마황(에페드라) 함유 한약 복용 후 발생한 근육병증

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 27(4); 2009 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2009;27(4): 424-427.

Myopathy Following Ingestion of Ma-huang (Ephedra)-based Herbal Remedy

백장현, 서범천 김용범 정필욱 문희수 진동관 김봉제 박용식

성균관대학교 의과대학 강북삼성병원 신경과

마황(에페드라) 함유 한약 복용 후 발생한 근육병증

Jang-Hyun Ba

Department of Neurology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Ma-huang (Ephedra sinica) is a herb that exhibits sympathomimetic activity. We report a patient with acquired myopathy following ingestion of a Ma-huang-based herbal remedy for 6 months. A 50-year-old woman was admitted for progressive muscular weakness. An electrodiagnostic study and muscle biopsy sampling revealed generalized active myopathy with nonspecific inflammation. It appears that Ma-huang, along with Raynaud’s phenomenon and pericardial effusion, may be a causative agent of myopathy. As such, attention should be paid to the possibility that herbal medication with Ma-huang can result in myopathy. Key Words: Ephedra, Ma-huang, Muscular diseases