WASHINGTON, July 23, 2000 -- A wave of consumer lawsuits may do what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not been allowed to do -- slow the rising sales of ephedra, a dietary supplement promoted as "speeding up the metabolism" and thus encouraging weight loss and increased muscle mass.

In fact, critics say the stimulant can and does cause complications ranging from nervousness and insomnia to death.

Congress, under the spell of the supplement industry, has blocked the FDA from regulating dietary supplements but The Washington Post reports that at least 75 lawsuits have been filed around the country, including two that are seeking class action certification. While most of the suits are still pending, some have reportedly settled for as much as $2.5 million.

The Post said the rash of lawsuits is doing what government could not -- forcing the drug companies to reign in their claims and take a second look at how they are marketing the substance, under pressure from their insurers and legal counsel.

Ephedra is a naturally-occurring substance derived from the Chinese herb ma huang. It is sold under such brand names as Metabolife 356, Ripped Fuel, Ultimate Orange and Hydroxycut.

A few of the incidents that have made Ephedra notorious: