ephedrine

e·phed·rine   (ĭ-fěd'rĭn, ěf'ĭ-drēn')    n.  A white, odorless, powdered or crystalline alkaloid, C10H15NO, isolated from shrubs of the genus Ephedra or made synthetically. It is used in the treatment of allergies and asthma. [Latin ephedra, horsetail; see ephedra + -ine2.]

Main Entry: ephed·rine
Pronunciation: i-'fed-r&n, Brit also 'ef-&-dr&n
Function: noun
: a crystalline alkaloidC₁₀H₁₅NO extracted from a Chinese ephedra (Ephedra sinica) or synthesized that has the physiological action of epinephrine and is used in the form of a salt for relief ofhay fever, asthma, and nasal congestion

ephedrine e·phed·rine (ĭ-fěd'rĭn, ěf'ĭ-drēn')
n.
An odorless crystalline or powdered alkaloid isolated from shrubs of the genus Ephedra or made synthetically and used in the treatment of allergies and asthma.

ephedrine   (ĭ-fěd'rĭn, ěf'ĭ-drēn')  Pronunciation Key  A white, odorless, powdered or crystalline alkaloid isolated from shrubs of the genus Ephedra or made synthetically. It is used in the treatment of allergies and asthma. Chemical formula: C10H15NO.

ephedrine

alkaloid used as a decongestant drug. It is obtainable from plants of the genus Ephedra, particularly the Chinese species E. sinica, and it has been used in China for more than 5,000 years to treat asthma and hay fever. It is effective when administered orally, and its effects persist for several hours, in contrast to the shorter-acting norepinephrine. Since the 1920s synthetic ephedrine has been used in Western medicine as a bronchodilator and nasal decongestant and in controlling urinary incontinence. When its longer duration of action is desirable, ephedrine replaces epinephrine in nonemergency treatment of allergic reactions. Its slow action renders it useless in arresting acute allergic attacks. Because of its stimulant effects, ephedrine must sometimes be used in combination with sedatives.

Learn more about ephedrine with a free trial on Britannica.com.