Ephedra
Ephedra, commonly known as Ma Huang in traditional Chinese medicine, is a resilient shrub valued for its stimulant properties. Containing ephedrine alkaloids, it has historically been used to treat respiratory ailments and fatigue. However, due to potential cardiovascular risks, its medicinal use is strictly regulated in many modern healthcare systems.
- Scientific name: Ephedra
- Family: Ephedraceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Gnetidae and the order Ephedrales. Finally, it is a member of the family Ephedraceae and is represented by 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, known by various names across different cultures and languages, is referred to as 麻黄属 in zh-hans, 麻黃 in zh-hant, and 麻黃 in zh-hk. In Hebrew, it is called שרביטן, while in Croatian, it is commonly known as kositernice.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 麻黄属 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 麻黃 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 麻黃 | Wikidata |
| he | שרביטן | Wikidata |
| hr | kositernice | Wikidata |
| el | Εφέδρα | Wikidata |
| sah | Дьабара отоно | Wikidata |
| zh | 麻黄属 | Wikidata |
| vi | Chi Ma hoàng | Wikidata |
| ar | علندي | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific range of locations across the European continent. In Middle Europe, it can be found growing in the landscapes of Austria and Switzerland. The species also inhabits the regions of Czechia-Slovakia and Hungary within the same central zone. Moving toward the Mediterranean, its presence extends into Southwestern Europe. Specifically, it is documented to grow within the Balearic Islands.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Switzerland | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Baleares | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Corse | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Portugal | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Sardegna | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Ephedra, is a medicinal shrub where various components are utilized for their therapeutic properties. The woody stems and slender twigs are the most significant parts, as they contain high concentrations of alkaloids like ephedrine. These dried parts are often prepared as a tea to help alleviate respiratory issues and congestion. Additionally, some traditional practices involve utilizing the roots or extracting the juice from the plant to access its bioactive compounds for different medicinal applications.- Total parts
- 14
- Scientific sources
- 15
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| twigs | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tea | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| juice | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herbs | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herba | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fleshy cones | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ephedra herb | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| component | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Ephedra has 12 reported phytochemicals identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, 4-(2-docosyloxycarbonyl-vinyl)-benzoic acid, 4-(2-eicosyloxycarbonyl-vinyl)-benzoic acid, Ephedrine.
- Total chemicals
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| ephedrine | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| pseudoephedrine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-(2-docosyloxycarbonyl-vinyl)-benzoic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-(2-eicosyloxycarbonyl-vinyl)-benzoic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ephedrine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| benzaldehyde | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caffeine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| delphinidin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| norpseudoephedrine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| phenmetrazine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Ephedra has 11 reported activities identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antifungal, Antitumor.
- Total activities
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 14
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hyperglycemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Pressor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Ephedra has 13 reported medicinal uses identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include asthma, blood pressure, Acute lung injury, anti-asthmatic, body weight.
- Total uses
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 16
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| asthma | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| blood pressure | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Acute lung injury | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anti-asthmatic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| body weight | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cold | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| coughs | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fever | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| obesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| respiratory diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |