, M.D.
Last Reviewed:12/15/06