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Cytotoxicity assessment of Ma-huang (Ephedra) under different conditions of preparation.

Abstract
Ma-huang is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb derived from EPHEDRA: sinica Stapf and other EPHEDRA: species, used to treat asthma, nose and lung congestion, and fever with anhidrosis. It contains 0.5-2.5% by weight of total alkaloids, of which ephedrine accounts for 30 to 90%. Recently, large amounts of ma-huang were used as a source of ephedrine in many dietary supplements formulated for weight reduction, because ephedrine has been found effective in inducing weight loss in diet-restricted obese patients. However, indiscriminate consumption of ma-huang-containing products has resulted in many cases of poisoning, some of which were fatal. The objective of this study is to investigate the relative toxicity of ma-huang extracted under different conditions. The toxicities of various extracts were assayed using MTT colorimetry on a battery of cell lines, while ephedrine alkaloids were analyzed with HPLC. The results are summarized as follows. (1) The cytotoxicity of all ma-huang extracts could not be totally accounted for by their ephedrine contents, suggesting the presence of other toxins in the extracts. (2) Grinding was a significant condition enhancing the toxicity of the extracts. (3) The relatively high sensitivity of the Neuro-2a cell line to the toxicity of ma-huang extracts suggests that the toxic principles were acting on neuronal cells. (4) One condition to produce a ma-huang extract with high ephedrine-to-toxins ratio would be to boil the whole herb for two h.
AuthorsM K Lee, B W Cheng, C T Che, D P Hsieh
JournalToxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology (Toxicol Sci) Vol. 56 Issue 2 Pg. 424-30 (Aug 2000) ISSN: 1096-6080 [Print] United States
PMID10911002 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Plant Preparations
  • Tetrazolium Salts
  • Thiazoles
  • Ephedrae herba
  • thiazolyl blue
  • Ephedrine
Topics
  • Cell Survival (drug effects)
  • Colorimetry
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal (toxicity)
  • Ephedra sinica
  • Ephedrine (isolation & purification, toxicity)
  • Humans
  • Liver (drug effects)
  • Plant Preparations
  • Tetrazolium Salts (metabolism)
  • Thiazoles (metabolism)
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

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