Erowid Damiana Vault

damiana

Take this survey out of University of East London,
which attempts to understand the inner experiences of
people with lasting perceptual changes from use of
psychoactive drugs, (diagnosed or not). It investigates
factors that could create distress or effect quality of life.

DAMIANA

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Family :

Turneraceae

Genus :

Turnera

Species :

aphrodisiaca; diffusa

COMMON NAMES

Damiana; Herba de la pastora

USES

Damiana is used as a general tonic for the nervous, hormonal, and reproductive systems. It has an ancient reputation as an aphrodisiac. Some claim damiana tea has a relaxing effect not-unlike low doses of cannabis. Others argue that Damiana has no active ingredients, and that its medicinal reputation is based on damiana tonics from the late 1800s which were inactive, or contained enough alcohol and/or coca to produce unrelated effects.

DESCRIPTION

A shrub that grows up to 2 meters tall, and has a woody, heavily branched stem. Leaves are pale green with hairy ribs. It bears small yellow flowers and inconspicuous fruits in a rough, three-chambered shell.