ephedrine

American  

[ih-fed-rin, ef-i-dreen, -drin] / ɪˈfɛd rɪn, ˈɛf ɪˌdrin, -drɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a white, crystalline alkaloid, C 10 H 15 N, obtained from a species of Ephedra or synthesized: used in medicine chiefly for the treatment of asthma, hay fever, and colds.

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ephedrine British  

/ ɪˈfɛdrɪn, -drɪn, ˈɛfɪˌdriːn /

noun

1. a white crystalline alkaloid obtained from plants of the genus Ephedra: used for the treatment of asthma and hay fever; l-phenyl-2-methylaminopropanol. Formula: C 6 H 5 CH(OH)CH(NHCH 3 )CH 3

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ephedrine Scientific  

/ ĭ-fĕd′rĭn,ĕf′ĭ-drēn′ /

1. A white, odorless, powdered or crystalline alkaloid isolated from shrubs of the genus Ephedra or made synthetically. It is used in the treatment of allergies and asthma. Chemical formula: C ₁₀ H ₁₅ NO.

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Etymology

Origin of ephedrine

1885–90; < New Latin Ephedr ( a ) ephedra + -ine ²

Compare meaning

How does ephedrine compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ephedra vs. ephedrine
• pseudoephedrine vs. ephedrine

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ephedrine

A new Mississippi law eliminates the requirement for a prescription to buy decongestants that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 31, 2021

The Greenwood Commonwealth on allowing the sale of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine cold and sinus medications without a prescription:

From Washington Times ● Mar. 17, 2021

"India is legally doing business, but African nations should be checking if the amounts ordered are in line with what is needed by the different factories using ephedrine," said UNODC's Lapaque.

From Reuters ● Jul. 24, 2015

A national database collects information on every person who buys cold medication containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine.

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2015

The act also limited sales of other starting materials such as phenylpropanolamine and ephedrine, both withdrawn from the market for other health concerns.

From Forbes ● Sep. 29, 2013