Ephedra data

A number of new listings concern the families of Scrophulariaceae and Solanaceae. In both cases the number of reports concerning external accumulation is also increased. Thus, further research will probably reveal that this phenomenon is more widespread in these families as is obvious from the present data. In Fabaceae, most reports concern accumulation in heartwood, with a few exceptions such as leaves of Millettia racemosa. However, no indication to possible external accumulation is made. Similar to flavone accumulation data, pollen of Myrtaceae were also found to accumulate flavonols. Very few reports exist on Gynmosperms such as Cryptomeria (Taxodiaceae) or Ephedra,without indication of external accumulation. So far, no new reports on flavones are known for these taxa. 

Exact data about the scope of ephedra use is unavailable, but the Ephedra Education Council estimates that more than three billion servings of ephedra products are consumed each year, and it claims that use increased dramatically between 1997 and 2002. But a New England Journal Medicine article about ephedra... 

Scientists have conducted several studies and the totality of the available data showed little evidence of the effectiveness of ephedra except for modest, short-term weight loss without any clear health benefit, while confirming that the substance raises blood pressure and otherwise stresses the circulatory system. These effects are linked to significant adverse health outcomes, including heart attack and stroke. On Eebruary 6, 2004, the EDA issued a final rule prohibiting the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids (ephedra) because such supplements present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury (Table 2). 

Despite conflicting data regarding the safety of ephedra from clinical studies and conclusions drawn from spontaneously reported adverse events, FDA banned the sale of ephedra-containing supplements in 2004 (see Regulatory Status). 

In this study, ephedra waste was modified by epichlorohydrin and diethylenetriamine to obtain aminated ephedra waste biosorbent and absorbed for Cu +. By dint of static absorption test, the effects of pH and contact time on absorption were investigated. Biosorbent characterization was determined with FTIR analysis. Langmuir adsorption isotherm was applied to the experimental data. The pseudo second-order model was used for determining of the adsorption kinetics. 

The values of pseudo-second-order equation parameters together with correlation coefficients are listed in Table 1. The correlation coefficients for the pseudo-second-order equation were 0.999. The calculated q values also agree very well with the experimental data. This strongly suggests that the biosorption of Cu + onto aminated ephedra waste is most appropriately represented by a pseudo-second-order rate process and the biosorption rate is controlled by chemical biosorption. 

In Kampo medicine, gnarls and the subterranean part ( Mao-kon ) of Ephedra species are regarded as contradiaory to the action of Mao (the above-ground part). It is known that an extract of the subterranean part lowers blood pressure, whereas the extract of Mao raises blood pressure. Examination of the active constituents afforded ephedradines A—D [3]. Among these active constituents, the structure of ephedradine A was determined by X-ray crystallography of the brominated derivative [3]. Chemical structures of ephedradines B—D were determined by comparison of their spectroscopic data with those of ephedradine A [3,4]. 

Ephedra spp. roots are known as major source of ephedrine and derivatives alkaloids, but this plant species also contains an imidazole derivative, feruloylhistamine (12), which was identified in methanolic extract of the drug in 1983 [19, 20]. After column chromatography and crystallization procedures, feruloylhistamine was characterized by and NMR and mass spectroscopy. A molecular ion peak was observed at miz 287 consistent to a C15H17N3O3 fragment, and the NMR spectrum revealed signals for aliphatic and aromatic carbons and also one carbonyl group. The synthetic derivative was also obtained and afforded the same physical data as the natural compound [19]. 

In spite of extensive research on alkaloid biosynthesis, the active site remains unknown for many plants. Some data are available that confirm, in part, the ideas mentioned above. Shibata and Imaseki (1953, 1956) fed shoots of Ephedra distachya with [ N] ammonium sulfate and found after one week that the isotope was in the alkaloid. The same authors three years later fed [ N] phenylalanine in the same way and verified that the shoot was able to synthesize alkaloids from the applied precursor. The alkaloids of... 

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