Kampo medicines chemical-structure-activity

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]. 

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