MUIRA PUMA PTYCHOPETALUM OLACOIDES

MUIRA PUAMA (Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth.) ++

Activities (Muira Puama) :
Aperitif (f; CRC; MAD); Aphrodisiac (1; ABS; APA; CRC; MAD; PNC); Astringent (1; PNC); CNS Stimulant (1; ABS; APA; CRC; MAD); Dopaminergic (1; ABS); Nervine (f; APA; CRC); Neurotonic (f; EFS); Noradrenergic (1; ABS); Panacea (f; CRC); Stimulant (1; ABS; APA); Tonic (f; APA; CRC; MAD).

Indications (Muira Puama) :
Anorexia (f; APA; CRC; MAD; PH2); Arthrosis (f; APA); Colic (f; MAD); Debility (1; ABS); Diarrhea (f; APA; PH2; PNC); Dysentery (f; MAD); Dysmenorrhea (f; APA; CRC; MAD); Dyspepsia (f; APA; CRC); Frigidity (f; APA); Hookworm (f; APA); Impotence (1; ABS; APA; CRC; PH2; PNC); Lassitude (1; ABS); Neuralgia (f; CRC; MAD); Nerve (f; ABS); Pain (f; APA); Paralysis (f; CRC; MAD); Poliomyelosis (f; APA); Rheumatism (f; APA; CRC; MAD); Tremor (1; ABS).

Dosages (Muira Puama) :
2–4 ml liquid root extract (APA); 0.5–5 ml liquid root extract (PNC); 1 dropper prior to sex (APA); 15–25 drops fluid extract 2–3 days for aphrodisia (MAD); 5–8 drops tincture for dysentery (MAD); 0.5–2 ml decoction or liquid extract 3 ×/day (10 parts dry herb, 2 parts grape brandy, 1 part glycerine) (PH2).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Muira Puama) :
Class 1 (AHP). “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). Brazilian scientists, Siquera et al. (1998), mention that Amazon caboclos take the roots in alcohol for “nervous weakness,” a syndrome with several symptoms: depression, lassitude, sexual impotence, and tremors. A hydroalcoholic extract at 200 mg/kg potentiates yohimbine-induced lethality, reverses reserpineinduced ptosis, and prevents apomorphine-induced stereotypy. The data suggest that muira puama is a CNS active, interacting with the dopaminergic or noradrenergic systems. The authors speculate that, since some of the symptoms resemble Parkinsonian symptoms, roots could have antiparkinsonian effects. Their extracts did affect pharmacological models for depressions, impotence, and tremors.