Muira Pauma Bark

Also known as

Ptychopetalum olacoides is the preferred plant, although Ptychopetalum uncinatum has similar efficacies. Marapama, marapuama, marapama, muirat, muiratam, pau-homen, potency wood, and Potenzholz. A completely different species of Brazilian tree, Liriosma ovata, also goes by the common name of muira puama, but it is a completely different tree with a different phytochemical makeup and different medicinal uses. 

Introduction

Muira puama is an understory tree in the Amazonian rain forest. Growing 15 feet (5 meters) high, it bears white flowers with an intense scent of jasmine. The bark and root are employed in herbal medicine. Along the Rio Negro in Brazil, muira puama is used to treat fatigue, muscular weakness, and sexual debility, and is used to prevent baldness. 

Constituents

The medicinally active chemical constituents of muira puama are long-chain fatty acids and some unique alkaloid chemicals. Other chemicals in the bark and root that influence human health 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.  

Parts Used

Bark and root.  

Typical Preparations

Can be taken as a tea, but more effective if used as a tincture. Take the tincture with a small amount of warm water to which you have added a little lemon juice. This assists absorption of the therapeutic tannins. Another convenient form is a capsule. 

Summary

The native peoples of the Amazon who use muira puama combine it with catuaba, allowing the mixture to stand in warm water overnight to make an amber medicinal infusion. Vendors of muira puama frequently cite two human trials in France, which reported that muira puama was effective in improving libido and treating erectile dysfunction. The first study involved 262 men who experienced lack of sexual desire and the inability to attain or maintain an erection. In this group, 62% of those with loss of libido reported that the extract of muira puama "had a dynamic effect," and 51% of those with erectile dysfunction felt that muira puama was beneficial. The second French study looked at potential psychological benefits of muira puama in 100 male volunteers. In this study, researchers concluded that muira puama could "enhance libido [in 85% of test group], increase the frequency of intercourse [in 100%] and improve the ability to maintain an erection [in 90%]."  

Precautions

As with Viagra, Cialis, or Levitra, erections lasting more than 4 hours require emergency medical (surgical) attention. Not recommended for pregnant women.

PURCHASE MUIRA PAUMA BARK EXTRACT