Abstract: This review presents a brief outline of the Ephedra resource status in resent years, the characteristic and metabolism pathway of ephedrine, the methods of obtaining ephedrine by chemical synthesis, extraction from plant, plant cell culture and fermentation. The advance and influence factors of plant cell culture from Ephedra  are discussed in detail. This study represents an initial attempt to protect the wild resources and environment. It is emphasized that the biotechnology is the important method in dissolving the short of Ephedra resources and protecting the environment of the ephedrine production process.