A small, erect shrubby plant, covered with minute stellate hairs. Leaves ovate, obovate, linear-lanceolate, or elliptic; flowers pale yellow or white, axillary, solitary or fascicled on short shoots; seeds blackish-brown.
Herb Effects
Stimulates the cardiovascular system, hypoglycemic and alleviates spasms (plant); demulcent and refrigerant (leaves); astringent and cooling (fruits)
Ephedrine, vasicine, vasicinol and choline (root alkaloids).
Chemistry
of Active Ingredients
Name
CAS#
IUPAC Name
Formula
Structure
Ephedrine
6912-63-6
2-methylamino-1-phen yl-propan-1-ol
C10H15NO
Vasicine
Not Available
Not Available
C11H12N2O
Vasicinol
Not Available
Not Available
C11H12N2O2
Choline
67-48-1
2-hydroxyethyl-trime thyl-ammonium
C5H14NO+
Pharmacology
Medicinal Use
As a tonic, in mild cases of debility and fever (root); in gonorrhea, gleet and scalding urine (leaf); as a demulcent (leaf and root); in diabetes (plant).
Reference
Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.
Health Remedies 
Return to top