Ephedra major

Ephedrine and pseudoephediine are a vasodilator and decongestant respectively used widely in the treatment of asthma and the symptoms of colds and influenza. These pharmaceuticals were derived originally fi om the plant Ephedra sinica and used in traditional Chinese medicinal preparations. Although some are still produced fi om such sources, the major production is via a fermentation process followed by a chemical catalytic reaction. As shown in Figure 1, the intermediate / -phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC) is produced by decarboxylation of pyruvate followed by ligation to benzaldehyde. 

The six optically active alkaloids ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, and the N-methylated N-methylephedrine and N-methylpseudoephedrine are described in detail in Reti s review (2). Two new alkaloids of related structure have since been identified in Ephedra species, namely, (9-benzoylpseudoephedrine (271) and the oxazolidine derivative ephe-droxane (272). The 4-quinolone derivative ephedralone, recently isolated from Ephedra alata (273), may be of similar biogenetic origin as the ephedrines. Ephedra species also contain macrocyclic alkaloids of more complex structure (275). The two major Ephedra alkaloids (—)-ephedrine and (+)-pseudoephedrine are diastereomers. (—)-Ephedrine has the erythro and (+)-pseudoephedrine has the threo configuration. 

In most products, ephedrine content ranged anywhere from 12 to 80 mg per serving, with the majority of products falling into the lower range. Industry standards called for a total dose of ephedrine of less than 100 mg/day. The FDA, however, allowed a maximum daily dose of 150 mg/day of synthetic ephedrine. Unless fortified, the expected ephedrine content of ma huang capsules was generally less than 10%. Thus, a capsule said to contain 1000 g of ephedra would probably have contained no more than 80 mg of ephedrine. 

In view of the need to address the latest trends and numerous diversion attempts involving Africa and West Asia, as well as preparations and ephedra, the Project Prism Task Force reconvened in The Hague in September 2006 a meeting with major exporters of ephedrines and proposed a number of activities to be carried out in 2007. 

Nowadays the Ephedra species are mainly used for extraction of the active ingredient, the alkaloid (-) ephedrine. Not only the classical Chinese species E. sinica Stapf. is used, but mainly the species E.pferardiana. Wall ex. Stapf and E. major Host. =E. nebrodensis Finco), which both grow in India and Pakistan, and E. distachya L., which grows in Southern France. 

All ephedra plants contain phenylalanine-derived alkaloids. These include (-)-ephedrine, (+)-pseudoephedrine, (-)-norephedrine, (+)-norpseudo-ephedrine (also called cathine because it is a major alkaloid of Catha edulis or khat, a plant used as a stimulant in North Africa), (-)-A-methylephedrine and (+)-A-methylpseudoephedrine, (+)-pseudoephedrine, and (+/-)-norephedrine (phenylpropanolamine). Significant enantioselective differences with regard to both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of these agents are possible. All of these alkaloids have important effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, but not to the same degree. 

Nature Ma-huang is one of many names given to extracts from various plants of the genus Ephedra, the major chemical constituents of which are ephedrine and pseu-doephedrine. Ephedrine is a prescription drug in the USA pseudoephedrine is available in over-the-counter decongestants. 

The National Institutes of Health conducted a double-blind, 3-year study in patients with major depression of moderate severity using St. John s wort and sertraline. This study did not support the use of St. John s wort in the treatment of major depression, but a possible role for St. John s wort in the treatment of miider forms of depression was suggested. Health care providers should alert their patients about potential drug interactions with St. John s Wort. Some other frequently used herbal supplements that have not been evaluated in large-scale clinical trials are ephedra, gingko biloba, echinacea, and ginseng. Any herbal supplement should be taken only after consultation with the physician or other health care provider. 

Herbal products, used by more than 38 percent of Americans and millions of people worldwide, have become big business. Billions of dollars of herbal products are sold each year. According to some estimates, Americans spent more than 20 billion on vitamins, herbs, and other supplements in 2007. Health Canada reports that more than 71 percent of Canadians regularly take natural health products. Suppliers of herbal products range from small companies that specialize in a few products to major companies, including some mjyor pharmaceutical companies. The growth in sales of herbs and supplements slowed after deaths were linked to the supplement ephedra, which was banned in 2004. However, herbal products continue to generate large revenues. 

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]. 

Ephedrine (l/ -25-2-methylamino-l-phenylpropan-l-ol) is an adrenergic amine present in many kinds of pharmaceutical preparations, obtained by synthesis or from natural sources. Belonging to the genus Ephedra (Ephedraceae), the Chinese species Ephedra sinica and Ephedra equisetina, also known as ma huang, and the Indian and Pakistani species E. gerardiana, E. intermedia, and E. major are the... 

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