Synthetic Ephedrine Is Available To Buy Again

Synthetic Epherine, Herbal Ephedra What's The Difference?

This once common broncidis medicine has been in the news a lot lately. Synthetic ephedrine has become a source of raw ingredients for drug makes to make methamphetamine. For this reason the US Govt. pass the "Combat Meth Act of 2005" If you have never bought ephedrine in the past you may not know that it was a very popular and effective over the counter medicene to help with colds, asthma, and broncidis.

First time buyers will most likely never get to see a time where a law biding citizen could actually go to the local drugstore and buy something to get relief from a cold. Ephedrine and its direvitives are the active ingredients in many cold medicines. Now to purchase the supplement you must go to a pharmacist, show your papers, sign you name to a contract. Wow just to breath a little easier. Nothing like punishing the many for the deeds of a few.

Also if you are buying ephedrine supplements for the very first time, you might have noticed that there are two different types of products that are available. Some being ephedra, epehdra leaves, Ma Huang, Mormon Tea Ephedra Sinica. These are a natural form of ephedra plants. There are several kinds of ephedra plants but I will keep this article to the ones used for the production of diet pills. The 2nd class is synthetic ephedrine pills. The difference is one is natural the other is made in a manufacturing lab. Is one source of ephedrine better than the other? In this article, we will look at the main characteristics that differentiate the two as well as some concerns regarding each option. Some of the information will seem redundant.

What is Ephedra?

Ephedra, has over 40 different species, but we are speaking on the species which contain ephedrine group alkaloids because not all species do. The species with ephedrine group alkaloids include; Ephedra sinica, Ephera equisentia and Ephera intermedia.

What is Herbal Ephedrine?

The Ma Huang plant has been used to counteract a wide range of symptoms. There are records of its use in treating colds, fevers, flu symptoms, and to aid in breathing as long as 5,000 years ago. It has been called the miracle plant over the years. The plant know as Ephedra sinica is only one of the many species in the ephedra family of plants. It seems to have the most effective herbal content of its stems, roots, seeds, and leaves.

Ephedra sinica is a source of the chemical alkaloid known as ephedrine. This alkaloid which gives the plant all of its beneficial properties was initially isolated from ma huang extract. In earlier times the most common dosage method of taking ephedra was by brewing Ma Huang Tea, Mormon Tea, Brigham Tea, or Squaw Tea).

You can also get ephedrine from a synthetic source that has been manufactured in a lab. This synthetic ephedrine is pure ephedrine alkaloids and usually come in hydrochloride or sulfate form. Essentially, synthetic tablets give you the isolated active ingredient of ephedrine whereas herbal supplements give you a concentrated extract directly from the ephedra plant.

What are ephedrine group alkaloids?

Ephedrine group alkaloids comprise the primary active element of the above noted species of ephedra. Within the ephedrine group alkaloids, the individual alkaloid ephedrine and the individual alkaloid pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is less potent than ephedrine, and is very common in cold remedies such as Sudafed. You can notice the clever spelling. These are the two most prevalent alkaloids with the ephedrine alkaloid making up 90% with respect to quantity and potency. Ephedrine group alkaloids are most prevalent in the ephedra herb's woody stems or aerial parts. You will notice this in the ingredient listings on most ephedra diet pills labels as stems, leaves and aerial parts.

The importance of understanding this distinction is that a product with ephedrine group alkaloids may  contain not only the ephedrine alkaloid, but also other alkaloids as well (most likely pseudoephedrine). Although the research is not definitive, it appears very unlikely that a product with naturally derived ephedrine would exclusively contain ephedrine. Products contain ephedrine alkaloids were removed from the market by the FDA. No one is really sure why this is. The adverse reactions reports to the FDA were extremely low especially for millions of bottles of products sold containing ephedra. Strangely enough there was a big drug manufacturer that released the first FDA approved diet pill immediately after the ephedra ban. Also there was an onslaught of prescription diet pill introduced to the market right after ephedra was banned. Coincidence or not it seems that someone wanted a cheap, effective, diet product out of the way.

