What Is Damiana Herb?

Damiana is one of the ingredients in a female supplement called ArginMax. The supplement aims to improve a woman's sexual desire and satisfaction with sex, according to a study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy. Damiana has been used as an aphrodisiac for centuries in Mexico.

History

The earliest reports of damiana being used come from the Mayan culture, according to Leslie Taylor, author of "The Healing Powers of Rainforest Herbs." It was Spanish missionaries who later documented the use of the herb by Mexican Indians, who used the leaves in a sweetened tea to stimulate euphoria. The herb carries many names, including old woman's broom, Mexican damiana and herba de la pastora. The herb was introduced to the United States by a druggist who sold bottles of damiana tincture as an aphrodisiac for $2 each in Washington, D.C., according to Steven Foster and Varro Tyler, authors of "Tyler's Honest Herbal."

Description

The yellow flowers of the damiana plant have a smell similar to chamomile flowers. Damiana is a perennial shrub that grows to up to 6 feet high. Damiana prefers tropical areas of Bolivia, Brazil, West Indies and Mexico, but can also be found in California. The damiana plant produces a fruit that tastes similar to figs, according to Taylor. The leaves of damiana are pale green and smooth, with hairs underneath. The leaves are the primary part used as a medicinal herb.

Use

Damiana has mostly been used in folk medicine for sexual disorders, including erectile dysfunction, according to the University of Michigan. It is mostly known as an aphrodisiac. However, it has also been used in folk medicine as a diuretic, cough suppressant, laxative and for depression. It has also been used by women for menstrual irregularities, according to Taylor. The leaves have traditionally been either smoked or drunk as a tea for relaxation. The tea is made by infusing 2 to 4g of dried leaves in boiling water for 15 minutes.

Dangers

Pregnant and nursing women should avoid damiana leaves, according to the University of Michigan. Not enough studies have been done on damiana to confirm whether it is safe during pregnancy. However, the herb has traditionally been used as an abortive, according to Taylor. The use of the herb should also be avoided by those who have a history of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, or mania, schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders. It should also be avoided by those with a history of breast cancer. According to Taylor, damiana has mild hypoglycemic effects in studies done with animals, and should also be avoided by those who are diabetic.

Research

In a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin, scientists gave mice damiana suspended in peanut oil to test the effects of the herb on sexuality. The herb did appear to have a measurable aphrodisiac effect on the mice. The study also suggested that the fertility of the female mice might have been altered by the peanut oil because neither the test or control group in the experiment produced a litter. Therefore, the experiment wouldn't be able to show whether the damiana effected fertility because of the possibility of the peanut oil being responsible in the control experiment.