Ptychopetalum olacoides / Muira Puama / Olacaceae (Aster family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Potency Wood, Marapuama, Marapama, Muiratã, Muiratam, Pau-Homen, Potenzholz.

Contents

The main plant chemicals found in Muira Puama 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.(2)

Synergic Combinations

Muira Puama is sometimes combined with Catuaba, Damiana or Horny Goat Weed in various formulas on the market.

Historical

Historically, all parts of muira puama have been used medicinally, but the bark and roots are the most-utilized parts of the plant. It has long been used in the Amazon by indigenous peoples for a number of purposes. In Brazilian herbal medicine, muira puama still is a highly-regarded sexual stimulant with a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac. It has been in the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia since the 1950s. Early European explorers noted the indigenous uses and the aphrodisiac qualities of muira puama and brought it back to Europe, where it has become part of herbal medicine in England. Muira puama has been gaining in popularity in the United States among herbal practitioners.(2)(3)

Plant Description

Ptychopetalum olacoides is a small tree that grows to 5 m high and is native to the Brazilian Amazon and other parts of the Amazon rainforest. The small, white flowers have a pungent fragrance similar to jasmine's. The Ptychopetalum genus is a small one - only two species of small trees grow in tropical South America and five in tropical Africa. The two South American varieties, P. olacoides (found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname) and P. uncinatum (found only in Brazil), are used interchangeably in South American herbal medicine systems.(1)(2)

References

(1) Ptychopetalum, Wikipedia
(2) Muira Puama, Raintree
(3) Fytotherapeutisch compendium J van Hellemont

Brosimum acutifolium / Murure / Moraceae (Mulberry family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Ahua Jonra, Amapá Doce, Bois Mondan, Bururé, Congona, Leche-Caspi, Manichi, Mercuio-vegetal, Mercurio Vegetal, Mercurio-da-terra-firma, Morure, Muira-Piranga, Murare, Murure, Murure-Vermelho, Mururi, Quecho, Takini, Takweni, Tamamuri, Tauni, Urupi, Vegetable Mercury.

Contents

Brosimum acutifolium bark contains flavans, flavanoids, lignans, phenylpropanoids, benezoids, and steroids. Many of these chemicals are novel ones never before seen by scientists, including 6 chemicals they have named "acutifolins" and 13 chemicals named "brosimacutins".(2)
The latex of the subspecies Brosimum acutifolium Huber subsp. acutifolium C.C. Berg contains bufotenin (5-hydroxy-dimethyltryptamine). This is the same alkaloid found in Anadenthara sp., Mucuna pruriens, and several toads of the Bufo genus. (1)(3)

Historical

Shipibo-Conibo Indians on the Ucayali River in the Peruvian Amazon have a legend about Brosimum acutifolium or Tamamuri as they call it. They believe that when a man ingests the white latex of the Tamamuri tree that he will father light-skinned male children. They also use the bark medicinally (in decoctions). The Wayãpi Indians in Guyana also attribute magical properties to the tree. They believe the latex of the tree will help protect them from witchcraft and bad spells. Brosimum acutifolium is widely used in herbal medicine in South America. Shamans of several peoples in Suriname, French Guiana, and the region east of the Para in Brazil have used the latex of the tree for its visionary properties.(2)(3)

Plant Description

Brosimum acutifolium is a large canopy tree of the Amazon rainforest that grows 15 to 25 m high. It produces a white to light pink latex when the smooth trunk bark is wounded or the leaf stems are broken from the branches. It has oblong veined leaves about 8-15 cm long by 4-5 cm wide. Brosimum acutifolium is found throughout the lower elevations of the Amazon basin, usually growing alongside streams and rivers where its fruits (similar to a fig but with one large seed inside) are eaten by fish when it falls from the tree. (2)

References

(1) Bufotenin, Wikipedia article.
(2) Tamamuri, Raintree nutrition.
(3) Identification of 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (bufotenine) in takini (Brosimum acutifolium Huber subsp. acutifolium C.C. Berg, Moraceae), a shamanic potion used in the Guiana Plateau, Moretti C, Gaillard Y, Grenand P, Bévalot F, Prévosto JM (2006)

Melia azadirachta / Neem / Meliaceae (Mahogany family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Australia
• Norway

Rhodiola rosea / Rhodiola / Crassulaceae (Stonecrop family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Eleutherococcus senticosus / Siberian Ginseng / Araliaceae (Aralia family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Legal Remarks

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• Finland

Hypericum perforatum / St. John's Wort / Hypericaceae (St. John's Wort family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Amber Touch-and-Heal, Hardhay, Hypericum, Klamath Weed, Millepertuis, Rosin Rose, SJW, Tipton Weed and Goat Weed.

