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A Case Report on Weight Loss with an Adjusted Dosage of Ephedra (Mahuang) in a Patient with a History of Arrhythmia Who Experienced Adverse Cardiovascular Reactions from Ephedra Use

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction: This report presents a patient with a history of arrhythmia who took Ephedra to lose weight and whose palpitations worsened with an increased Ephedra dose.Case Presentation: A woman in her mid-40s (158 cm, 65 kg) sought herbal treatment to minimize arrhythmia aggravation while losing weight. She received 9 g/day of Ephedra (Mahuang) plus Danshen, Gegen, and Huangqi, which reduced her palpitations from an Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) of 7 on Day 1 to 2-3 through Day 37. After increasing the Ephedra dosage to 11.5 g/day on Day 37, her palpitations rose to NRS 5 but improved to NRS 3 once the dose was lowered back to 9 g/day on Day 60. She lost 4 kg overall, but on Day 75 reported indigestion, frequent urination, and a mild sensation of incomplete emptying.Conclusion: While Ephedra helps achieve weight loss and improve palpitation symptoms, further research on safe Ephedra dosage is required.

Source: The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine

DOI: 10.22246/jikm.2025.46.1.187

Authors: Seryeong Cho, Hyungsun Jun, Hyeryun Lee, Dasol Park, Jungtae Leem

Institution: Wonkwang University

Language: English

Topic: Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment

Subfield: Pharmacology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: National Research Foundation of Korea, Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea