Ephedra sinica, E. equisetina, E. vulgaris, E. intermedia 麻 黄  Má huáng   Family: Ephedraceae         
E. gerardiana is Indian.
Ephedras have been used at least for 5000 years in China.[6]
麻 黄 Má huáng  Dry stalk- harvested in autumn   
Nature: Warm     FLAVOR: Pungent, Slightly bitter, acrid.   CHANNEL: Lung, Bladder
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Exterior dispelling- Warming 
1. Facilitates the movement of Lung Qi downward and controls wheezing.[3] Diaphoretic.[1,5] Stops bronchii spasms.[5] Relieves asthma.[1] Releases the exterior and disperses Cold.[3]
2. Diuretic.[3,5] Neutralizes Heat.[5]
3. Antiviral.[5]
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS
1. Wind Cold exopathogen invasion manifesting as chills, fever, headache, absence of sweating and a tight, floating pulse. Cough caused by Wind Cold effecting Lung.
2. Facilitates Lung Qi impaired dispersion and helps it descend: Asthma.[5] Bronchial asthma. Coughing- that drains energy.[1]  Wheezing- both internally and externally caused. Cough. Bronchitis. Internally generated wheezing. Cough- dysnea causes by Lung Heat.[5] Chronic bronchitis due to Lung Cold.[5]
3. Edema-[1] especially associated with an exterior pathogenic influence.
4. Solid fevers (fevers that do not break up).[1] Fever and chills with no perspiration.[1]
4. Arthralgia.[1]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: External deficiency with spontaneous perspiration.
Also when there is a cough with a Lung Deficiency.[5] Long periods of administration, or high dosage may weaken the body through excess sweating.[3]
Caution must be exercised when prescribing Ma Huang for patients with high blood pressure, the dosage should be low and the duration of treatment should be short.[5]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction, dry stalk,  3-9 g for each dose.[2,3] Usually used unprepared, while for relieving cough and dyspnea, stir fried.[4]
Decoction 1-6 g.[1,5] This herb is often decocted first and the foam on the surface of the decoction removed before adding the other ingredients.[3] Use raw for exterior disorders, raw or honey-toasted for asthma.[3] Good quality is light green in color and has a solid center.[3]
        
麻 黄 根 Má huáng gēn  Root   
Nature: Neutral      FLAVOR: Sweet
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Hemostatic and Astringent
1. Check perspiration.
INDICATIONS
1. Excessive perspiration, night sweat.
PREPARATIONS: Dry root 3-9 g.[2]
ORIGIN: China
DESCRIPTION: Slender green stems jointed in branches of about 20 tufts about 15 cm long. Leaves reduced to sheaths surrounding the stems, which terminate in a sharp recurved point.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.  
Cultivation and Harvesting.
Seeds for Ma huang are planted in the early spring. During the first year of growth, the plants must be watered and kept entirely weed free. Stems are harvested usually after four years of plant growth, and during the blooming season, when alkaloid content is the highest. Ephedra sinica is not harvested during the Summer months, because alkaloid content is reduced when stems are fully hydrated from Summer rains.[1]
References
1. botgard.ucla.edu Jill Block. Biology 10, Winter 1998
Constituents.
Research.
Many herbalists agree that the intact Ma huang stem is much safer to use for medicinal purposes than its alkaloid extracts. As an example, pure ephedrine raises blood pressure, whereas ephedra stems reduces it. Comparing the alkaloid pseudoephedrine with the entire plant, the entire plant causes fewer heart symptoms. When comparing alkaloid to alkaloid for commercial cold preparations, pseudoephedrine is less risky than ephedrine.[1]
References
[1] botgard.ucla.edu Jill Block. Biology 10, Winter 1998

