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Ephedra Herb
Ephedra Herb
麻黄
Market name:麻黄
Photo location:Museum of Materia Medica, Inst. of Nat. Med.
TMPW No.:18571
Ephedra sinica
Plant name:Ephedra sinica
Photo location:Mongolia
Photographer:K. Komatsu

Synonym  
Latin name Ephedrae Herba
Botanical source: Family name Ephedraceae
Botanical source: Plant name - Ephedra sinica Stapf (IPNI:383460-1)
- Ephedra intermedia Schrenk et C.A.Meyer (IPNI:383409-1)
- Ephedra equisetina Bunge (IPNI:928049-1)
Part used Dried green young branch
Empirical criteria for quality selection Good one is fresh and green. (TN)
Constituents Other aliphatic and related compounds:
Nonacosan-10-ol, Nonacosan, Tricosan-1-ol

Tannins:
d-Catechin, l-Epicatechin, l-Gallocatechin, l-Epigallocatechin and their dimer and trimer

Alkaloids:
Ephedroxane

Isoquinoline alkaloids:
l-Ephedrine, d-Pseudoephedrine, l-Norephedrine, l-Nmethylephedrine, d-N-Methylpseudoephedrine, d-Norpseudoephedrine
Pharmacological effects Antitussive, antiallergy (water, ethanol extract), excitation of sympathetic nerve(increase in blood pressure, bronchodilation, mydriasis, perspiration), central antitussive (ephedrine), antiinflammation(pseudoephedrine).
Indications As a diaphoretic, antifebrile, antitussive and painkiller, it is applied to treat dyspnea due to disorder of skin excretion mechanism, stridor, asthma, chills, general aching and arthritis.
Diseases Dyspnea, Cough, Chill, Fever, Anhidrosis, Headache, Somatic pain, Arthralgia, Common cold, Influenza, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, Bronchial asthma
Formulas uzuto , uyakujunkisan , eppikajutsuto , eppikajutsubuto , eppikahangeto , eppito , kagaisan , kakkonkajutsubuto , kakkonkahangeto , kakkonto , kakkontokasenkyushin'i , kanzomaoto , kyososan , keikyososooshimbuto , keishieppito , keishishakuyakuchimoto , keishinieppiitto , keishinieppiittokajutsubu , keimakakuhanto , gokoto , goshakusan , saikatsugekito , saikatsutokasenkyushin'i , shoseiryuto , shoseiryutokakyoninsekko , shoseiryutokasekko , shozokumeito , shimpito , jingyokyokatsuto , zokumeito , daiseiryuto , dokkatsukakkonto , bofutsushosan , maokajutsuto , maoto , maobushikanzoto , maobushisaishinto , maorenshoshakushozuto , makyokansekito , makyoyokukanto , yakanmaoto , yokuininto , reitakutsukito , reitakutsukitokashin'i
Meridian tropism Lung, Urinary bladder
Property Warm
Flavor Acrid/pungent, Slightly bitter
Classification in "Shen-non Ben-cao Jing" Middle
TCM: Classification Diaphoretics
TCM: Medicinal effects To induce perspiration for dispelling cold, to relieve asthma and to cause diuresis.
Used for common cold with wind-cold syndrome (marked by chilliness and mild fever, headache, stuffy and runny nose, general aching, but no sweating), edema in acute nephritis, bronchial asthma.
Remarks Listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia 18th ed.
References TN: T. Namba & Y. Tsuda ed., Outline of Pharmacognosy, a Textbook, 3rd ed., Nankodo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, 1998.
DNA sequences of medicinal plants
Gene Region
Nuclear Chloroplast Mitochondria
Botanical source: Plant name 5Ss 18S ITS1 5.8S ITS2 26S others trnH-psbA matK trnK trnK-rps16 trnT-L trnL trnL-F rbcL rpoC1 ndhF others
Ephedra intermedia Schrenk et C.A.Meyer (IPNI:383409-1)
Ephedra equisetina Bunge (IPNI:928049-1)
Ephedra sinica Stapf (IPNI:383460-1)
psbB-psbT-psbN-psbH
 AY007462
psbE-psbF-psbL-psbJ
  AY007477
psbD-psbC
  AF239780
atpB
  AY056526
 AF239779
rps4-trnS
  AY591446
 AY591486
rps12-rps7
  AF238067
rps4
  AY755824
 AY755826
cox1
 DQ987887
 

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Section of Pharmacognosy,
Division of Medicinal Resources,
Department of Research and Development,
Institute of Natural Medicine,
University of Toyama
2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194 Japan
TEL: +81-76-434-7601
FAX: +81-76-434-5064