Blackberry Herb (Ephedra): History Benefits and Safety Precautions
Blackberry Herb (Ephedra): History Benefits and Safety Precautions
is also known as Ephedra, is a perennial herbaceous, native to the subtropical regions of Asia, Europe, North America, and Central American countries.
It is one of the oldest medicinal herbs known to man, as several types of this plant were used in Chinese, Indian and Roman medicine. improve athletic performance,
However, after several risks of misuse were proven, the use of this herb in the past two decades has been restricted under a lot of supervision and warnings, and it is not currently considered a safe plant to use and should be avoided.
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Despite the therapeutic benefits of the blackberry herb, it is not recommended to eat it or eat products containing it in abundance because of the toxicity it carries, and the side effects it causes that can be dangerous. The benefits and therapeutic effects of this herb include the following:
The blackberry herb expands the airways, which explains the popular use of this herb in cases of asthma, and relieves nasal congestion, but its use for these purposes requires more scientific research to clarify its effectiveness.
The blackberry herb stimulates the nervous system, which explains its current uses that have emerged recently in supporting weight loss and improving athletic performance in both endurance exercises and bodybuilding, in addition to increasing the metabolic rate in fatty tissue and curbing appetite. Scientifically speaking, the herb helps you lose weight.
Especially when used with a diet to lose weight in addition to exercise, and therefore it should be avoided. As for its effectiveness in improving athletic performance, it is not scientifically proven.
Research has found that taking it with caffeine was no more effective than taking caffeine alone in improving athletic performance.
Blackberry has anti-inflammatory effects.
Compounds isolated from the roots of the blackberry herb were found to have antihypertensive effects in experimental animals, which is the opposite of the effect of the herb known to raise blood pressure, and these results are consistent with the Chinese belief that the roots of the blackberry have an opposite effect to the upper parts of it.
Some scientific research has found that the blackberry herb has blood glucose-lowering effects in cases of diabetes, but eating this herb may interfere with blood sugar control in people with diabetes who are taking other treatments, and therefore it should be avoided.
Blackberry Herb (Ephedra): History Benefits and Safety Precautions
Dietary supplements made from this herb are popularly used in China to treat asthma, cough, cold, flu, fever, chills, headache, edema or dropsy, nasal congestion, and joint pain.
Supplements made with this herb are popularly used in Western countries, alone or with caffeine, as a central nervous system stimulant and to improve mood.
The blackberry herb is used by cancer patients, which began in Palestine and then spread in the Middle East, and is believed to be a miracle herb in the treatment of cancer, but in a study that examined the effect of this herb on cancer cells using cell lines, it did not have any toxic effect on breast cancer cells. It was found that it reduces the efficiency of the work of some chemotherapy against these cells.
Side effects and precautions for use
During the past years, many cases of poisoning appeared after using the blackberry herb or ephedrine, and the reason is generally due to misuse, or use in cases where its use is prohibited, or allergy to this herb,
Cases of poisoning include symptoms related to the cardiovascular system or the nervous system; the most prevalent symptom was high blood pressure, followed by palpitations irregular heartbeats, or both, then stroke, then seizures, and the poisoning in some cases ended with death (10 cases), or permanent disability (13 cases),
Blackberry Herb (Ephedra): History Benefits and Safety Precautions
The use of this herb has been banned in the United States of America due to the health risks associated with its use, and its use or the use of products containing it is not recommended; As it is considered unsafe in adults and children, the chance of serious side effects of this herb increases in cases of using high doses or taking it for long periods of time, or taking it with other stimulants, such as caffeine and drinks containing it such as tea, coffee, etc.,
This herb can also cause less serious side effects, such as dizziness, irritability, anxiety and tension, a feeling of heart palpitations, headache, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, and others.
It is prohibited to use the blackberry herb for patients with pressure and other diseases and disorders of the heart and blood vessels, such as angina pectoris, irregular heartbeat, long QT syndrome, glaucoma patients, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism.
Blackberry Herb (Ephedra): History Benefits and Safety Precautions
And cases of anxiety, essential tremor syndrome, kidney stones, pheochromocytoma, and seizure disorders, it is prohibited to take this herb by pregnant and lactating women, and the blackberry herb interacts with many medicines in a way that increases the risk of side effects
Note: This article is not a health reference, please check with your doctor before using any herbal or alternative remedies.
