Ephedra is a genus of shrub growing in hot arid and semi-arid regions throughout the world. As a natural health medicine plant and stimulant herb, it's known to be in use by c. 5000 BCE. Ephedra contains significant amounts of ephedrine.
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Ephedra is a reedy seed-producing shrub or vine. The genus has about 75 species in Asia, India, Middle East, Egypt and other parts of Africa and arid regions of the Americas. It can grow in the Andes and Himalayas as high as 4000 m (2.5 mi) above sea level.
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Ephedra is a gymnosperm, with spores in conical structures but without real flowers. The oldest known Ephedra comes from the Early Cretaceous period, c. 125 million years ago. Fossil records appear from Argentina, China, Portugal and the United States.
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In hot and temperate climates, these sun-loving plants live on sea shores or in sandy soils with plenty of daytime light. Because Ephedra is moderately salt tolerant it grows in saline soils where most other plants would perish.
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A relative of pine, juniper, and spruce, it's also called joint-pine, joint fir, Mormon tea or Brigham tea. The Chinese term mahuang means Ephedra. High amounts of the stimulant ephedrine gives the plant genus its name.
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Ephedra produces nectar only in certain species on the full moon night in July. Female ephedra form a sweet bead of nectar on each flower cone. On that night pollinating moths and other nocturnal insects come to drink the nectar.
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The sweet sticky drop also catches wind-blown pollen, helping pollenate the plant. Otherwise the abundant pollen of Ephedra species is wind-scattered. The yellow pollen cones can resemble flowers.
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With stimulant properties of the active ingredient ephedrine, Ephedra extracts are sought in the production of methamphetamine. It's made clinically and illegally.
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Methamphetamines elevate mood, increase alertness, concentration and energy and promote weight loss. At high doses, meth induces psychosis, breakdown of skeletal muscle, seizures, meth mouth and bleeding in the brain.
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The Vedic Rigveda mentions Soma (Sauma) as the first drink of a newborn child. The soma of Rigveda may be made with juice of Ephedra plants. In Rigveda, Soma is an evergreen plant, with a thousand stalks in yellow hues bestowing auspicious energy.
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In China it's also called Chinoso Ho-Ma, or "fire-yellow fibers of hemp", which becomes known in Sanskrit as Soma. The earliest known natural health uses of Ephedra include as an anti-fatigue drink and for mental acuity. The source of the stimulant effect is the stems.
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As a euphoriant and energizer its juice is consumed thrice daily. Later it's associated with immortality and longevity, or Elixir of Life. As a traditional medicine it's used to treat headaches and respiratory ailments, and as a decongestant.
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Ephedra develops a strong network of rhizomes underground to keep itself anchored in dry wind storms. Rhizomes grow horizontally send new stems straight up through the soil. This plant dislikes damp earth and is often found on hills or hillsides where drainage is best.
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Because of the strong root system Ephedra is important to soil stability on hills and mountain slopes. The leaves are small, scale-like and usually fall from the plant. Plants produce male cones with microspores which develop into pollen.
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Female cones produce megaspores. They're held within the cones and develop into female sex organs inside ovules. Fertilization occurs after pollination and causes formation of seeds.
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Small, yellow flower-like pollen cones are followed by round, red seed-bearing fruits. E. gerardiana is often taken as a stimulant. In Ayurvedic medicine tea of the plant is used to treat colds, coughs, bronchitis, asthma, and arthritis.
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