PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY, TOXICITY, AND USES OF EPHEDRINE ALKALOID

*Ronald Bartzatt and Purnima Gajmer

ABSTRACT

Ephedrine alkaloid (or ephedrine) can be derived from plant sources, but has been synthesized in 1927. The compound has various medicinal uses for treatment of broncho-spasms, for obesity, and for elevation of arterial blood pressure. Other clinical applications include the following uses: for allergies, hay fever, asthma, and bronchitis. However, adverse side effects include cardiovascular effects, and hypertension, myocardial infarction, seizures, and strokes that can be fatal. Various methodologies have been investigated for the detection and assay of ephedrine alkaloids and include: high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography, and titrimetry. One particular methodology utilizing HPLC showed a limit of detection (LOD) at 2.9833 x 10-5 molar and limit of quantitation (LOQ) to be 8.9500 x 10-5 molar. The standard curve showed coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.9857, indicating that the model describes 98.57% variance in the dependent variable (peak area) that is predictable from the independent variable (molar concentration). The Pearson r correlation coefficient of the standard curve is 0.9928, a very high positive correlation. That particular methodology showed ephedrine alkaloid can be detected and assayed at very low concentrations, with applications for quality control, patient compliance, and environmental quantitation. Assay by gas chromatography and liquid chromatography are discussed. Ephedrine has been utilized to enhance athletic performance, but has adverse side effects. Further discussion of biological activity, toxicity, assay, and use and abuse are discussed.

Keywords: Ephedrine, Ephedra, Ma Huang, alkaloids.