An alkaloid stimulant extracted from the ephedra bush. It can also be synthesized in labs. It forces the release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and epinephrine in the brain’s nerve cells. Because it can be used to manufacture methamphetamines and methcathinone, its importation is strictly controlled. Ephedrine is used as a bronchodilator in the lungs and a vasoconstrictor in the nose, so it is found in many over-the-counter drugs, such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed

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