*Weight Loss :Ephedra appears to cause weight loss when combined with caffeine. It's thought to work by increasing energy expenditure, increasing basal metabolic rate and suppressing appetite. Whether ephedra alone works is less clear.Prior to the ban on ephedra supplements, many dietary supplements marketed for weight loss also contained caffeine-containing herbs, such as green tea, yerba mate and guarana. The ephedra/caffeine combination, however, is now widely believed to heighten the potential health risks and is not recommended.
*Sports Performance : Ephedra is similar in structure to amphetamine, so it has been used to increase athletic performance in strength and endurance sports, increase alertness and aggressiveness on the field, and reduce fatigue in sports such as ice hockey, baseball, football and cycling. There isn't good evidence, however, that it can improve sports performance, and is not recommended for this purpose given the potential side effects. Ephedra is banned by many sports associations, including the International Olympic Committee, the National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
* [[Vasoconstrictor]] : Herbs Causing Constriction Of Capillaries
*The primary active ingredients in ephedra are believed to be the alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, which are thought to increase heart rate, constrict blood vessels (which increases blood pressure), dilate bronchial tubes (which makes it easier to breathe) and have thermogenic properties (increases body heat and metabolic rate).
*Asthma and Other Respiratory Disorders : Ephedra has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine as a folk remedy for asthma, bronchitis, allergies, fever, chills and cold and flu symptoms, such as nasal congestion. The ephedrine and pseudoephedrine in ephedra widen bronchioles, which are the small airways in the lungs. Although ephedrine was used for asthma, medications with fewer potential side effects are now more commonly recommended.
In Canada, ephedra is authorized by Health Canada for use only as a nasal decongestant. Nutritional supplements with ephedra can't contain stimulants, such as caffeine, that might heighten the effect of the ephedra. Also, they can't exceed 400 mg per dose or 1600 mg per day of ephedra, or 8 mg ephedrine per dose or 32 mg per day of ephedrine. Products with implied or unproven claims for weight loss, appetite suppression, body-building effects or increased energy are not permitted.
==used Used in Patent medecines==
* [[Ma Huang Tang]]
* [[Ge Gen Tang]]* [[Da Qing Long Tang]]* [[Xiao Qing Long Tang]]* [[Wu Ji San]]
[[Category:Treatments]]
[[Category:herbal medicine]]