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| echinacea, cranberry juice, uva ursi and other astringent, cleansing herbs. |
| Is it really an aphrodisiac? Pharmacognosy professor Varro E. Tyler says no. In his Honest Herbal, he attributed damiana's modern reputation to the efforts of 19th century druggists who sold the extract "to improve the sexual ability of the enfeebled and aged." Damiana tinctures became wildly popular, but skeptics attributed their commercial success to their high alcohol content and the addition of other herbs, such as coca, the source of cocaine. After reviewing damiana's chemical constituents, Tyler dismissed the plant's reputation as an herbal hoax. |
| But according to James Green in The Male Herbal, damiana deserves its reputation. "Used to treat impotence, it possibly has a testosterone-like action," he wrote, "and it may work by strengthening the male system." Green mentions a damiana liqueur sold in Mexico which is reputed to be an aphrodisiac and adds, "I have a number of acquaintances who attest to this as fact.'' Whether it's damiana or the placebo effect at work, this herb's reputation as an aphrodisiac is taken seriously by many herbalists. |
| Nettle or Stinging Nettle (Urticia dioica) |
| As annoying as nettle can be in the garden, its benefits include essential minerals, antispasmodic action and blood cleansing properties. Nettle offers safe relief from asthma and hay fever allergies, eczema and other skin conditions, gout and other forms of arthritis. In addition, nettle is a specific for the kidneys, urinary tract and prostate gland. According to Pacific Northwest herbalist Ryan Drum, nettle is most effective when freshly harvested (use protective gloves) and puréed in a blender or food processor with a small amount of water, a procedure that destroys its sting while enhancing its assimilation. |
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