Editing Ephedrine (section)

==Medical uses==
[[Image:EphedrineInBottles.jpg|thumb|right|Ephedrine Sulphate (1932), Ephedrine Compound (1932), and Swan-Myers Ephedrine Inhalant No. 66 (''circa'' 1940).]]

Ephedrine is a non-[[catecholamine]] [[sympathomimetic]] with cardiovascular effects similar to those of [[adrenaline]] (epinephrine): increased blood pressure, heart rate, and contractility. Like [[pseudoephedrine]], it is a [[bronchodilator]], with pseudoephedrine having considerably less effect.<ref name=Butterworth2022>{{cite book | vauthors = Butterworth IV JF, Mackey DC, Wasnick JD | chapter = Chapter 14. Adrenergic Agonists & Antagonists. | title = Morgan & Mikhail's Clinical Anesthesiology | edition = 7th | date = 2022 | publisher = McGraw-Hill Education | chapter-url = https://accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=3194&sectionid=266518784 | isbn = 978-1-260-47379-7 }}</ref><ref name='drew'>{{cite journal | vauthors = Drew CD, Knight GT, Hughes DT, Bush M | title = Comparison of the effects of D-(-)-ephedrine and L-(+)-pseudoephedrine on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in man | journal = British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology | volume = 6 | issue = 3 | pages = 221–5 | date = September 1978 | pmid = 687500 | pmc = 1429447 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1978.tb04588.x }}</ref>

Ephedrine may decrease [[motion sickness]], but it has mainly been used to decrease the sedating effects of other medications used for motion sickness.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Buckey Jr JC |title=Space Physiology |date=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn= 978-0-1997-4790-0 |page=201 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Jn_i6KbutXYC&pg=PA201 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Sanford CA, Jong EC |title=The Travel and Tropical Medicine Manual E-Book |date=2008 |publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences |isbn=978-1437710694 |page=139 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=gAz-_hBG90sC&pg=PA139 }}</ref>

Ephedrine is also found to have quick and long-lasting responsiveness in [[congenital myasthenic syndrome]] in early childhood and also even in adults with a novel [[COLQ]] mutation.<ref>{{Cite journal| vauthors = Higashida K, Yamada M, Shimohata T |date=2021-04-13|title=Quick and long-lasting responsiveness by ephedrine in an adult woman with congenital myasthenic syndrome associated with a novel COLQ mutation. (2928) |url= https://n.neurology.org/content/96/15_Supplement/2928 |journal=Neurology|volume=96|issue=15 Supplement|doi=10.1212/WNL.96.15_supplement.2928 |s2cid=266124150 |issn=0028-3878}}</ref>

Ephedrine is administered by intravenous boluses. Redosing usually requires increased doses to offset the development of [[tachyphylaxis]], which is attributed to the depletion of catecholamine stores.<ref name=Butterworth2022/>

===Weight loss===
Ephedrine promotes modest short-term [[weight loss]],<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Shekelle PG, Hardy ML, Morton SC, Maglione M, Mojica WA, Suttorp MJ, Rhodes SL, Jungvig L, Gagné J | display-authors = 6 | title = Efficacy and safety of ephedra and ephedrine for weight loss and athletic performance: a meta-analysis | journal = JAMA | volume = 289 | issue = 12 | pages = 1537–45 | date = March 2003 | pmid = 12672771 | doi = 10.1001/jama.289.12.1470 }}</ref> specifically fat loss, but its long-term effects are unknown.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dwyer JT, Allison DB, Coates PM | title = Dietary supplements in weight reduction | journal = Journal of the American Dietetic Association | volume = 105 | issue = 5 Suppl 1 | pages = S80-6 | date = May 2005 | pmid = 15867902 | doi = 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.028 | url = https://zenodo.org/record/1259087 }}</ref> In mice, ephedrine is known to stimulate [[thermogenesis]] in the [[brown adipose tissue]], but because adult humans have only small amounts of brown fat, thermogenesis is assumed to take place mostly in the [[skeletal muscle]]. Ephedrine also decreases [[gastric emptying]]. [[Methylxanthine]]s such as [[caffeine]] and [[theophylline]] have a synergistic effect with ephedrine for weight loss. This led to the creation and marketing of compound products.<ref name="BrayBouchard2004">{{cite book | vauthors = Bray GA, Bouchard C |title=Handbook of obesity |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=YVQPOfKYJhUC&pg=PA494 |year=2004 |publisher= CRC Press |isbn=978-0-8247-4773-2 |pages=494–496 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140626190101/http://books.google.com/books?id=YVQPOfKYJhUC&pg=PA494 |archive-date= 2014-06-26}}</ref> One of them, known as the [[ECA stack]], contains ephedrine with caffeine and aspirin. It is a popular supplement taken by [[bodybuilding|bodybuilders]] seeking to cut body fat before a competition.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Magkos F, Kavouras SA | title = Caffeine and ephedrine: physiological, metabolic and performance-enhancing effects | journal = Sports Medicine | volume = 34 | issue = 13 | pages = 871–89 | year = 2004 | pmid = 15487903 | doi = 10.2165/00007256-200434130-00002 | s2cid = 1966020 }}</ref>
A 2021 systematic review found that ephedrine led to a {{convert|2|kg}} weight loss greater than placebo, raised [[heart rate]], and reduced [[LDL]] and raised [[High-density lipoprotein|HDL]], with no statistically significant difference in [[blood pressure]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Yoo HJ, Yoon HY, Yee J, Gwak HS | title = Effects of Ephedrine-Containing Products on Weight Loss and Lipid Profiles: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials | journal = Pharmaceuticals | volume = 14 | issue = 11 | pages = 1198 | date = November 2021 | pmid = 34832979 | pmc = 8618781 | doi = 10.3390/ph14111198 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

===Available forms===
{{See also|Theophylline/ephedrine}}

Ephedrine is available as a [[prescription drug|prescription-only]] [[pharmaceutical drug]] in the form of an [[intravenous]] [[Solution (chemistry)|solution]], under brand names including Akovaz, Corphedra, Emerphed, and Rezipres as well as in [[generic drug|generic form]]s, in the United States.<ref name="Drugs@FDA">{{cite web | title=Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs | publisher = Food and Drug Administration | website=accessdata.fda.gov | url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm | access-date=14 July 2024}}</ref><ref name="DailyMed">{{cite web | title=Search Results for ephedrine | website=DailyMed | url=https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/search.cfm?query=ephedrine&searchdb=all&labeltype=all&sortby=rel&audience=professional&page=1&pagesize=200 | access-date=14 July 2024}}</ref> It is also available [[over-the-counter drug|over-the-counter]] in the form of 12.5 and 25{{nbsp}}mg [[oral administration|oral]] [[tablet (pharmacy)|tablet]]s for use as a [[bronchodilator]] and as a 0.5% concentration [[nasal spray]] for use as a [[decongestant]].<ref name="DailyMed" /> The drug is additionally available in [[combination drug|combination]] with [[guaifenesin]] in the form of oral tablets and liquids.<ref name="DailyMed" /> Ephedrine is provided as the [[hydrochloride]] or [[sulfate]] [[salt (chemistry)|salt]] in pharmaceutical formulations.<ref name="Drugs@FDA" /><ref name="DailyMed" />