Contents

St. John’s wort contains a large number of active compounds, the best studied of which are Hypericin, pseudohypericin and Hyperforin. It also contains essential oils, tannins and flavonoids (3)

Historical

St. John’s wort has a long history of use in many cultures dating back to pre-Christian times. Romans burned the herb at bonfires as part of the Mid-summers day celebrations while in England, people used St. John’s wort to protect against witchcraft, evil spirits, enchantments and even storms and thunder by draping the plant over doorways, windows and even on their bodies. Priests were said to exorcise demons using the herb and it was also thought to drive away the evil eye. On the Isle of Man, one superstition claimed that anyone who stood on the plant after sunset would be taken away by a fairy horse to ride through the night until sunrise. (7)

St. John’s wort also has a history of use in folk medicine in several different cultures dating back to ancient Greece. Native Americans also used the herb internally to help relieve stomach ailments and to fight tuberculosis. (3)(7)

The popularity and scientific interest in St. John’s wort has increased greatly in recent years and it is currently being prescribed in Germany in some cases to treat mild depression especially in children, adolescents and where costs are a concern. (6) Several studies have shown St. John’s wort to be more effective than placebo in treating mild to moderate depression while having fewer side effects than conventional antidepressants. (5) Some research has also suggested that St. John’s wort helps to support digestion, improve the appearance of the skin, support the excretory functions of the kidneys and improve overall health. (4)

Health Warnings

St. John’s wort has been noted to increase sensitivity to light. Other side effects can include anxiety, dry mouth, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, headache, or sexual dysfunction. (1)
St. John’s wort has also been noted to have interactions with several drugs including (1):
Antidepressants
Birth control pills
Cyclosporine, which prevents the body from rejecting transplanted organs
Digoxin
Indinavir and possibly other drugs used to control HIV infection
Irinotecan and possibly other drugs used to treat cancer
Warfarin and related anticoagulants

Plant Description

H. Perforatum is a long living perennial with flowers that grows 300-1200 mm tall. Its leaves are opposite, ovate to linear and 15-30 mm long. The leaves have translucent dots which become obvious when held against the light and there are five petals to each flower which are bright yellow in color with black dots. It is a fast growing and invasive plant and listed as a noxious weed in more than twenty countries. It is native to temperate zones of Europe and western Asia but has spread to many other areas. (2)(3)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Norway

References

(1) St. John's Wort, US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(2) Herbal Harvest, Greg Whitten
(3) St John’s wort, Wikipedia
(4) Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Jelling, Jeff M.
(5) St John's wort for depression--an overview and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials., Linde K, Ramirez G, Mulrow CD, Pauls A, Weidenhammer W, Melchart D.
(6) Antidepressant use in children and adolescents in Germany., Fegert JM, Kölch M, Zito JM, Glaeske G, Janhsen K.
(7) Aromatherapy, Roberta Wilson

Salix alba / White Willow / Salicaceae (Willow family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Contents

The active constituent of the bark of Salix alba is salicin, à glucoside of o-hydroxybenzylalcohol. (6)

