Botanical Name :	Ephedra sinica
Parts Used :	Ramulus
Possible English Names :	ephedra
Japanese Name :	maou
Chinese Name :	ma-huang

Property :	warm

Taste :	pungent and slightly bitter

Affinity :	the LIS
	urinary bladder channels

Effects :	1. diaphoresis
	2. relieving asthma
	3. diuresis

# "Exterior syndrome" refers to the symptoms and signs along with the cold and flu, such as chills, fever, headache, etc.

Indications :
Signs, Symptoms and Illnesses	Pattern Analysis	Combination	Formula
(1) chill, fever, headache,arthralgia and no sweat Pulse : superficial and tight	exterior cold syndrome of excess type due to exopathic wind-cold	cinnamon twig	Ma-Ou-Tou
(2) cough and dyspnea	impaired dispersion of the LIS-qi	bitter apricot kernel, licorice	San-You-Tou
* ------with fever and yellow mucous sputum	pathogenic heat in the LIS	gypsum	Ma-kyou-Kan-seki-Tou
*------ with profuse clear sputum and white coated tongue	cold-phlegm in the LIS	asarum herb, dried ginger and pinellia tuber	Shou-Sei-Ryuu-Tou
(3) general edema and fever	exterior syndrome of excess type	gypsum, white atractylodes rhizome
(4) arthralgia	wind-dampness	Job’s tears, white atractylodes rhizome

Note : "Combination" shows medicinal herbs usually or often used in combination with ephedra. "Formula" shows the one which contains the group of herbs on the left.

Applications:
	the early stage of the common cold and flu, bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, etc
Dosage :	1.5 - 9 grams
Administration :
	to be decocted with water for oral administration ( # see below ) * for relieving asthma, to be used after being stir-fried with honey
Precautions :
	not to be used in large dosage
Warnings ( Contraindications ) :
	It must not be taken in the following cases. 1. hypertension 2. spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency 3. night sweat due to yin deficiency 4. asthma due to qi-absorption failure of the KHS

# Decoction
(1) Tools: sauce pan ( non-metal ), bamboo basket ( “Take-zaru” ), bowl ( non-metal ), gauze
(2) How to make :
1. Pour 4 glasses of cold tap water ( about 800ml ) into the pan.
2. Remove the medicinal herbs from the paper bag ( packaging ).
3. Add them to the water.
4. Boil and stir for about 30 min, until the total volume of the water has been reduced to half.
First heat with a full flame, then once it’s boiled, reduce the flame to simmer.
5. Place the bamboo basket with 2 sheets of gauze onto the bowl.
6. Pour the boiling water and medicinal herbs through the filter.
* Gauze is sold at pharmacies ( 5m,10m,20m ).
You should cut the gauze into a suitable sized square.
7. Divide soup into 2 cups equally.