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| Preparations and dosages: Fresh tincture [1:2], 60 to 90 drops; dry-tincture [1:5, 50% alcohol], 90 to 120 drops; standard infusion, 3 to 6 ounces; all to 4x a day. |
| Contraindications: Should not be used by those who need to avoid aspirin-related compounds either because of medications they are taking (such as coagulation drugs) or because of salicylate reactions. |
| Mormon Tea |
| (Ephedra viridis, E. nevadensis, etc.) |
| Part(s) used: The dried stems. |
| Special considerations: The following warning is usually not a problem, as mormon tea is carefully hand-harvested. However, DO NOT CONFUSE IT WITH CHINESE EPHEDRA (ma huang) which is native to the deserts of Asia and North Africa and contains various quantities of the alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Although useful after a fashion, Ma huang is a strong central nervous system stimulant. Mormon tea lack the alkaloids in Ma huang and, besides being a substantial source of calcium and silica, is primarily astringent and diuretic. The last thing you want is to drink a formula for cystitis that contains, instead of the native ephedra, the Chinese herb sold to you by mistake. That means you will still hurt, and be awake all night as well. Be aware: Many health food retailers don't know their bulk herbs as well as they should. |
| Thereapeutic effects: A simple volume diuretic and astringent. Traditional usage considers Mormon tea strengthening to the kidneys and lower urinary tract; this does, in fact, seem to be the case. Like uva ursi, it makes a soothing and anti-inflammatory sitz bath. It is perhaps the greatest source of calcium of any safe herb tea. |
| Preparations and dosages: Standard infusion, as needed. Tincture is available, but it is preferable as tea when used as a volume diuretic. |
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