OFFICIAL NAMES: Ephedra, Ephedra sinica

STREET NAMES: Mahuang, ma huang, desert tea, Mormon tea, American ephedra, European ephedra, Pakistani ephedra, ephedrine, ephedrine alkaloids, pseudoephedrine

DRUG CLASSIFICATIONS: Not scheduled, dietary supplement

Overview

Ephedra has a long, varied, and global history. Most varieties of the drug or herb are legal as of 2002. Despite its legal status, however, ephedra is not safe in large quantities. In fact, some non-profit groups, lawyers, and even some physicians and state and federal health agencies claim that ephedra can be harmful. They have sought to ban or at least more strictly regulate products containing ephedra, because these supplements have been associated with some very serious side effects, including strokes and heart attacks.

The earliest known use of ephedra was in ancient China, where it was used as an herbal remedy to treat a variety of ailments. Physicians in the United States...