3003.41.00.00 - Containing ephedrine or its salts

This HTS category, 3003.41.00.00, encompasses pharmaceutical preparations that are not in measured doses or retail packaging, and contain two or more mixed constituents for therapeutic or prophylactic uses. Specifically, this subheading applies to such medicinal products that contain ephedrine or its salts. Ephedrine is a sympathomimetic amine commonly used to treat hypotension and as a bronchodilator. The key classification criterion here is the presence of ephedrine or its salts as an active ingredient within the mixed pharmaceutical preparation.

It is crucial to distinguish this category from its sibling subheadings. Unlike 3003.42.00.00, which specifically covers preparations containing pseudoephedrine (INN) or its salts, this category is for ephedrine itself. Similarly, 3003.43.00.00 is reserved for preparations containing norephedrine or its salts. If a preparation contains any of these other substances instead of, or in addition to, ephedrine in a way that doesn't primarily classify it under this heading, it would fall into the residual category 3003.49.00.00.

As this is a leaf node in the HTS classification system, there are no further subcategories. Therefore, the classification decision rests on accurately identifying the presence of ephedrine or its salts within the mixed pharmaceutical product and ensuring it meets the general requirements for heading 3003, such as not being in measured doses or retail packaging for immediate therapeutic use. Examples could include bulk quantities of topical decongestant compounds or powdered medicinal mixtures intended for further compounding before dispensing.