Ephedra Information and Warnings
Ephedra is an evergreen bush native to Asia, also known by the Chinese name ma huang (also sida cordifolia and pinellia). It has traditionally been used as an herb in Chinese medicine to treat asthma, hay fever, and nasal and chest congestion. The synthetic form of ephedrine, an amphetamine like compound, is frequently used in over-the-counter cold remedies to treat similar conditions.
Suffered harm from Ephedra? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights.
In the 1990s products containing ephedra became very popular as dietary aids, sports enhancers, and energy boosters, until studies began to reveal serious ephedra side effects, including death, heart attacks, and strokes that caused brain damage. Concerned individuals, organizations, and health care providers began to call for stringent labeling or a ban on ephedra.
In 2001 doctors at the University of California, San Francisco reviewed cases of adverse reactions to ephedra and concluded that 31 percent of the events were probably or definitely related to the use of ephedra products and 31 percent were possibly related to those products. The reports that made up this 62 percent consisted of 47 percent cardiovascular symptoms and 18 percent central nervous system problems. Hypertension was the most common complaint; followed by palpitations, tachycardia, or both; stroke; and seizures. Ten cases resulted in death and 13 in permanent disability. These results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine on December 21, 2000.
A RAND corporation study of products containing ephedra released on January 9, 2002 was inconclusive. It found that the benefits of ephedra—weight loss and athletic performance enhancement—were short-term, but could not reach a conclusion on the dangers of ephedra.
Another study at the University of California at San Francisco, published in the March 18, 2003 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, evaluated the safety of ephedra compared with other herbal products. That study concluded that though products containing ephedra accounted for less than 1 percent of herbal product sales, they had 64% of the reported adverse effects. Ephedra was found to be 100 times more likely to produce adverse effects than kava, and 700 times more likely that Ginkgo biloba.
On the basis of this information the FDA banned products using ephedra effective April 12, 2004 with the exception of traditional Chinese medicines and products already controlled by the FDA. These include herbal teas, controlled as food, and products containing synthetic ephedrine, controlled as drugs.
The FDA’s ban has been challenged in various federal courts, and a Federal District Judge in the Central District of Utah ruled on August 29, 2005 that the FDA failed to prove that ephedra was dangerous and lifted the ban. This ruling applies only to that area of Utah and has been appealed by the FDA. In the meantime, at least one company, the Wyoming-based American Generic Laboratories (AGC), has begun manufacturing products in Utah containing ephedra, including Superdrine RX-10, Ripped Power, Metabothin, and Super Ephedra. These products are available for purchase online.
Check out the following articles for more information about ephedra, filing an ephedra lawsuit and finding an ephedra attorney.
Suffered harm from Ephedra? You may have a lawsuit. Click here, for a top rated law firm to evaluate your legal rights. | 
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