An ode to the combination of ECA (Ephedrine, Caffeine, Aspirin). Ephedrine: its effect on the body and potential danger Ephedra extract

Ephedrine is a plant and poisonous alkaloid that has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. The main one is a plant called Ephedra, which grows in the mountains of Western Siberia and Northern Asia. Now the substance is extracted under artificial conditions by chemical means. Used medicinally, but is better known as a drug that causes euphoria, relaxation and improves mood.

The substance is available in tablet form, injection solutions and bottles for rinsing the nasopharynx. Ephedrine is added to many drugs used to treat ENT pathologies, but its concentration is low. Drug addicts do not use the pure substance, which is sold as an independent drug, but make powerful drugs based on ephedrine.

Ephedrine is classified as a recreational drug when taken without additives and in regulated quantities. But the substance is dangerous because when a persistent addiction forms, the addict switches to harder drugs. They are often made at home, using improvised materials. Gasoline, solvent and other toxic liquids are used. This not only enhances the effect, but also makes the finished mixture harmful to humans.

How did ephedrine come about?

Ephedrine first appeared in medicine in 260 BC in China and was called ma huang. It was used for treatment bronchial asthma, bronchitis and other lung pathologies for many centuries. It was a plant substance of natural origin.

In 1885, ephedrine was isolated from the two-spike conifer by the Japanese chemist Nagai Nagayoshi. But only in 1929 the substance was synthesized. Since that time, ephedrine has become widespread, first in medicine, then in the drug trade.

Initially, the properties of ephedrine made it possible to use it to create drugs against lung diseases.

The high efficiency of the substance has made it popular all over the world. But only a few years ago, drug dependence on ephedrine was discovered, which made it prohibited for sale and distribution.

Ephedrine in medicine

Ephedrine has similar properties to amphetamine and methamphetamine. It has an effect on the nervous system, leading to excitement and increased activity. In small dosages it is used to treat bronchitis and bronchial asthma as part of other drugs.

In medicine, ephedrine hydrochloride is used to treat:

Ephedrine is also used in sports. It helps reduce appetite and lose weight. Athletes take ephedrine to increase endurance, relieve drowsiness and perform active activities. physical activity. These methods of using the substance are not permitted medical workers, because possible harm from ephedrine is significantly higher than the expected benefit. The athletes took ECA drugs, which included ephedrine, aspirin and caffeine. The combination of these substances contributed to active fat burning, reduced craving for sweet and starchy foods, and increased stamina. Currently, ephedrine-based drugs are prohibited from free distribution.

To this day, ephedrine is actively used in Chinese medicine to treat bronchial asthma. The substance is freely available, but its abuse is much less common than in Russia.

Legal status

Ephedrine itself has a limited effect on the nervous system. Abuse of the substance threatens serious intoxication of the body, but rarely leads to mental disorders. But its use for the purpose of manufacturing drugs, where a combination of ephedrine and methamphetamine occurs, has put a ban on sale. Now in Russia, ephedrine is officially prohibited for sale and distribution. Sales are strictly controlled by inspection authorities, production is limited.

In Russia, the production and sale of drugs in which the concentration of ephedrine exceeds 10% is controlled. Before this indicator, drugs can be sold without control by the relevant authorities, but only with a prescription.

In other countries, ephedrine is not prohibited for sale. For example, in China and Japan, the substance is actively used in medicine, but there are no cases of drug addiction from it.

In the United States, restrictions have been introduced on the dosage of drugs containing ephedrine. Sale medicines carried out according to a doctor's prescription. Sellers are required to provide drugs only with identification. After the sale, information about the buyer is entered into a special journal.

The effect of the substance on the body

Ephedrine has several properties:

• relief of allergy symptoms, easier breathing;
• vasoconstriction;
• stimulation of the central nervous system;
• relief of cough, removal of phlegm from the lungs.

After taking the substance, the patient experiences an increase in mood and a decrease in depression. Energy appears and drowsiness disappears. A person becomes relaxed, sociable and active. With long-term use, weight loss and increased endurance are noted.

Using ephedrine as a drug or by increasing the dosage on your own leads to activation of the nerve nodes. This causes a decrease in sensitivity to pain, the release of adrenaline and an increase in activity. For example, a person may start running fast to escape imaginary pursuers.

The substance activates receptors, which requires a lot of energy. The body experiences enormous stress, manifested by symptoms:

• increased heart rate;
• promotion blood pressure;
• increased blood glucose levels;
• increased muscle tone.

The use of ephedrine leads to an improvement in intellectual and mental abilities, and an increase in physical abilities. A person can solve complex problems, it is easy for him to play sports, and he can withstand great physical activity.

After the first doses, the nervous system is stimulated. A homemade drug made from ephedrine causes strong sensations, for the sake of which the addict takes the substance again. But repeated use of a psychostimulant leads to the formation of persistent psychological dependence.

With each new dose, the effect of the substance decreases. The nervous system is depleted, mental and emotional problems appear.

Withdrawal syndrome is severe in ephedrine addicts. Symptoms appear:

• loss of strength, lack of desire to do usual things;
• drowsiness;
• muscle pain;
• headaches;
• depression.

The duration of withdrawal is up to 2-3 days. initial stage dependence and reaches 2 weeks with long-term use of ephedrine. It is difficult to cope with withdrawal symptoms on your own; a person becomes depressed and has suicidal thoughts.

The narcotic effect on the body is manifested by symptoms characteristic only of ephedrine. Behavior that is atypical for a person makes it possible to identify dependence on early stage. After activation of the substance in the body, symptoms appear:

• an irresistible desire to talk to someone;
• high spirits, causeless fun;
• fussiness;
• excessive physical activity.

After taking the dose within 15 minutes, a hypokenic syndrome occurs, called the “arrival”. With it, the addict feels a pleasant chill spreading throughout the body. Euphoria sets in, accompanied by a change in mood. The psycho-emotional impact lasts no more than 5 minutes, but the addict loses the ability to perceive time and enjoys the bright colors in which his world is immersed.

At the second stage emotional state returns to normal, but motor activity increases. A drug addict can take on painstaking work and perform actions with complex mechanisms. Ephedrine gives him strength and desire to help others, and a strong love for the world and people appears.

Simultaneously with motor activity the person begins to feel talented. Thoughts quickly flash through your head, but the addict does not remember them. This effect lasts up to 4 hours. The longer the period of use, the shorter the hypokenic syndrome lasts.

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How drug cravings develop

The peculiarity of taking ephedrine is the absence of immediate addiction. After using 1-2 doses, a person can easily do without the drug, which creates an opinion about the safety of the substance and the absence of addiction. In fact, at first it is enough for a person to take the drug 2 times a month. This creates a psychological attraction to ephedrine; a person likes to feel strong and talented. After switching to daily intake of the substance, it is no longer possible to suppress cravings.

As addiction develops, the addict's health deteriorates. He begins to age rapidly, suffer from insomnia and physical fatigue. To overcome discomfort, a dose is required. And each time it becomes larger, which increases the “arrival” time.

Physical dependence on ephedrine does not form. But the substance accumulates in the body, causing intoxication. This condition is manifested by symptoms:

The body's protective functions decrease and susceptibility to respiratory diseases increases. Are escalating chronic pathologies, in women it is impaired menstrual cycle, in men, potency decreases.

Consequences of using ephedra

If ephedrine addiction is left untreated, a persistent addiction develops that cannot be suppressed on its own. The addict is worried about severe withdrawal, which manifests itself as disturbances in the psycho-emotional state. The nervous system becomes thinner, which makes taking each dose a strong blow to the body.

With long-term use of the drug, disturbances occur in a person’s mental and physical health. The most common consequences of addiction include:

• chronic depression;
• suicidal thoughts;
• brain dysfunction;
• heart attack;
• hypertension;
• cerebral hemorrhages.

A thinned nervous system cannot function normally, a person becomes aggressive, depressed, and suffers from depression. Withdrawal syndrome often leads to suicide.

An exhausted body is unable to cope with its functions. This increases susceptibility to diseases. Death occurs after prolonged use of ephedrine. Its cause is cerebral edema, heart attack, and respiratory arrest.

Death is also possible when using large doses of the drug. Overdose is characterized by symptoms:

• repeated vomiting, diarrhea, complete refusal to eat;
• convulsions, involuntary twitching of limbs;
• severe weakness, in which a person is unable to stand on his feet;
• excited state;
• increase in blood pressure to critical levels;
• increased sweating;
• lack of urination;
• fainting.

Severe intoxication of the body leads to severe damage internal organs and sudden cardiac arrest. If you don't provide medical care, the patient dies.

Ephedrine is a recreational drug that affects the human nervous system. Long-term use of the substance negatively affects the functionality of the body, and pathologies of various types appear. Only timely medical assistance can stop the effects of the drug and prevent the sad outcome of addiction.

Drug ephedrine - description

Calculate the cost of addiction treatment

No matter how hard you train, how you eat, or what supplements you take, losing weight is almost always a difficult task. The leaner you become, the more hunger you have to deal with, the harder your workouts are, and the less you have to eat to burn more fat. This is why many people start using stimulant drugs such as ephedrine. If you've been working out in the gym for a while, you've probably heard that this substance has just magical properties in terms of fat burning.

Ephedrine suppresses appetite and also significantly increases the rate of metabolism and fat burning. This means that you will lose weight faster and it will be easier for you to stick to a strict diet.

Manufacturers claim that ephedrine is as safe as caffeine. Moreover, the longer you take it, the higher its effectiveness (unlike the most popular stimulant in the world). But if you look for reviews on the Internet, you will find reviews from many users who claim that ephedrine is a very mediocre drug that is not that safe. Some people say this substance may even increase the risk of anxiety, heart attack and stroke.

Who to believe? How effective is ephedrine? How serious is itside effects and harm for health? And if it's safe, how should it be taken ? You will find answers to these and many other questions in our article aboutaction and use of ephedrine.Let's start with the definition of this drug.

Ephedrine - What is this and how does it work?

Ephedrine is a stimulant that increases metabolic rate and thus fat loss. In other words, it increases your body's energy expenditure, most of which comes from fat.

Ephedrine is obtained from the bush plant Ephedra sinica, which grows in China. Due to the Latin name of the plant, the substance is sometimes called “ephedra”.

Ephedra sinica makes breathing easier by relaxing the muscles around the airways, which is why it has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat various diseases such as colds, coughs and flu. In the West, ephedrine is sometimes included in anti-asthma medications.

Ephedrine works by binding to receptors on cells that respond to chemicals, called catecholamines, such as adrenaline, norepinephrine and dopamine.

When any of these molecules attach to cells, they activate the fight-or-flight response, which results in increased heart rate, decreased hunger, and increased fat and glycogen burning.

Ephedrine also helps reduce fat deposits that are more resistant to mobilization than others (called “stubborn” fat) by increasing the activity of beta receptors, which causes the release of energy stored in fat cells.

Why take ephedrine?

Athletes use ephedrine for two key reasons:

1. It increases your metabolic rate and fat burning.

2. It suppresses appetite.

There is also evidence that the substance can increase muscle strength, endurance and power, and also help maintain muscle mass during a diet. 1 It should be noted that the mechanism of the latter effects is not yet entirely clear, and in general they have not been particularly studied.

Ephedrine may have muscle-preserving properties on its own, or this effect may simply be a byproduct of its potential performance-enhancing properties (if you keep your workout intensity high while dieting, you're less likely to lose muscle). In any case, it is known that people who take ephedrine while cutting usually retain more muscle than those who do not.

Unlike many fat burners on the market, ephedrine is clear: it can definitely help you lose fat and therefore weight faster.

Studies have shown that the substance significantly increases fat burning and also works synergistically with caffeine, which can also speed up weight loss. In other words, when you combine these drugs, they help you lose fat faster than if you took them separately.

Scientists have found that the combination of ephedrine and caffeine can increase metabolism by 5%, resulting in an additional loss of approximately 150 grams of fat per week in the average person.

Of course, this does not fundamentally change the situation, but these energy costs are approximately equivalent to about 30 minutes of intense walking per day. Not bad for a small tablet, right?

Ephedrine also has unique property– its effect increases over time. 2

Unlike caffeine, which gradually loses its fat-burning potential as the body gets used to it, the effects of ephedrine are enhanced by continued use because it appears to sensitize the body to catecholamines.

This is especially useful when cutting, because the longer you are on a reduced-calorie diet, the less energy your body uses at rest and during training. This is partly why people “inexplicably” stop losing weight after dieting for a while. The drug helps overcome plateaus by affecting the basal metabolic rate (the amount of energy the body uses at rest).

Ephedrine has another important effect on the body - it suppresses appetite. 3

Many people who use ephedrine for the first time do not feel hungry when consuming only a few hundred calories per day (note that eating so little is not recommended). This effect fades over time, but remains quite noticeable.