Historical

Medicines derived from Willow trees and other salicylate-rich plants have been part of pharmacopoeias at least dating back to ancient Sumer. A stone tablet of medical text from the Third Dynasty of Ur, dated ca. 3000 BC, lists Willow among other plant- and animal based remedies; however, no indications are given. The earliest specific reference to conditions Willow was used for comes from the Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian medical text from ca. 1543 BC, likely a copy of a text from around the time of the Ur tablet. (2) In Greece Hippocrates gives women Willow leaf tea to relieve the pain of childbirth (ca. 400BC). In 1763 Reverend Edward Stone of Chipping Norton near Oxford gives dried Willow bark to 50 parishioners suffering rheumatic fever and describes his findings in a letter to the Royal Society of London. 1823 In Italy the active ingredient is extracted from Willow and named salicin. (3) Through the middle decades of the 19th century, the use of salicylate medicines—including salicin, salicylic acid, and sodium salicylate—grew considerably, however, the unpleasant side effects, particularly gastric irritation, limited their usefulness. (2) 1893 German scientists find that adding an acetyl group to salicylic acid reduces its irritant properties, which a few years later was followed by patenting acetyl salicylic acid, named aspirin. (3)
Today Willow bark is still used in herbal medicine. Clinical trials have shown that it contributes to healthy muscles and joints. (4)

Plant Description

It is a medium-sized to large deciduous tree growing up to 10-30 m tall, with a trunk up to 1 m diameter and an irregular, often leaning crown. The bark is grey-brown, deeply fissured in older trees. The shoots in the typical species are grey-brown to green-brown. The leaves are paler than most other willows, due to a covering of very fine silky white hairs, particularly on the underside; they are 5-10 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm wide. The flowers are produced in catkins. (5)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Finland
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References

(1) Aspirin Timeline, Aspirin Foundation
(4) Document: NL E4-0-C-REF, Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
(5) Salix alba, Wikipedia.
(6) Salicin, MediLexicon Medical Dictionary.

Dioscorea villosa / Wild Yam / Dioscoreaceae (Yam family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

China root, Colic Root, Devil's Bones, Dioscorea, Huang Yao Tzu, Mexican Wild Yam, Rheumatism Root, Shu Yu, Wild Yam, Wild Yamwurzel, Yabani Hindelmasi, Yam, Yuma.

Contents

Diosgenin, a steroid sapogenin, is the product of hydrolysis by acids, strong bases, or enzymes of saponins, extracted from the tubers of Dioscorea wild yam. The sugar-free, aglycone, diosgenin is used for the commercial synthesis of cortisone, pregnenolone, progesterone, and other steroid products. (4)

Historical

"Early Americans used wild yam to treat colic; hence, the term colic root. Traditionally, it has been used to treat inflammation, muscle spasms and a range of disorders including asthma. Related species of Dioscorea are used in the Amazon and in central America to treat conditions including fever, urinary tract infections, colds, rheumatism (joint and muscle related conditions), arthritis, hemorrhoids, boils, and dysentery."(1)
"In the 18th and 19th centuries, wild yam ( Dioscorea villosa ) was used by herbalists to treat menstrual cramps and problems related to childbirth. The subsequent discovery of a substance contained in wild yams revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry. The tubers, or fleshy, root-like parts, of wild yams (not to be confused with the sweet potato yam) contain diosgenin, a steroid-like substance that is involved in the production of the hormone progesterone. Diosgenin has served a key role in the making of hormones and the development of the birth control pill, two of the major advances in plant drug medicine this century. Wild yam continues to be used for treating menstrual cramps, nausea and morning sickness associated with pregnancy, inflammation, osteoporosis, menopausal symptoms, and other health conditions."(1)
"While the diosgenin found in wild yam created quite a stir in the 1990s as a cure for menopausal disorders and other symptoms of aging in women, the plant itself has no proven hormonal action, nor have any studies shown it to be effective in treating hormone related disorders."(1)

Plant Description

This is an herbaceous, slender vine, found throughout the United States, but more common in the central and southern portions. The stem is a smooth green twiner, about the size of a goose-quill, twining from the right to the left, over fences, bushes, etc. The leaves are symmetrical and heart-shaped, gradually tapering to a sharp, acuminate point, and are borne on leaf stalks from 2 to 4 inches long. The flowers appear in June or July, are dioecious, very small, and greenish-yellow. (2)

References

(1) Wild yam, University of Maryland Medical Center
(2) Dioscorea.—Wild Yam., King's American Dispensatory
(3) Wild yam, Raintree Tropical Plant Database
(4) Diosgenin, Wikipedia