THERAPEUTIC IMPORTANCE OF EPHEDRA ALATA AND EPHEDRA FOLIATA- A REVIEW

The preliminary phytochemical analysis of Ephedra alata indicated the presence of cardiac glycosides, reducing sugars, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and alkaloids. Ephedra species contain alkaloids ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, methylephedrine, and methylpseudoephedrine. Beside the Etype alkaloids, ephedroxane, and macrocyclic spermidines called ephedradine A-D, were isolated from some Ephedra species. The total amount of alkaloids isolated from Ephedra alata aerial parts was 0.2-0.22%. Phenolic compounds included chlorogenic acid, rutin, catechin, quercetin, coumaric acid, flavonoid (Vicenin II, lucenin III, kaempferol 3-rhamnoside, quercetin 3-rhamnoside, herbacetin 7-glucoside, herbacetin 8-methyl ether 3-Oglucoside-7-O-rutinoside and herbacetin 7-O-6″-quinylglucoside) and furanofuran ((±)-syringaresinol, digalloylglucose, nilocitin, p-coumaric acid) were isolated from Ephedra alata. Ephedra foliata also produced ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. The total alkaloids contents of Ephedra foliata (ephedrine and psudoephedrine) were 0.04-0.2%. Previous pharmacological studies revealed that Ephedra species possessed antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective and cardiovascular effects. This review discussed the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of Ephedra alata and Ephedra foliata. Keywords: Ephedra alata, Ephedra foliata, pharmacology, constituents, therapy