HERB - ephedra

[Keith E. Brandt, M.D.]

>I can use antihistamines containing  pseudoephedrine, or ephedrine,
>effectively during the day, but can't sleep with them at night.  

Pseudoephedrine and ephedrine are decongestants, not antihistamines. They
are essentially 'speed' and will interfere with sleep in most people, and
therefore shouldn't be taken within a few hours of bedtime. 

>Is there
>a way to tell if a product does contain the whole plant?  Do they have
>to/choose to say?  If it's ephedrine HCL, that means only part of the
>plant?  

If the manufacturer is following proper labeling guidelines, the label
should tell you exactly what's in the preparation. However, with herbal
medicines, the guidelines are voluntary, and you can never be sure what
you're getting. There have been some studies that have shown that a certain
preparation (I think it was ginseng) contained *none* of what the label
said was in it! Caveat emptor!


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Galen

Friar Galen of Ockham
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