Can you buy ephedra plant?
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.
Where can I find an ephedra plant?
There are 40 known ephedra species distributed among the arid and semiarid regions of Asia, Europe, northern Africa, western North America, and South America. They can grow from sea level up to 5,000 meters high in the Himalayan and Andes mountains.
Where can I find Ephedra sinica?
Ephedra sinica (also known as Chinese ephedra or Ma Huang) is a species of Ephedra native to Mongolia, Russia (Buryatiya, Chita, Primorye), and northeastern China (Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi).
Is ephedra easy to grow?
Ephedra is very easy to grow, but tough to get started. If you find some in a nursery, be very careful to transplant it with the root ball intact. You can try it from cuttings, and I have had the best success with young wood cuttings taken after the first monsoon rain has soaked the plant.
What plant produces ephedra?
Various Asian plants, particularly ma huang (Ephedra sinica), have been used as sources of the drug ephedrine. Ephedra has been a common herbal medicine in China for thousands of years, and several species are important in Ayurvedic medicine.
How long does Ma huang take to grow?
We grow the plants in a sand mulch, about 4 inches thick, in the full sun, with moderate watering. They create, in 2 or 3 years, a stubby, woody trunk bristling with the jointed stems.
What plants produce ephedrine?
tibetica Stapf and Ephedra distachya Linne (the Ephedras), that are sources of ephedrine alkaloids (including ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.) Other plant sources that contain such ephedrine alkaloids include Sida cordifolia L. and Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Makino.
How do you make Ephedra sinica tea?
dried ephedra (stems), 8 ounces boiling water Pour water over the tea and allow to steep for 5- 10 minutes. Many find the taste unpleasant. Sweetening with honey or sugar is an option. Some recipes recommend adding milk to moderate the taste.
How do you make Ephedra sinica?
Medicinal recipe: Ephedra Tea (a coffee substitute) ¼ to 1 tsp. dried ephedra (stems), 8 ounces boiling water Pour water over the tea and allow to steep for 5- 10 minutes.
How much ephedrine is in Ephedra sinica?
sinica, including one that was 98% ephedrine, one that had 10% norpseudoephedrine, and one that contained an average of 13% methylephedrine. We conclude that product inconsistency is common among some commercially available dietary supplements that contain ephedra alkaloids and caffeine.
Can you grow Ephedra sinica 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 Ephedra sinica?
The herb Ephedra contains the active compound ephedrine, which raises blood pressure and causes feelings of clarity and alertness. Ephedrine is also known as the natural form of amphetamine, the active compound of speed. Contains 20 seeds of Ephedra Sinica seeds. In sealed packaging.
Can you grow Ephedra at home?
Ephedra (Ephedra sinica) seeds. With these seeds you can cultivate an Ephedra Sinica plant at home. The herb Ephedra contains the active compound ephedrine, which raises blood pressure and causes feelings of clarity and alertness. Ephedrine is also known as the natural form of amphetamine, the active compound of speed.
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.
Where is Ephedra found in the world?
The herb Ephedra Sinica belongs to the gnetum family (gnetaceae). It’s widespread around the world: it’s found from North and South America, the Mediterranean, and India to China and Japan. In China, Ephedra is called ma huang.