What is Ephedrine?

Ephedrine is a potent CNS (central nervous system) stimulant. As discussed above, ephedrine is a naturally occurring alkaloid. Ephedrine is also synthetically produced in laboratories and is known as synthetic ephedrine as it is synthesized and not naturally occurring, this type of ephedrine is also classified a drug. Although chemically this ephedrine is same as the individual ephedrine alkaloid, it is most often marketed in the hydrochloride (HCl) form. As with many drugs, conversion into hydrochloride form allows for more rapid absorption.

Ephedrine HCL,  Ephedrine Group Alkaloids - What Is The Difference?
     
The primary differences between ephedrine HCl (synthetic) and ephedrine group alkaloids (naturally occurring) are: source and composition. Regarding source differences, ephedrine HCl is synthesized in a laboratory whereas ephedrine group alkaloids are naturally occurring in certain species of the herb/plant ephedra. Regarding composition differences, ephedrine HCl is pure ephedrine (in hydrochloride form) whereas ephedrine group alkaloids contain the individual ephedrine alkaloid as well as other alkaloids (as noted above). The active ephedrine itself is chemically identical in either form.

As well, another difference is that the absorption rate of ephedrine HCl is slightly faster than relative naturally occurring ephedrine. Importantly, because ephedrine HCl is synthesized (not naturally occurring) FDA has classified it as a drug.

Are ephedrine and ephedra legal?

Ephedrine and ephedra are still legal, but synthetic ephedrine is classified as a drug, and certain additional restrictions do apply. FDA's ban with respect to synthetic ephedrine applied to the use of this substance for diet and energy supplements and fat loss pills, on the basis that synthetic ephedrine is classified as a drug which has not been approved for such uses.  However, it is important to distinguish between synthetic ephedrine (e.g. ephedrine HCl) and ephedrine from naturally occurring ephedrine group alkaloids when discussing the legal status of ephedrine. On April 13, 2005, a federal court in Salt Lake City [U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, Central Division] issued its decision on a legal challenge to FDA's 2004 Final Rule banning all ephedrine-alkaloid dietary supplements. Judge Tena Campbell's decision made two key points:

      1. It held that the analysis used by FDA was incorrect and improper. FDA's analysis weighed risks against benefits. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), however, requires a straightforward risk assessment. The court held that requiring supplement companies to demonstrate a benefit as a pre-condition to marketing violated DSHEA by shifting the burden from FDA to industry.

      2. It held that FDA didn't have adequate scientific evidence to find that a daily dose of 10 mg. or less of ephedrine alkaloids presented a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury; [under 21 U.S.C. and sect; 342(f)(1)(A)]. The court effectively held that it's improper to ban all ephedra supplements because FDA lacks data to determine what dosage might be safe.

Eventually the FDA was successful at banning products with ephedra alkaloids. But at this time it is legal to buy/sell synthetic ephedrine alkaloid products with a daily dose of 25mg or less. Also ephedra products containing ephedra leaves and stems that have not been adulterated can be sold.

Synthetic ephedrine has only been approved for use in treating allergies, asthma, nasal congestion, and related upper respiratory symptoms, but not for weight loss or to enhance athletic performance. It is unlikely that anyone or any company will seek to secure FDA approval for the use of synthetic ephedrine for weight loss due to the expense involved.

In addition, the drug, or synthetic form, ephedrine is regulated by DEA, largely out of concerns about the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine products, DEA has imposed certain quantity limits and other restrictions on the sale of synthetic ephedrine.

Products containing only synthetic ephedrine are highly regulated by DEA, these products include VasoPro, Ephed, and Bronch-Eze, which combine ephedrine HCl and guaifenesin. Ephedrine HCL itself was never banned by FDA. These products are sold as bronchodilators. Live Lean Today.com is one of the very retailers, Certified by the DEA to sell Ephedrine HCL.