Its a traditional medicine to maintain stomach and gastrointestinal healthand to improve circulation and liver function. Modern pharmacology researches show that synephrine, derived from citrus aurantium, is to stimulate(via adrenergic activity) fat metabolism. It is developed as weight loss diet in the marketplace. Although it is chemically very similar to ephedrine, Zhi Shi does not appear to have the same negative central nervious effects of Ma Huang.