My daughter has recommended that I take it to give me more pep and help me lose some weight. A. Ma Haung is a member of a family of herbs known as Ephedracae. These herbs have been used in Chinese medicine for more than 4,000 years to treat symptoms of asthma and upper respiratory infections. Today, small amounts of the compound are used in some of the medications that we take to relieve bronchial asthma and cold symptoms.
Ephedrine acts as a decongestant.
Ephedrine also stimulates the central nervous system and increases heart rate and blood pressure. It's chemically similar to amphetamines. So, it may pep you up and help you lose weight. To do so is courting danger. These events ranged from headaches, insomnia, nausea, and fatigue to chest pain, stroke and even death in eight ephedrine users.