Ephedra foeminea
Ephedra foeminea, commonly known as the foeminean ephedra, is a medicinal shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Renowned for its alkaloid content, particularly ephedrine, it has been utilized in traditional medicine for centuries to treat respiratory ailments, stimulate circulation, and enhance physical endurance through its potent stimulant properties.
- Scientific name: Ephedra foeminea
- Family: Ephedraceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Ephedra foeminea, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Gnetidae, it is classified under the order Ephedrales and the family Ephedraceae. Finally, it is placed within the genus Ephedra.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Gnetidae | WCVP |
| Order | Ephedrales | WCVP |
| Family | Ephedraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Ephedra | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Ephedra foeminea, is known by various names depending on the language and region. In Danish, it is referred to as Almindelig Ledris, while in Hebrew, it is called שרביטן מצוי, and in Arabic, it is known as علندى أنثوية.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| da | Almindelig Ledris | Wikidata |
| he | שרביטן מצוי | Wikidata |
| ar | علندى أنثوية | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, Ephedra foeminea, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions of Southeastern Europe. It can be found growing within the borders of Albania and Bulgaria. Additionally, its presence extends into the territory of Greece. The species is also documented to inhabit the island of Kriti. Finally, its range includes parts of Italy, completing its Mediterranean footprint.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Europe | Albania | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Bulgaria | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Greece | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Kriti | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Türkiye-in-Europe | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | NW. Balkan Pen. | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Libya | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Djibouti | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Eritrea | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Ephedra foeminea, is a medicinal shrub where the primary therapeutic components are derived from its specialized structures. As an evergreen herb, it possesses distinct, scale-like leaves that are highly reduced in size, serving to minimize water loss while the plant focuses its energy on its photosynthetic stems. These parts are frequently collected and utilized in traditional medicine to extract various alkaloids for their physiological effects.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herb | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Ephedra foeminea has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include carboxylic acids, catechin, catechins, epicatechin, ethanol.
- Total chemicals
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| carboxylic acids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| catechins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| epicatechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl acetate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fatty acids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| guajavarin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| henryoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| kaempferol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Ephedra foeminea has 4 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antioxidant, Antitumor, Antiviral.
- Total activities
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Ephedra foeminea has 6 reported medicinal uses identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, headaches, respiratory diseases.
- Total uses
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cervical cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| headaches | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| respiratory diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |