The ephedra drug is also known as ephedrine and comes from the plant called huang which is an Asiatic evergreen shrub. The Chinese people have used it for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. In the early 90s was marketed in the U.S. as a dietary aid, sports enhancer, and energy booster. Ephedra is supposed to increase the metabolic rate which in turn enhances weight loss and increase the contacting strength of muscle fibers. Ephedra was the primary ingredient in many different dietary supplements manufactured by many different companies. Because it was marketed as a dietary supplement the FDA did not have to give approval. Their approval is only required for drugs and food. However, if ephedra were to prove to be harmful, as it did, the FDA could step in and remove it from the market. In 2001, after many reports of death, heart attacks, and strokes, the Public Citizen's Health Research group asked of the ban of ephedra; in 2002 the AMA joined in the quest and also asked that ephedra be banned. In the beginning the FDA only insisted on a black box warning label on ephedra drug products. Later, in 2004, all products with ephedra in them were banned in the U.S. with the exception of traditional Chinese medicine and products already under FDA control.