Damiana
Scientific names: Turnera diffusa, Turnera aphrodisiaca, Turnera diffusa var. aphrodisiaca, Turnera microphylla
Family: Turneraceae
Alternate names: Damiana Aphrodisiaca, Damiana Herb, Damiana Leaf, Damiane, Feuille de Damiana, Feuille de Damiane, Herba de la Pastora, Houx Mexicain, Mexican Damiana, Mizibcoc, Old Woman's Broom, Oreganillo, Thé Bourrique, Turnerae Diffusae Folium, Turnerae Diffusae Herba
Actions: Antibacterial, Anti-cancer, Anti-hyperglycemic, Anxiolytic, Gastroprotective, Neurological, Sexual potency
Background
Damiana is a wild shrub that grows in Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. The leaf and stem are used to make medicine.
People use damiana for a slight "high", as an aphrodisiac, to treat stomach complaints, and for other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its use.
People use damiana for a slight "high", as an aphrodisiac, to treat stomach complaints, and for other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its use.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: Damiana is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in foods. Damiana is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. But there have been serious side effects when taken in very high doses. Convulsions and other symptoms similar to rabies or strychnine poisoning have been reported after taking 200 grams of damiana extract.
Diabetes: Damiana might affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use damiana.
Surgery: Since damiana seems to affect blood glucose levels, there is a concern that it might interfere with blood glucose control during and after surgery. Stop using damiana at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if damiana is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.Diabetes: Damiana might affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use damiana.
Surgery: Since damiana seems to affect blood glucose levels, there is a concern that it might interfere with blood glucose control during and after surgery. Stop using damiana at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Insufficient evidence Effectiveness definitions
- Obesity.
- Sexual problems that prevent satisfaction during sexual activity.
- As an aphrodisiac.
- Athletic performance.
- Asthma.
- Diabetes.
- Headache.
- Bed-wetting.
- Depression.
- Nervous upset stomach.
- Constipation.
- Boosting mental and physical stamina.
- Symptoms of menopause.
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
- For a "high", when inhaled.
- Other conditions.
Dosing & administration
The appropriate dose of damiana depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for damiana. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Damiana might decrease blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking damiana along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.
Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (Diabeta, Glynase PresTabs, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
Herbs and supplements that might lower blood sugar: Damiana might lower blood sugar. Using it with other herbs and supplements that have this same effect might increase the risk of low blood sugar in some people. Some of these products include alpha-lipoic acid, bitter melon, chromium, devil's claw, fenugreek, garlic, guar gum, horse chestnut, Panax ginseng, psyllium, Siberian ginseng, and others.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
Action
Damiana contains chemicals that may affect the brain and nervous system.
Products
View all productsPractitioner product
Per 8 g:
- Turnera diffusa (Damiana) ext. 300 mg
- Levocarnitine (L-carnitine) 2 g
- Acetyl levocarnitine hydrochloride (Acetyl-L-carnitine) 1 g
- Ubidecarenone (Coenzyme Q10) 100 mg
- Zinc citrate dihydrate 79.87 mg equiv. zinc 25 mg
- Selenomethionine 248 μg equiv. selenium 100 μg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 1 g
- Magnesium citrate 1.91 g equiv. magnesium 310 mg
- Alpha lipoic acid 50 mg
- Palm tocotrienols complex (Vitamin E) 5 mg
- Thiamine nitrate (Vitamin B1) 100 mg equiv. thiamine 81.04 mg
- Riboflavin 5-phosphate sodium (Activated B2) 20 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 50 mg
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5) 150 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 137.44 mg
- Biotin 500 μg
- Calcium folinate (Activated folate) 216 μg equiv. folinic acid 200 μg
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 20 mg equiv. pyridoxine 16.48 mg
- Pyridoxal 5-phosphate monohydrate (P5P) 10 mg equiv. pyridoxine 6.4 mg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 200 μg
Practitioner product
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Per tablet:
- Turnera diffusa (Damiana) ext. 50 mg
- Tribulus terrestris ext. 20 mg
- Thiamine nitrate (Vitamin B1) 61.7 mg
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 50 mg
- Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 75 mg
- Calcium pantothenate 81.9 mg equiv. calcium 6.9 mg equiv. pantothenic acid 75 mg
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 60.8 mg equiv. pyridoxine 50 mg
- Folic acid 100 μg
- Levomefolate calcium (Activated folate) 124 μg equiv. levomefolic acid 100 μg
- Mecobalamin (Vitamin B12) 100 μg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 100 mg
- Cholecalciferol 25 μg equiv. vitamin D3 1000 IU
- d-alpha-Tocopheryl acid succinate 10.5 mg equiv. vitamin E 12.7 IU
- Biotin 250 μg
- Inositol 50 mg
- Alpha lipoic acid 30 mg
- Lycopene 1 mg
- Calcium citrate tetrahydrate 99.53 mg equiv. calcium 21 mg
- Chromium picolinate 199.5 μg equiv. chromium 24.8 μg
- Copper gluconate 7.14 mg equiv. copper 1 mg
- Iron amino acid chelate 30 mg equiv. iron 3 mg
- Magnesium citrate 154.7 mg equiv. magnesium 25 mg
- Manganese sulphate monohydrate 1.54 mg equiv. manganese 500 μg
- Potassium phosphate monobasic 24.5 mg equiv. potassium 7 mg
- Potassium iodide 50 μg equiv. iodine 38 μg
- Selenomethionine 186.3 μg equiv. selenium 75 μg
- Zinc amino acid chelate 50 mg equiv. zinc 10 mg
- Tribulus terrestris ext. 20 mg
- Eleutherococcus senticosus ext. 133.3 mg
- Withania somnifera ext. 20 mg
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Per 5 g:
- Turnera diffusa (Damiana) (leaf)
- Panax ginseng
- Eleutherococcus senticosus
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (root)
- Beta vulgaris (root) powder (Beetroot)
- Mucuna pruriens
- Lycium barbarum (fruit)
- Coconut water powder
- Tribulus terrestris
- Smilax officinalis
- Hebanthe eriantha
- Panax notoginseng
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Natural apple flavour
- Myrica rubra (berry) powder (Yumberry)
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Per 5 g:
- Turnera diffusa (Damiana) (leaf)
- Paullinia cupana kunth (seed)
- Camellia sinensis (leaf) powder
- Eleutherococcus senticosus (root)
- Panax ginseng
- Panax notoginseng
- Lepidium meyenii (root) powder
- Hebanthe eriantha
- Siraitia grosvenorii (Monk fruit)
- Brambleberry
- Ginkgo biloba (leaf)
- Crataegus monogyna (berry)
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (root)
- Stevia rebaubiana (leaf)
- Lycium barbarum (fruit)
- Cola acuminata
- Ilex paraguariensis (leaf) dry
- Lepidium meyenii juice dry
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Per serve (Loose Leaf):
100 cups Loose Leaf
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Per 5 g:
- Turnera diffusa (Damiana)
- Lepidium meyenii
- Angelica polymorpha
- Vitex agnus-castus (berry)
- Dioscorea villosa
- Lycium barbarum
- Luo Han Guo (fruit) ext. (Monk fruit)
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (root)
- Humulus lupulus (flower)
- Valeriana officinalis
- Passiflora incarnata
- Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Juniperus communis (berry)
- Zea mays
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This monograph was last reviewed on 17/10/2023 11:00:00 and last updated on 09/09/2020 22:25:23. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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