Catuaba Bark and Powder Profile
Also known as- Anemopegma mirandum, Erythroxylum catuaba, angelim-rosa, caramuru, cataguā, catiguā, chuchuhuasha, pau de reposta, or tatuaba. "Little catuaba" is the medicinal herb, while "big catuaba" is the hardwood.
The species Anemopaegma mirandum has the same medicinal properties as Erythroxylum catuaba as found in several scientific studies.
Introduction
Catuaba (pronounced kot-chew-BAH) is a smaller flowering tree of the Amazon jungle related to the coca plant but producing none of the alkaloids found in cocaine. It bears orange and yellow flowers that produce a yellowish-brown, inedible fruit.
The Tupi tribe in northern Brazil discovered the aphrodisiac qualities of catuaba several hundred years ago. Trading the herb throughout South America, the Tupis have made catuaba the most popular of all the Amazonian aphrodisiac plants.
Constituents
Some varieties of catuaba contain yohimbine. The antibacterial constituent of the herb is cinchonain. Also contained are fatty acids, phytosterols, and antioxidant flavonoids.
Parts Used
Bark.
Typical Preparations
Catuaba is used in capsules, teas, and tinctures.
Summary
The native peoples of the Amazon who use catuabā combine it with muira puama, allowing the mixture to stand in warm water overnight to make an amber medicinal infusion.
There is laboratory evidence that catuabā enhances male sexual performance by increasing the brain's sensitivity to dopamine, making the sex act more pleasurable, as well as by vasodilation, enhancing erectile strength. In 2002, a Brazilian company was awarded a patent for an HIV prevention formula based on an extract of the herb, although research is still in progress.
Precautions
None.
