Ephedrine
//ˈɛf.ə.dɹiːn// noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A crystalline alkaloid drug C₁₀H₁₅NO obtained from a Chinese ephedra (Ephedra sinica) or synthesized that has the physiological action of epinephrine. It causes constriction of the blood vessels and widening of the bronchial passages and is used in the form of its hydrochloride or sulfate to relieve asthma and hay fever. countable, uncountable
"The great advantage of ephedrine is its effectiveness if taken as a pill, whereas adrenaline works only if injected or inhaled."
- 2 white odorless powdered or crystalline alkaloid from plants of the genus Ephedra (especially Ephedra sinica) or made synthetically; used as a bronchodilator to treat bronchitis and asthma wordnet
Example
More examples"The great advantage of ephedrine is its effectiveness if taken as a pill, whereas adrenaline works only if injected or inhaled."
Etymology
From ephedra + -ine.
Related phrases
More for "ephedrine"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.