While I've seen several references to the Ma Huang herb in Chinese medical literature, I'm a bit confused as to what it's for. I was actually under the impression that Ma Huang is more or less the same plant as the North American Ephedra funerea, which was used by settlers as a stimulant. Today, while many types of preparations of said plant are banned, you can still purchase Ephedra extract in the USA.
This is a very strong stimulant, and most of the uses of it I've seen are ill advised and dangerous. Due to the fact that it's indeed a stimulant, it can lead to serious cardiopulmonary problems, and I would have thought that it would be wise to completely avoid it.
I remember reading that Noriyuki Haga was banned from competition in Japan over its use, and there are many Western examples as well.
As a result, I've been wondering if someone who is more knowledgeable than myself could tell me more about the traditional Chinese use of Ma Huang and what sorts of conditions it was safely used to treat. I'm sure that the preparations used in historical China were far less strong than the ones that people use today.
Thank you!