Ephedrine has made a comeback. Yes it is legal again, however in a slightly new form with it comes to weight loss pills, it is called Ephedra. Ephedra is a Chinese herb known as Ma Huang, which is a plant the both Ephedrine and Ephedra is drawn from. Ephedrine is drawn from the root of the plant, which it the most potent portion, and still not legal to sell over the counter. However ephedra diet pills carry ephedra, which is an extract from the leaf of the plant, the portion that is above ground, and unlike its sister Ephedrine, Ephedra does not carry the dangers and side effects associated with Ephedrine, instead it is safe and effective for weight loss.