Place Your Advertisement Here
All ad revenues support the mission of the Epilepsy Therapy Project
 
UPDATED: Thu, 11/08/2007 - 1:06am

  • Epilepsy First Aid
  • Seizure Medication
  • Videos
  • Seizure Diary
  • Find a Doctor
  • Epilepsy Centers
  • Clinical Trials
  • Event Calendar

Place Your Advertisement Here
All ad revenues support the mission
of the Epilepsy Therapy Project

Ephedra

Ephedra traditionally has been used as a stimulant and a treatment for asthma and has been included in many weight-loss and body-building products. In late 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restricted the sale of ephedra products in the United States because of the risk of outcomes such as heart attacks and strokes. The FDA advised consumers to stop using these products.

Many products containing ephedra were previously banned from sale in Canada and some U.S. states.

The NCAA and NFL also ban ephedra for use by athletes. The death in 2003 of a major league baseball player who had taken ephedra drew increased attention to the possible hazards of this product.

There are many species of ephedra, the best known of which is Ephedra sinica (Chinese ephedra), often known by its Chinese name, ma huang.

Ephedra contains several related stimulant substances, especially ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and norpseudoephedrine.

Since the late 1990s, the FDA has investigated reports of adverse events related to taking ephedra. These included seizures in several people who had no previously reported seizures. The number of seizures was small, however, especially in relationship to the large number of people who have consumed ephedra. Also, the ephedra was taken in combination with other stimulants (such as caffeine), so determination of the cause of the seizures is difficult.

Read more about ephedra in the "About Herbs" section of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center website. (If you have not visited the site before, the information on ephedra will be preceded by a Disclaimer.)

Much of the information in this article is based on Spinella M: Herbal medicines and epilepsy: The potential for benefit and adverse effects. Epilepsy Behav 2001; 2(6):524-532. (PMID 12609386)

Topic Editor: Steven C. Schachter, M.D.
Last Reviewed:12/15/06


Welcome to the Wiki. This space is created for epilepsy.com members to share their own experiences and expertise to help refine and expand the discussion around important topics.

No members have yet contributed to this topic. If you are not yet an epilepsy.com member, register today to get started on this Wiki topic and the many other advantages of being a member. If you are a member and wish to be the first to edit this Wiki topic, please make sure to login, then click on the orange "Start Wiki" button at the top of this page. Or, learn more about Wikis.


Turn the page on your treatment by starting your Epilepsy Diary today.

Keeping a daily record of your seizures can help you and your doctor better understand and treat your epilepsy.

Open my epiCom Diary

Title Posted
Hot flashes, herbs & seizure medication  
sprtgrl99
View all Forums

Title Posted
I Have Epilepsy and I Hate My Life...  
1nevermore
Benign Occipital Childhood Epilepsy  
DCB752
personality change  
Peaches78
Night seizures  
Tina Denise Blomsterberg
life and how it sucks  
kevinmo99
Searching for answers and support  
isualum08
Women With Epilepsy  
gogirl
absent seizures affecting memory  
epileptic23
SZ grunts and loud scream  
restez
Anyone have good results with Lamictal  
rc6002
View all Forums

Title Page Views
my.epilepsy.com Updates  
epi_help
topamax and weight loss  
alexia mom
kepra  
brian mattingly
Possible cure for absence seizures  
pdl1
Epilepsy and marijuana  
cjad234
Sexual Side Effects  
George R
How exactly do aura's feel  
WendyBendy
MEDICAL ALERT I.D.'s  
picnupthepcs
Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures - Revised  
spiz
electrical shock in head?  
Maggie
View all Forums

Title Posted
President's Blog: July 2008  
President
View all Blogs

Title Posted
Surgery tomorrow!!!  
mark_88
my new blog  
tweety 12
What a day!  
epi_help
Stroll for Epilepsy Awareness  
bookworm03
Anyone Had The Wada Test?  
RenaGrl808
my son's  
olgg
Coffee a Comforter?  
George R
Feeling Sick  
JBJ1984
Pineapple Sherbert helps relieves back pain for Keppra users  
wenko
My daughter wants to be back on her swim team  
swimrlady
View all Blogs

Title Page Views
Inspirational Quote - My Own Personal Inner Thoughts  
Butterflygrl
my partial complex seizures  
Zanna1211
Topomax... The Dreaded.........  
Dr Jason
Brain Zaps, tics & twitches  
JudiS
side effects of phenobarb.  
pksmom
Feeling Sick  
JBJ1984
How can you tell if a sleep seizure happens?  
epl_controller
Tegretol XR and ANXIETY meds  
Butterflygrl
TYLENOL, AEDs & SEIZURES  
cmscribbles
Nonepileptic "Events" vs. "Seizures"  
teft
View all Blogs

Title Posted
My Living With Epilepsy  
HAWK270
JUSTHOP's Seizure history  
JUSTHOP
Infantile Spasums/Seizures-many drugs, Ketogenic Diet Worked Best!  
lokay
miss red  
bloodsta29
Minute Repeater with Tourbillon  
watchpm
Shelby's Story  
shelbyhope
MY SEIZURES AND MY LIFE  
gingersmom
JME sans J  
bdeck00
Gio and epilepsy  
ccouki
tween having seizures  
swimrlady
View all Stories

Place Your Advertisement Here
All ad revenues support the mission
of the Epilepsy Therapy Project