Damiana Leaf By Chandramita Bora

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Damiana Leaf

Damiana is a small shrub of the family Turneraceae and is native to the regions of Mexico, the lower Souther US, Central and South America and West Indies. The scientific name of damiana plant is Turnera diffusa. The leaves of this plant are aromatic, and their smell is said to be somewhat similar to that of chamomile. Like chamomile, damiana can also be taken as a tea. The leaves of damiana can be used to prepare herbal tea, which was once used by the native people of Central and South America, for its supposed aphrodisiac properties. Apart from making damiana tea, this herb is also used in the traditional Mexican liqueur. The leaves of damiana are also smoked. Damiana leaf smoke is said to produce a calm and euphoric effect on the body and mind.

Damiana Leaf Benefits

Damiana leaf was historically used as an aphrodisiac, and also to relieve anxiety, depression and nervousness. However, enough scientific evidences are not there to prove some of the damiana benefits. Even its effectiveness in increasing human libido is controversial, and so far, no human study has been carried out in this regard. Nevertheless, damiana continues to be used as a herbal cure for a number of conditions, which are enumerated below.

Damiana herb or its leaves are mainly used as an aphrodisiac to boost libido and treat impotency in men. A study carried out in potent and impotent male rats has found that, damiana leaf extract improved the mating behavior of impotent male rats, but no difference was seen in potent male rats. Damiana is presumed to be helpful in treating erectile dysfunction in men.
    
Damiana is considered as a tonic for the central nervous system. It is used as a central nervous system depressant to alleviate conditions like, anxiety, nervousness and depression.
    
Damiana leaves may provide relief in painful menstruation. It can be used for delayed menstrual periods or menstrual irregularities as well.
    
Damiana is a natural laxative and hence, can help to ensure regular bowel movements. So, people having constipation may find this herb quite beneficial.
    
Damiana is supposed to have hormone balancing properties. It helps to manage the hormonal fluctuations associated with menopause and thereby, assists in relieving menopause symptoms.
    
Apart from these, damiana also helps to increase metabolism, relieve cough, asthma and bronchitis. It can prove helpful for treating urinary tract infections as well, but precaustion should be taken when using Damiana Leaf.

Damiana Leaf Side Effects

The side effects of damiana are usually not serious in nature but at times death has occurred if not taken properly and in the proper dosages. Damiana side effects are usually experienced when the herb or its extract is taken excessively. An overdose of damiana can cause mild indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, convulsions and rarely but it happens that death has occured. This herb contains a compound, called arbutin, which is a glycoside compound. This compound is converted to hydroquinone in the urinary tract. Excess of hydroquinone can cause nausea, vomiting and tinnitus. Presence of a significantly large amount of hydroquinone in the urinary tract can also cause convulsions.

Damiana can affect the blood sugar levels, so diabetic people should be cautious while using this herbal medicine. They should talk to their physician regarding the use of this herb. They also need to regularly monitor their blood sugar levels while taking damiana. People smoking damiana for recreational purposes, can experience irritation in the lung tissues and headache and convulsions. Smoking damiana can also affect the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. Damiana should not be added to any other type of smoking products due to sever side effects of the mixture that can occure. In addition to these, some other possible damiana side effects are, insomnia, weight loss, low blood sugar and irritation of the urethral mucosa.

Continuous use of damiana leaf can adversely affect the absorption of iron, eventually. Moreover, certain people can be allergic to damiana. Such people can experience symptoms of allergic reactions such as itching, hives, skin rash, unusual swelling of the face, tongue and lips, and breathing difficulty, after ingesting the leaves of damiana herb or its herbal preparations. The effects of damiana in children, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women have not been established. Therefore, they should never use this herb without the permission of their health care provider. Any problems that occurs should be treated as soon as possible by the route of seeing an MD.

So, damiana leaf can cause several side effects, if not taken in appropriate dosage and all precaustions taken when using this herb. The usual or the traditional way to take damiana is to prepare a tea with its leaves. Damiana leaf tea can be prepared by infusing the dried leaves in boiling water. However, before using damiana for medicinal purposes, it is better to have a discussion with a herbalist and your health care provider about the appropriate dosage of damiana, how to use it and what kind of precautions have to maintained while taking it. This would help you to avoid the unwanted side effects of this herb.

By Chandramita Bora
Published: 6/5/2010