from "ya khayan" ('hard-working pill') in its early days to "ya maa" ('horse medicine'), the drug was named "ya ba" ('crazy pill') in 1996. it was given to horses when pulling carts up steep hills and for other strenuous work in shan state in burma. the slang terms for "ya ba" in burma are "kyethi" (literally, 'button'), "athi", and "palarkar".