Read also:

Is ephedrine safe?

Like any other stimulant, ephedrine has some side effects, such as:

Increased heart rate and increased blood pressure;

Nausea;

Insomnia;

Dizziness;

Nervous excitement;

Tremor (shaking) of hands. 4

While these side effects may seem quite ominous, they are also common to varying degrees with other stimulants such as caffeine and yohimbine. Side effects usually weaken/disappear after the first week of taking the drug. 5

Why then is ephedrine often called “dangerous” and put on a par with more serious drugs such as clenbuterol and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP)? There are several reasons for this.

1. Taking ephedrine is associated with some risks.

They may not be very serious, but in fact, using any drug (especially strong ones) is associated with certain risks. Some people simply do not tolerate ephedrine well and experience serious side effects. Therefore, since 2004, the FDA food products and Medicines USA) has registered more than 18 thousand complaints from people using ephedrine.

However, most cases are associated with the presence of certain diseases, high dosages and/or combining ephedrine with alcohol, pharmaceuticals (cold medicines) or narcotics such as ecstasy.

2. Ephedrine has a bad reputation, unlike other stimulants.

After several people died after taking ephedrine, including 23-year-old baseball player Steve Bechler, the FDA banned the substance from any supplements in 2004.

This has led to unfounded concerns about the safety of ephedrine. Deaths following caffeine overdose have not received the same publicity. 6 Millions of people abuse caffeine every day without fear for their health and consider ephedrine "bad" mainly because it is found in some asthma drugs and is used less frequently. What does science say about this?

Research shows that when used correctly, ephedrine is usually safe and does not cause serious side effects. 7

However, it is contraindicated if you have certain diseases (particularly heart disease). High doses of ephedrine and/or its combination with alcohol, large amounts of caffeine or narcotics can be dangerous and even fatal.

It should also be noted that most studies on ephedrine lasted only a few weeks/months. Therefore, it is unknown how the body will react when using the drug for a longer time. However, “drying” usually does not take more than 2– 3 months. Taking breaks in the use of ephedrine can minimize the likelihood of any complications.

How many accept? Efficient dose

The most common regimen for taking ephedrine for weight loss is three servings of 20-25 mg per day (morning, noon and early afternoon).

A standard ephedrine + caffeine combination includes the three servings of ephedrine listed above plus 200 mg of caffeine (or a little less if you've been taking caffeine for a long time).

Some people also add aspirin to the mix (combination "ECA"). Scientists have long found that aspirin can increase fat burning in obesity, but this effect does not seem to occur in lean people. 8

Additionally, there are some risks to consuming significant amounts of aspirin over the long term, so we do not recommend taking this drug.

How take ephedrine?

Most stimulants become less effective over time as our bodies become accustomed to them. As a result, to get the same effect, you need to increase the dosage.

Clenbuterol, for example, loses its effectiveness after 4-6 weeks of use. 9 This is why you need to take breaks from using stimulants. The body will restore sensitivity to them, and the drugs will again be effective in improving fat burning.

Ephedrine, as we remember, becomes more effective over time, so cycling is not necessary here.

However, you cannot be sure that there will be no long-term side effects. So if you want to be as safe as possible, take a break every 4-6 months. If you are taking the drug in combination with caffeine, take a break from it as well to restore your body's sensitivity.

Is ephedrine legal?

In the Russian Federation ephedrine hydrochlorideclassified as potent substances. Therefore it cannot be included in sports nutrition(although you can find many supplements with this substance on the market).

Ephedrine is also banned by most sports organizations, the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency, due to its potential to affect performance in sports.

What to replace ephedrine with?

A good option for replacing ephedrine is synephrine. It is a natural compound obtained from the orange fruit. Synephrine is chemically similar to ephedrine, so it has similar effects on the body.

Research shows that 50 mg of synephrine can increase your basal metabolic rate by about 65 calories over 75 minutes. Combined with two other natural substances– naringin and hesperidin– the figure can reach 180 calories. 10

180 kcal may not seem like much, but it is equivalent to the energy expenditure of 20 minutes of jogging. You get about 1300 kcal per week (that’s about 150 g of fat).

Synephrine also:

• helps eliminate stubborn fat faster by interfering with the cellular mechanism that slows down weight loss;
• increases the thermic effect of food (that is, it increases the amount of energy required to digest and absorb food);
• may reduce appetite.

