Muira Puama

Ptychopetalum is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the family Olacaceae, native to the Amazon rainforest. The indigenous name for the genus is Muira Puama, "potency wood"

Health Benefits and uses of Muira Puama are

Muira puama (Marapuama, Potency Wood) is a traditionally used aphrodisiac and nerve tonic in the Brazil region. Lacking in quality human trials and sexuality trials, it appears to be quite effective as a cognitive enhancer. The root and bark are used for a variety of ailments by indigenous peoples in the Rio Negro area of South America, but the effectiveness of Muira Puama preparations are unproven.However, in a 1990 study conducted by Jacques Waynsberg at the Institute of Sexology in Paris, 62% of men who took muira puama extract noted an increase in sex drive and 51% of participants reported an increased ability to produce an erection. For its tonic effect, one of the traditional remedies is to gently simmer 1 teaspoon of root and/or bark in one cup of water for 15 minutes and take 1/2 to 1 cup daily. There is evidence that Muira Puama is anxiogenic in rodents (causes anxiety), which would be consistent with a stimulant effect, without affecting coordination. However, rather than increasing the activity of excitatory NT, it decreases the activity of an inhibitory transmitter, GABAA.