Ephedra intermedia seeds, Zhong Mahuang

Ephedra intermedia seeds

The Ephedra intermedia plant, or more commonly known as the Zhong Ma Huang is a common plant found in the desserts of Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, China, Mongolia and Pakistan. It can also be found alongside grasslands, rivers and cliff sides. The plant usually grows during the Spring or the early Summer, as the Winter frosts usually damage it. The plant should be seeded during the Autumn, more preferably in an adequate greenhouse. The plant grows up to 1 meter tall and has vines which degenerate during the implementation process. Moreover, This plant is uni-sexual, meaning female and male plants are separate from one another. The male flowers have a thick stamen and a great number of pollen, while the female flowers have several ovules from each comes out a tube that drops out nectar. Like the rest of the gymnosperm plants , the ovule is located in a closed ovary. After fertilization, the developing egg scales develop, surrounding the ovule and forming a shape similar to a pine cone. The plant was originally discovered by Alexander Gustav von Schrenk and Carl Anton von Meyer in 1846.

Like many other plants in the Ephedra Genus, Ephedra intermedia has several medicinal benefits, most notably helping with asthma. It contains several different medicinally active alkaloids that are widely used to treat that illness. This plant has similar effect to adrenaline on the body, which makes valuable in treating asthma as it helps reduce the swelling of lungs during attacks. Ephedra intermedia also has several antiviral effects, most notably its ability to treat influenza and other contagious diseases. Unlike most other plants, the whole plant can be used as it has no poisonous parts that could do ill to the body. Its sharp stems are used because of their pungent, hot feeling in order to expand the bronchial vessels, via interacting with the central nervous system. This plant can also be used as a diaphoretic, a diuretic, and even as a vasoconstrictor. The roots also have uses, such as lowering blood pressure and dilating the peripheral blood vessels. this is useful in treating nighttime sweating and spontaneous sweating. Ephedra intermedia may also be combined with other plants in order to alleviate several other symptoms that people may have. Use of this this should be under the supervision of a qualified doctor, as there are several patient groups which shouldn't take it. Some of them are patients who are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, patients with high blood pressure or glaucoma. As this this plant is seen as a performance-boosting herb it is a forbidden substance in many sporting events such as swimming and athletics. Some people also consider eating the fruit of the plant which is edible raw, or cooked. In conclusion, the Ephedra intermedia plant is a very useful plant in medicine and helps making the lives millions of patients around the world much more easier. 

Cultivation:

The seeds should only be sprinkled onto the surface of cactii soil and keep moist. Do not cover the seeds because they require some light for successfull germination