Another reason to replace ephedrine with synephrine is health safety.

Numerous experiments show that synephrine does not increase blood pressure or heart rate like ephedrine. Therefore, it is considered one of the safest weight loss supplements. Thus, if you do not want to take strong stimulants, choose synephrine.

This psychoactive alkaloid was able to be obtained from the mahuan (ephedra) plant back in Ancient China. And some 24 years ago, in every pharmacy you could buy ephedrine hydrochloride, an effective and cheap remedy for bronchospasm.

Naturally, the production of only synthetic ephedrine was possible on such a scale. Far from being a harmless drug, ephedrine has gained the gratitude of asthmatics and fat people all over the world. However, like professional bodybuilders.

In sports, the effect of ephedrine on the body that is most valued is its ability to dramatically increase energy production. Thermogenesis is enhanced due to the release of natural stimulants adrenaline and norepinephrine, the heart pumps blood through the vessels more intensely, mental arousal increases, ㅡ all this feels like a readiness to move mountains.

Such properties are of interest both during competitions and under normal “drying” conditions. The stimulating effect of ephedrine manifests itself as:

• intense loss of fat mass;
• appetite suppressant;
• increasing endurance, especially in aerobic mode.

There is also a flip side to the coin; ephedrine has the following side effects:

• insomnia;
• irritability;
• disruptions in cerebral circulation;
• increased pressure;
• dry mouth, dehydration.

For a time, ephedrine was used to treat obesity. and losing weight, ㅡ but, nevertheless, the property of the drug to expand the bronchi has always been a priority.

At the moment, Doctors consider the medicine slightly outdated and try to avoid it due to its “generous” side effects..

There are also dozens of deaths associated with an overdose or the use of ephedrine against the background of hypertension, heart disease, and adrenal glands. This alkaloid is strictly contraindicated for thyroid diseases, glaucoma, diabetes, and mental disorders.

But let's be honest: when it comes to weight loss products, concepts such as safety and effectiveness most often act as antipodes.

Instructions for use in bodybuilding

In many sports supplements, ephedrine is found in the form of a standardized ephedra extract.. At the same time, many other components are “loaded”, some of which are designed to enhance the effect of ephedra (caffeine, salicylate) and smooth out side effects(methionine, flavonoids).

Some pharmacies can still sell Broncholitin syrup without a prescription, a bottle of which contains 100 mg of ephedrine. Many people are satisfied with it, despite the amount of sugar in the product - about 5 tablespoons.

Average dosage of ephedrine for a single dose ㅡ 25 mg. A day of such servings can be taken 2ㅡ3.

It has been experimentally proven that in a ratio of 1:10:10 with caffeine and aspirin(in fat burners the latter corresponds to willow bark extract) there is a synergistic effect.

Thanks to it, you can achieve an acceptable effect by significantly reducing the dose of alkaloids, and at the same time the risk of side effects. The combination is so popular that athletes often refer to it as a single drug called ECA.

A course duration of more than 1ㅡ2 weeks is not recommended, because... addiction develops and the effectiveness of ephedrine decreases. After a week of break, sensitivity to it is restored and the course can be repeated. Alternating ephedrine with other fat burners (such as clenbuterol) is popular. Sometimes ECA is combined with stanozolol and other cutting steroids.

Take ephedrine can be done either immediately before training or in the morning on an empty stomach to increase overall energy. To avoid insomnia, it is better to distribute the daily dose evenly between waking up and 16.00–18.00 hours.

The negative effect of ephedrine on cardiovascular system may be partially prevented by concomitant use of beta blockers such as metoprolol. The dosage and duration of administration are selected relative to the pulse rate at rest. Optimal ㅡ 60ㅡ80 beats/min.

Normalization general condition when taking ephedrine promotes drinking plenty of fluids.

Legal status and common sense

In the US, ephedrine is not prohibited for purchases of up to 9 g per month. Pharmacy employees keep records of customers and the number of ephedrine-containing drugs dispensed.

As for the Russian Federation, since 2013, the sale of any ephedrine-containing sports supplements has been illegal.. It should be noted here that ephedrine was included in the list of illegal substances not for its own negative properties, but as a raw material for the production of more dangerous methamphetamine and ephedrone.

Taking into account the considerable cost of ephedrine-based fat burners, as well as the fact that this substance is always “bundled” with a whole bunch of auxiliary ones, it is unlikely that anyone will undertake to “cook” drugs from them. What if take into account the psychology of a person who is ready to lose weight at any costㅡ then there is no doubt that a ban on such products will only increase the demand for more dangerous products like dinitrophenol.

Despite the tightening of the screws by all sorts of organizations, from the Olympic Committee to the FDA-FKSN, sports stimulants with ephedra are actively produced by Asian countries. Naturally, no quality assessments are carried out for illegal drugs, so they can obviously export a dummy.

The development of a safe and legal analogue of ephedrine could solve the problem.

To date, ephedrine has no analogues; the most similar properties with comparative “softness” are shown by synephrine(“bitter orange extract”), but it cannot be said that this substance has been fully studied, and its effectiveness still requires authoritative evidence.

For more on this topic, watch the video:

Ephedrine (1-phenyl-2-methylaminopropanol-1-hydrochloride)- alkaloid, psychostimulant of plant origin. Contained (along with its tereoisomer pseudoephedrine) in various types plants of the genus Ephedra, yew berry and some other plants. Chemical formula(C10H15NO). It is used mainly in the form of ephedrine hydrochloride, and is a white crystalline powder with a bitter taste, the crystals of which have an oblong shape. IN dosage form Available in the form of drops, solution for injection and tablets.

Ephedrine has a number of synonyms(Efo, Fairy, Mini Thins, Sudafed, Trucker's Speed, eрhedrinum hydrochloricum, eрhalone, eрhеdrosan, neo-fеdrin, sanedrine, ephedrine).

In medicine, ephedrine hydrochloride is used for treatment of bronchial asthma, hypotopic disease, allergic diseases, blood loss, poisoning with narcotic and sleeping pills, etc. It is also used as a means for weight loss.

However, like many other drugs used as prescribed by a doctor, ephedrine hydrochloride has begun to be used by drug addicts. Ephedrine is one of the most common drugs. In Russia, this drug is quite popular due to its low cost and availability. In addition, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine serve as important raw materials for the illegal artisanal production of drugs such as methamphetamine And ephedron.

Consequences of using ephedrine:
Ephedrine stimulates a- and b-adrenergic receptors. According to peripheral sympathomimetic effect ephedrine is similar to adrenaline, but has a less dramatic, but much longer lasting effect. Ephedrine also has a specific stimulating effect on the central nervous system.

The narcotic effect develops within 15-20 seconds after administration and lasts 4-8 hours. The mood increases, the sense of time is lost, you want to talk a lot, communicate with people. With repeated doses, the duration of the drug's action is shortened, and the desire to inject it again increases. Addiction to ephedrine manifests itself quite quickly - two or three doses are enough. Sometimes the drug is administered 8-10 times a day. As a result, drug doses reach 4-6 g per day.

After the effects of ephedrine wear off, a sharp decline in well-being and mood occurs., weakness, weakness and lethargy are noted, irritability, anger, and severe depression appear. The drug addict does not want to do anything, he cannot think anything, there is a decrease in intelligence and memory, and disruption of brain function. Attempts to “awaken” him from this state can cause aggression on his part. Many drug addicts, having tried ephedrine, later switch to more terrible drugs - heroin, methamphetamine, desomorphine and others available to him.

Signs of ephedrine use:
Depending on the time the drug addict took his last dose, he may experience following signs: dry mouth, increased heart rate, elevated mood, loss of sense of time, talkativeness, weakness, weakness and lethargy, irritability, anger, severe depression, insomnia, loss of appetite, constant depression.

From the history of ephedrine:
Ephedra was already used 5000 years ago in China as a medicinal plant. Its active components are the alkaloids ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine (phenylpropanolamine) and norpseudoephedrine (cathine).
1885 - Japanese chemist Nagayoshi Nagai first isolates ephedrine from the herb Ephedra chinensis.
1919 - Japanese chemist Akira Ogata first obtained crystalline methamphetamine when reducing ephedrine using red phosphorus and iodine.
In the 20s of the 20th century, Chinese pharmacologist Ko Kuei Chen and American pharmacologist Carl Schmidt worked at the Beijing Union medical college, ephedrine was isolated again.
1927 - the American company Eli Lilly began large-scale production of ephedrine-based medications.
In the 1980s, the spread of drugs containing ephedrine forced many countries to adopt legislative restrictions on the circulation of medicines that contain ephedrine.

This drug is quite popular in Russia. And the reasons for this are simple - low cost, and besides, it is quite easy to get.

Ephedrine

Like many other drugs, initially ephedrine hydrochloride used exclusively in medicine. First of all, it was prescribed to people who are often depressed, constant fatigue, as well as for high blood pressure, whooping cough, urticaria and many other diseases. Of course, it is not the substance ephedrine itself that is used, but many medications that contain it. For example, contains ephedrine ointment "Sunoref", "Solutan" and some others. However, as practice shows, it is quite simple to obtain the treasured drug from these medications - this can be done even at home, without using special tools or materials.

Ephedrine hydrochloride

However, like many other medications used as prescribed by a doctor, ephedrine hydrochloride began to be used by drug addicts. There is nothing complicated about this - you just need to obtain a pure substance by boiling and evaporating it from drugs using special methods, and in addition, increase the portion of the drug taken. That's why buy ephedrine in most large cities it is quite simple - drug dealers produce it directly from ordinary drugs sold in pharmacies. If a medicine taken at a time contains only 50 milligrams of the drug, then drug addicts take 500-600 milligrams at a time to feel the effect. Of course, taking potent alkaloids in such portions has a negative effect on nervous system person. Even in people who take medicines containing ephedrine, can be observed quite often side effects ephedrine- from headaches, dry mouth and insomnia to heartburn, vomiting, cramps and numbness of the limbs.

Effect of ephedrine

As mentioned above, ephedrine is one of the components of various medicines. And you should start taking it only with a doctor’s recommendation. However, it is often taken by people who want to lose weight. overweight. Well, this drug often causes loss of appetite and faster fat burning. Alas, for such a “gift” you have to pay a truly terrible price. Yes, your mood really improves - you have a desire to fly, friendliness towards everyone around you increases, you want to talk to anyone, even the first person you meet, you don’t feel how much time has passed since you took the drug.
But when the effect of the drug wears off, everything only gets worse - fatigue and depression set in. The addict doesn't want to see anyone. He just lies motionless where he was caught end of ephedrine effect. Terrible apathy is accompanied by suicidal thoughts. Depressive thoughts indeed often end in the addict's suicide. If there are no such inclinations, then he simply cannot return to his original state for several days. For some time he remains apathetic, at times he can become aggressive, and the aggression is practically uncontrollable. At this time, he really becomes dangerous to the people around him. But even after all this it cannot be said that the person was able to recover, and ephedrine no longer has power over him. Psychological dependence will most likely not let him go for many more months. And all this time he remains in the high-risk zone.

Drug ephedrine

It is unknown when ephedrine was first used as a drug. But still today he is widely known in certain circles. Many drug addicts, having tried ephedrine, later switch to more dangerous drugs - heroin, cocaine and amphetamine. After this, we can say with confidence that the person will no longer be able to return to normal society. That's why ephedrine In many ways, it is dangerous precisely because it is the first step into a bottomless abyss. He is accepted in various ways- both intravenously and by simple swallowing. In the first case, the effect appears much faster and lasts longer. However, in this case, one or two doses are enough for a person to turn into a drug addict (see photos of people before and after taking the drug).
The addiction to ephedrine manifests itself quite quickly - two or three doses are enough. After this, quitting the drug is accompanied by terrible depression. The addict does not want to do anything, he cannot think anything. Attempts to “awaken” him from this state can cause aggression on his part.

Long-term use of even legal substances that contain ephedrine is addictive. A person who takes such medications for several months often simply cannot give it up. What can we say about harm from ephedrine! At the first appointments, a person feels inspired, friendly and wants to demonstrate it in every possible way. Later, the effect decreases significantly, as does the duration of action. That is why drug addicts have to increase the portions of the administered substance and reduce the time between doses. If after the first dose the effect lasts 6-8 hours, then later it is reduced to 2-4 hours. To regain a “good” mood, an addict takes ephedrine up to 8-10 times a day. Thus, he consumes up to 6 grams of the drug per day. This is a truly terrible blow to the human nervous system. Insomnia, loss of appetite and constant depression (when a person is not under the influence of a drug) become constant companions of the addict. But usually there are much more terrible consequences - hallucinations, the occurrence of mental disorders, heart failure, vomiting, rashes and much more.