molecules Review A Review of the Ephedra genus: Distribution, Ecology, Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties Daphne E. González-Juárez 1, Abraham Escobedo-Moratilla 1 , Joel Flores 1,2, Sergio Hidalgo-Figueroa 1, Natalia Martínez-Tagüeña 1, Jesús Morales-Jiménez 1 , Alethia Muñiz-Ramírez 1, Guillermo Pastor-Palacios 1, Sandra Pérez-Miranda 1, Alfredo Ramírez-Hernández 1, Joyce Trujillo 1 and Elihú Bautista 1,* 1 CONACYT-Consorcio de Investigación, Innovación y Desarrollo para las Zonas Áridas, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A. C, San Luis Potosí 78216, SLP, Mexico;
[email protected] (D.E.G.-J.);
[email protected] (A.E.-M.);
[email protected] (J.F.);
[email protected] (S.H.-F.);
[email protected] (N.M.-T.);
[email protected] (J.M.-J.);
[email protected] (A.M.-R.);
[email protected] (G.P.-P.);
[email protected] (S.P.-M.);
[email protected] (A.R.-H.);
[email protected] (J.T.) 2 IPICYT-División de Ciencias Ambientales, San Luis Potosí 78216, SLP, Mexico * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +52-(444)-834-2000 (ext. 3246) Academic Editor: Cristina Forzato Received: 5 June 2020; Accepted: 7 July 2020; Published: 20 July 2020 Abstract: Ephedra is one of the largest genera of the Ephedraceae family, which is distributed in arid and semiarid regions of the world. In the traditional medicine from several countries some species from the genus are commonly used to treat asthma, cold, flu, chills, fever, headache, nasal congestion, and cough.