Synephrine

Synephrine is a dietary supplement aimed at encouraging fat loss. While its effectiveness is widely debated, it has gained significant popularity as an alternative to ephedra (the subject of much controversy in the US). Synephrine is derived from the fruit plant zhi shi, also known as green orange, sour orange, and bitter orange. Image File history File links Synephrine. ... Image File history File links Synephrine. ... A prescribed dietary supplement supplies nutrients (usually vitamins or minerals) that are missing or not consumed in sufficient quantity in a persons diet. ... Species See text Ephedra is a genus of gymnosperm shrubs, the only genus in the family Ephedraceae and order Ephedrales. ... ... Bitter Orange is a name used to refer to several citrus or citrus-like fruit trees. ...

Claims

• Fat burner
• Increases energy levels
• Increases metabolism
• Promotes weight loss

Santorio Santorio (1561-1636) in his steelyard balance, from Ars de statica medecina, first published 1614 Metabolism (from μεταβολισμος (metabolismos), the Greek word for change, or overthrow (Etymonline)), is the biochemical modification of chemical compounds in living organisms and cells. ...

Synephrine Is Not Neo-Synephrine

There has been some confusion surrounding synephrine and phenylephrine (a.k.a. neo-synephrine). While virtually identical in chemical makeup (C₉H₁₃NO₂) the hydroxyl group in phenylephrine is located on the number three carbon of the benzene ring, whereas in synephrine the hydroxyl group is located on the number four carbon. This small difference manifests changes in the stereochemistry that may alter the biological activity of the two compounds. Therefore, they should not be seen as equivalents. Phenylephrine hydrochloride is an α-agonist used medically to increase blood pressure, as a decongestant, and also to dilate the pupil. ... Hydroxide is a functional group consisting of oxygen and hydrogen: -O−H It has a charge of 1-. The term hydroxyl group is used when the functional group -OH is counted as a substituent of an organic compound. ... General Name, Symbol, Number carbon, C, 6 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14, 2, p Appearance black (graphite) colorless (diamond) Atomic mass 12. ... Benzene, C6H6, PhH, or benzol is a colorless and flammable liquid with a pleasant, sweet smell. ... Stereochemistry, a subdiscipline of chemistry, involves the study of the relative spatial arrangement of atoms within molecules. ... A chemical compound is a chemical substance formed from two or more elements, with a fixed ratio determining the composition. ...

Many diet products such as Stacker 2 contain synephrine along with caffeine. Some reports have indicated that such diet pills cause numerous harmful effects. The Mayo Clinic published a report that suggested that Stacker 2 pills caused ischemic stroke:

"In response to concerns regarding the safety of ephedra-containing dietary supplements, manufacturers have marketed “ephedrafree” products. Many of these contain synephrine, a sympathomimetic amine from the plant Citrus aurantium. Synephrine is structurally similar to ephedrine and has vasoconstrictor properties. We describe a 38-year-old patient with ischemic stroke associated with an ephedra-free dietary supplement containing synephrine and caffeine. The patient presented with memory loss and unsteady gait after taking 1 or 2 capsules per day of a dietary supplement (Stacker 2 Ephedra-Free) for 1 week. " [...] "In an otherwise healthy young man with no defined risk factors, an ischemic stroke was associated with recent use of Stacker 2 Ephedra Free, a supplement that contains the vasoactive sympathomimetic amine synephrine and caffeine. Two similar agents, ephedra (ephedrine) and phenylpropanolamine, have been banned by the FDA secondary to serious neurologic and cardiovascular adverse effects. The medical community needs to be aware of the potential risks of ephedra-free products, to continue to report adverse events to the FDA MedWatch program (1-800-FDA-1088 or online at www.fda.gov/medwatch), and to continue to advocate for better regulation of dietary supplements."

Ischemic Stroke Associated With Use of an Ephedra-Free Dietary Supplement Containing Synephrine (Mayo Clinic)

Resources / Links

• Ischemic Stroke Associated With Use of an Ephedra-Free Dietary Supplement Containing Synephrine (Mayo Clinic)
• Slim Pickings: Looking Beyond Ephedra (New York Times)
• SYNEPHRINE: Is Chih-shih (Zhishi) Toxic?