Muira Puamao Facts

Muira puama is best known as a sexual performance enhancer and erectile dysfunction fighter. There is some promising scientific evidence for these uses in men, according to Natural Standard. It also may be useful as a stimulant, to improve central nervous system conditions and for other purposes, though as of 2010 no well-designed clinical studies exist to support any uses in people.

Types

Muira puama can be taken in a variety of ways to treat erectile dysfunction, advises Brigitte Mars in “Sex, Love and Health.” The bark can be chewed, smoked or made into a tincture or a tea. The tea is the most effective for treating impotency, says Marc Bonnard in “The Viagra Alternative.” You also can find it in capsule form. You’ll most likely notice effects within two to three days of using muira puama, says Dr. Ray Sahelian, author of “Natural Sex Boosters.” You may feel chills running up and down your spine within a couple of hours, however. Muira puama comes in a variety of dosages—and suppliers make it in differing potencies, such as a four to one extract, says Sahelian. Thus recommending dosages is tricky. You should use muira puama only under a doctor’s supervision, advises Sahelian, who also says you should skip taking this supplement for a day after each two to three days of use. In addition, some people experience allergic reactions to muira puama.

Identification

Muira puama’s nicknames are “tree of virility” and “potency wood.” You may see it spelled in a variety of ways, notes Sahelian, including marapuama, marapama and mara puama. Its scientific name is Ptychopetalum olacoides, and it is native to the Amazon in Brazil. It grows about 16 feet tall and has white flowers that smell similar to jasmine, says Bonnard. People most often use the tree’s roots and bark for medicinal purposes, though all portions of the tree have historically been used. Its active constituents are sterols, long-chain fatty acids, alkaloids, essential oils and coumarin.

Potential

Amazonian communities traditionally use muira puama roots to treat a number of central nervous system conditions, including conditions associated with aging, reports I.R. Siqueira, lead author for a study published in Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. Siqueira studied the herb for possible use in combating cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and says the herb has properties that may be useful for this purpose. Muira puama inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. The cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s may be due to cholinergic deficits, which affect brain neurotransmitters, so researchers are seeking potent and long-acting AChE inhibitors that have minimal side effects. Siqueira’s research proposes that AChE inhibitory activity is related to many of the herb’s therapeutic properties, especially those associated with cognition. Alcoholic infusions that include muira puama also are traditionally used to treat people who are recovering from strokes, according to another study by Siqueira published in Life Sciences.

Features

Muira puama may protect your brain from free radical damage, says Siqueira, who found that infusions of the herb prevented an increase in free radicals when rats were exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation. Cells in control rats that did not receive the infusions suffered more damage and along with an increase in free radicals, whereas muira puama prevented an increase in free radicals and reduced cell damage, Siqueira says. Since increased free radicals along with respiratory inhibition are key factors in damage to brain tissues, Siqueira believes muira puama’s potential for protecting the brain from damage deserves more scrutiny.

Considerations

Muira puama may have stimulant properties. It is often found in tonics that claim to improve mental and physical performance, says A.L. da Silva, lead author for a study published in Phytotherapy Research. da Silva found that muira puama can produce an effect similar to pentylenetetrazol. Pentylenetetrazol is a powerful central nervous system stimulant, according to Drugs.com. Sahelian reports that one of muira puama’s most common side effects is insomnia.