Ephedrine is a naturally occurring stimulant alkaloid found in plants of the Ephedra genus, with a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. First isolated in 1885, it is a substituted amphetamine that acts as a sympathomimetic agent. Ephedrine is used clinically as a decongestant, bronchodilator, and to treat hypotension during anesthesia, and is listed on the WHO's List of Essential Medicines. Though structurally related to methamphetamine, its central nervous system effects are considerably less potent.
Efedrina molecular structure diagram from the DrugsPRO substance library.
Also known as: Sudafed, Ephedra, Ma huang, Isofedrol, Mini thins, L-ephedrine, Efedrina
Classification
Chemical: Amphetamine
Psychoactive: Stimulant
Tag: Alkaloid
Tag: Habit-Forming
Effects
Stimulation
Increased Heart Rate
Increased Blood Pressure
Bronchodilation
Temperature Regulation Suppression
Nausea
Confusion
Paranoia
Euphoria
Anxiety
Motivation Enhancement
Wakefulness
Appetite Suppression
Dehydration
Disinhibition
Light Sensitivity
Increased Libido
Sexual Arousal
Routes of Administration
Oral
Dosage
Heavy: 50+ mg
Light: 5 – 20 mg
Common: 20 – 30 mg
Strong: 30 – 50 mg
Threshold: 5-10 mg
Duration
Onset: 0.25-1.5 h
After Effects: 2-4 h
Peak: 1-2 h
Offset: 2-4 h
Total Duration: 2-5 h
Insufflated
Dosage
Heavy: 60+ mg (anecdotal)
Light: 10-20 mg (anecdotal)
Common: 20-40 mg (anecdotal)
Strong: 40-60 mg (anecdotal)
Threshold: 5-10 mg (anecdotal)
Duration
No data available for this section yet.
Harm Reduction
Check interactions before mixing substances, pay attention to dose spacing and hydration, and treat all dosage guidance as approximate rather than guaranteed safe.
Sources
Substance data is aggregated from the following public harm-reduction and reference sources.
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Ephedrine - Guía de sustancias de DrugsPRO
Ephedrine: Ephedrine is a naturally occurring stimulant alkaloid found in plants of the Ephedra genus, with a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. First isolated in 1885, it is a substituted amphetamine that acts as a sympathomimetic agent. Ephedrine is used clinically as a decongest