When are Fu Zi And Ma Huang going to become available in Austalia? Feb 22, 2013
Two of the herbs proposed by the former Chinese Medicine Registration Board of Victoria to be added to Schedule 1 of the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP) remain unavailable to registered Chinese herbal medicine practitioners with additional endorsement for prescribing these herbs individually.
The SUSMP, referred to as “The Poisons Standard”, has a Schedule 1 which is empty. Under the Victorian Poisons List (Schedules 2-9 are adopted automatically by reference from the national Standard for Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons), it is currently illegal for a Chinese herbal medicine practitioner or herbal dispenser to ‘obtain, possess, use, sell or supply’ certain Chinese herbs listed in the various schedules of the list. Similar restrictions apply in other states and territories.
The former Chinese Medicine Registration Board Victoria (ended on 30 June 2012) prepared a submission for the Victorian Minister for Health recommending the inclusion of Fu Zi and Ma Huang (as well as Ban Bian Lian) in Schedule 1 of the Victorian Poisons List so that Board-endorsed practitioners could safely dispense/prescribe for patients who would benefit from the use of these herbs based on their professional justification and an evidence-based approach. Until now, the herbs have failed to receive the Ministerial approval in Victoria which may have been a basis for other States to consider similar arrangements.
With national registration now commenced from July 2012, this is now a national issue and a new strategy is needed to achieve access to those herbs for Chinese herbal medicine practitioners in Australia. safflower.com.au

Pharmacokinetics and cardiovascular effects of ma-huang (Ephedra sinica) in normotensive adults.
White LM, Gardner SF, Gurley BJ, Marx MA, Wang PL, Estes M.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate heart rate and blood pressure responses to a commercially available source of ma-haung, a natural source of the sympathomimetic substance, ephedrine, and to evaluate the pharmacokinetic properties of the product in normotensive, healthy adults. On day 1, twelve study participants were monitored with an ambulatory blood pressure device between hours 7 and 20. On day 2, they ingested four capsules of powdered ma-huang at hours 8 and 17 while again wearing the monitor between hours 7 and 20. Serial plasma samples were obtained and concentrations of ephedrine were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Pharmacokinetic parameters of ephedrine were determined from plasma concentration-time profiles. The ephedrine alkaloid content of each capsule was also determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Six participants experienced a statistically significant increase in heart rate, but the effects on blood pressure were variable. The half-life, volume of distribution, clearance, and maximum concentration in plasma of ephedrine in the ma-huang product were similar to values previously reported for a 20 mg, immediate-release ephedrine tablet. Values for the absorption rate were considerably lower and time to reach maximum concentration was longer for the capsules, compared with the standard tablet. Variability in alkaloid content of ephedrine was low and yielded a mean dose of ephedrine at 19.4 mg; pseudoephedrine at 4.9 mg; and methylephedrine at 1.2 mg for a four-capsule dose. In summary, ma-huang had variable effects on blood pressure and increased heart rate in healthy, normotensive adults. Pharmacokinetic parameters for ephedrine were in agreement with those previously reported; however, the absorption rate was much slower after ingestion of ma-huang.
PMID: 9055137  J Clin Pharmacol. 1997 Feb;37(2):116-22. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cytotoxicity assessment of Ma-huang (Ephedra) under different conditions of preparation.
Lee MK, Cheng BW, Che CT, Hsieh DP.
Abstract
Ma-huang is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb derived from EPHEDRA: sinica Stapf and other EPHEDRA: species, used to treat asthma, nose and lung congestion, and fever with anhidrosis. It contains 0.5-2.5% by weight of total alkaloids, of which ephedrine accounts for 30 to 90%. Recently, large amounts of ma-huang were used as a source of ephedrine in many dietary supplements formulated for weight reduction, because ephedrine has been found effective in inducing weight loss in diet-restricted obese patients. However, indiscriminate consumption of ma-huang-containing products has resulted in many cases of poisoning, some of which were fatal. The objective of this study is to investigate the relative toxicity of ma-huang extracted under different conditions. The toxicities of various extracts were assayed using MTT colorimetry on a battery of cell lines, while ephedrine alkaloids were analyzed with HPLC. The results are summarized as follows. (1) The cytotoxicity of all ma-huang extracts could not be totally accounted for by their ephedrine contents, suggesting the presence of other toxins in the extracts. (2) Grinding was a significant condition enhancing the toxicity of the extracts. (3) The relatively high sensitivity of the Neuro-2a cell line to the toxicity of ma-huang extracts suggests that the toxic principles were acting on neuronal cells. (4) One condition to produce a ma-huang extract with high ephedrine-to-toxins ratio would be to boil the whole herb for two h.
PMID: 10911002  Toxicol Sci. 2000 Aug;56(2):424-30. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov