EPHEDRA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ephedra mean? 

• EPHEDRA (noun)
  The noun EPHEDRA has 1 sense:

1. jointed and nearly leafless desert shrub having reduced scalelike leaves and reddish fleshy seeds

  Familiarity information: EPHEDRA used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EPHEDRA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Jointed and nearly leafless desert shrub having reduced scalelike leaves and reddish fleshy seeds

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

ephedra; joint fir

Hypernyms ("ephedra" is a kind of...):

bush; shrub (a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ephedra"):

Ephedra sinica; mahuang (Chinese ephedra yielding ephedrine)

Holonyms ("ephedra" is a member of...):

genus Ephedra (type and sole genus of Ephedraceae: tropical and subtropical evergreen shrubby or creeping plants native to dry and inhospitable regions)

 Context examples 

Ephedra may cause high blood pressure, increased heart rate, or death if used with certain drugs, and may reduce the effects of certain drugs used to treat cancer and other diseases.

(Ephedra, NCI Dictionary)

Some herbs, such as comfrey and ephedra, can cause serious harm.

(Herbal Medicine, NIH: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)

Also called ephedra.

(Ma huang, NCI Dictionary)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the sale of dietary supplements that contain ephedra.

(Ephedra, NCI Dictionary)