Catuaba/Horny Goat Weed/Muirapauma

Catuaba is a medium-sized vigorous growing tree in the Amazon Rain Forest. In Brazilian herbal medicine, Catuaba is considered a central nervous system stimulant with aphrodisiac properties and used for sexual impotency, agitation, nervousness, poor memory or forgetfulness, sexual weakness and lowered libido in both men and women. Catuaba produces pretty yellow and orange flowers and small, oval, dark yellow fruit. It is rich in active and beneficial phytochemicals which occur naturally in this plant. For thousands of years, the Native Amazon Indians have used Catuaba as a strong tonic for the entire body, but primarily for the nervous system. Herbalists and health practitioners in the United States use Catuaba in much the same way: as a tonic for the genitals as well as a central nervous system stimulant, for sexual impotence, general exhaustion and fatigue, for insomnia related to hypertension, agitation and poor memory. Catuaba belongs to the family Erythroxylaceae, whose principal genus Erythroxylum contains several species and varieties of which are the source of cocaine. Catuaba, however, contains none of the active cocaine alkaloids. The constituents found in Catuaba include a bitter substance, alkaloids, tannins, aromatic oils and fatty resins, phytosterols, cyclolignans, which a Brazilian scientist named Ioimbina. Clinical studies on Catuaba have found very interesting results involving its antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Horny Goat Weed is a low growing, deciduous perennial with leathery leaves (up to a foot long) spreading by underground stems. The leaves of the plant contain a variety of flavonoids, polysaccharides, sterols and an alkaloid called magnaflorine. Many cultures have reported that Horny Goat Weed supports increased libido, improved erectile function and relief from menopausal discomfort. While the scientific community has focused mainly on men and treatments for erectile dysfunction, women's sexual performance and loss of sex drive (in both sexes) are also hot issues today. In recent studies, a daily dose of Horny Goat Weed extract has shown significant results as a sexual performance enhancer for both men and women - boosting sexual energy and stamina. Horny Goat Weed is thought to lower blood pressure by dilating capillaries and blood vessels while slowing the adrenal production that can hinder blood flow to the sex organs. Men achieve better erections due to this effect and it is thought that women benefit from the increased blood flow as well, and perhaps from other testosterone-like alkaloids and sterols within the plant. Research has also shown that Horny Goat Weed significantly increases testosterone in mice. Horny Goat Weed is a traditional Chinese herb of long-standing use by those in the health care profession, where it has been used in the past to relieve liver, joint, knee and back problems.

Muirapauma is one of the most active botanicals with a long history of traditional use as an energy tonic, general health enhancer and remedy for impotence and sexual insufficiency. The roots of this Amazonian tree were the subject of a study conducted by the UCLA School of Medicine and demonstrated a significant improvement in both erectile function and sexual desire. The Amazon natives have known this for centuries, as this herb has been widely used as an aphrodisiac by both men and women. Muirapauma has been used by different native populations in Brazil for enhancement of virility, for impotence, for stress management, for nervous system stimulation and for general overall health. Two French studies showed that Muirapauma does indeed improve libido and sexual function. A clinical study with 262 patients complaining of lack of sexual desire and the inability to attain or maintain an erection demonstrated Muirapauma extract to be effective in many cases. Within two weeks, at a daily dose of one to 1.5 grams of the extract, sixty-two percent of patients with loss of libido claimed that the treatment had dynamic effect while fifty-one percent of patients with "erection failures" felt that Muirapauma was of benefit. Primary chemical constituents of Muirapauma include alkaloids, esters and phytosterols. Presently, the exact mechanism of action of this herb is still under investigation. From the preliminary information, it appears that it works on enhancing both psychological and physical aspects of sexual function.