Muira Puama Bark

Also known as

Ptychopetalum olacoides is the preferred plant, although Ptychopetalum uncinatum has similar efficacies. Marapama, marapuama, marapama, muirat?, muiratam, pau-homen, potency wood, and Potenzholz. A completely different species of Brazilian tree, Liriosma ovata, also goes by the common name of muira puama, but it is a completely different tree with a different phytochemical makeup and different medicinal uses.

Introduction

Muira puama is an understory tree in the Amazonian rain forest. Growing 15 feet (5 meters) high, it bears white flowers with an intense scent of jasmine. The bark and root are employed in herbal medicine.

Constituents

The medicinally active chemical constituents of muira puama are long-chain fatty acids and some unique alkaloid chemicals. Other chemicals in the bark and root that influence human health include alpha-copaene, alpha-elemene, alpha-guaiene, alpha-humulene, alpha-muurolene, alpha-pinene, alpha-resinic acid, alpha-terpinene, arachidic acid, allo-aromadendren, behenic acid, beta-bisabolene, beta-caryophyllene, beta-pinene, beta-resinic acid, beta-sitosterol, beta-transfarnesene, borneol, campesterols, camphene, camphor, car-3-ene, caryophyllene, cerotic acid, chromium, coumarin, cubebene, delta-cadinene, dotriacontanoic acid, elixene, ergosterols, eugenol, essential oils, gamma-muurolene, hentriacontanoic acid, heptacosanoic acid, lignoceric acid, limonene, linalool, lupeol, melissic acid, montanic acid, muirapuamine, myrcene, nonacosanoic acid, para-cymene, pentacosanoic acid, phlobaphene, stigmasterols, trichosanic acid, and uncosanic acid.

Parts Used

Bark and root.

Typical Preparations

Can be taken as a tea, but more effective if used as a tincture. Take the tincture with a small amount of warm water to which you have added a little lemon juice. This assists absorption of the therapeutic tannins. Another convenient form is a capsule.

Summary

The native peoples of the Amazon who use muira puama combine it with catuaba, allowing the mixture to stand in warm water overnight to make an amber medicinal infusion.

Precautions

As with Viagra, Cialis, or Levitra, erections lasting more than 4 hours require emergency medical (surgical) attention. Not recommended for pregnant women.

For educational purposes only This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.