mahuang

Thân thiện

A traditional herbalist weighs dried mahuang on a small scale.

Definition

Noun 1. A source of ephedrine: "Mahuang" refers to a plant, specifically a species of Chinese ephedra (Ephedra sinica), whose dried stems are used as a source of the alkaloid ephedrine. 2. Traditional Chinese herb: It denotes the herb itself, which has been used historically in traditional Chinese medicine.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The traditional formula contained mahuang as a key ingredient for treating asthma.
  • Extracts from mahuang are used to produce ephedrine.

Advanced Usage

• "Mahuang extract": A concentrated form of the active compounds from the plant.
  • The safety of dietary supplements containing mahuang extract has been widely debated.
• In botanical or pharmacological contexts, "mahuang" is often specified as to distinguish it from other ephedra species.

Variants and Related Words

• Ephedra (n): The genus of plants to which mahuang belongs; often used as a more general scientific term.
  • Several ephedra species grow in arid regions.
• Ephedrine (n): The primary stimulant alkaloid compound derived from mahuang.
  • Ephedrine is a decongestant and bronchodilator.

Synonyms

• Chinese ephedra: The direct English translation and common name.
• Ephedra sinica: The formal botanical Latin name.

Notes on Usage

• "Mahuang" is a loanword from Chinese (麻黃). It is primarily used in contexts related to traditional medicine, herbal supplements, botany, and pharmacology.
• Due to safety concerns regarding ephedrine, the use of mahuang in dietary supplements is restricted or banned in many countries.

Học thuật

Noun

1. Chinese ephedra yielding ephedrine

Từ đồng nghĩa

• ephedra sinica