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 E-type 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-O- glucoside-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