Damiana
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| Damiana | ||||||||||||||
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 Turnera diffusa
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| Turnera diffusa Willd. ex J.A. Schultes |
Damiana (Turnera diffusa, syn. Turnera aphrodisiaca) is a shrub native to Central America, Mexico, South America, and the West Indies. It belongs to the family Turneraceae.
Damiana is a relatively small shrub that produces small, aromatic flowers. It blossoms in early to late summer and is followed by fruits that taste very similarly to figs. The shrub is said to have an odor somewhat like chamomile or Cannabis sativa, due to an oil present in the plant. The leaves have traditionally been made into a tea which was used by native people of Central and South America for its aphrodisiac effects. Spanish missonaries first recorded that the Mexican Indians drank Damiana tea mixed with sugar for its ability to enhance lovemaking.[citation needed]
[edit] Uses
[edit] Herbal Medicine
Damiana today is conventionally made into a tea, although smoking it alone or blended with Cannabis or other herbs is also commonplace. In herbal medicine, damiana is used to treat conditions ranging from coughs to constipation to depression. The herbal supplement is reputed to help with energy, emphysema, low estrogen, frigidity, hot flashes, impotency, infertility, menopause, Parkinson's disease, PMS, inflammation of prostate, Lou Gehrig's disease, and more dealing with reproductive organs in both males and females.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Ritchason, J. 1995, "The Little Herb Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition" p.70
