Extendzine Reviewed

Damiana is a shrub belonging to the family of Turneraceae. Even though it is a small shrub, it produces aromatic, small flowers. It is generally found in the regions of South America, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. It is also a fruit bearing shrub. The flowers generally blossom in late summer on the damiana shrub. Then the fruits follow. The fruit it bears is quite similar in taste to figs. It emits a smell which is quite similar to the odor of chamomile. The oils present in the shrub are reason behind this odor. It is said to have aphrodisiac properties. Natives of south and Central America use the leaves to make tea. In Mexico, the tea made with damiana leaves is generally drunk with sugar so as to increase the love making ability.

Ginkgo Biloba is derived from the Ginkgo tree, which has been around from several million years. The Chinese were the first to use it to treat various ailments such as asthma and lung congestion. They also used it to boost sexual energy, promote longevity, and control blood flow. Ginkgo Biloba helps in improving blood circulation in the body that in turn keeps the body fit and promotes general longevity. Due to its positive effects on the circulatory system, Ginkgo also proves beneficial in the treatment of ear and eye disorders. The two groups of active components namely the flavonoids and terpene lactones present in Ginkgo help in controlling allergic inflammation and asthma. Despite its excellent therapeutic properties, use of Ginkgo Biloba supplements may also result in minor side effects like restlessness and headaches or more serious ones such as gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

Horny Goat Weed is actually belonging to the genus Epimedum, where about sixty species are in the family of Berberidaceae, all of them flowering herbaceous plants. Many of the species have the tag of being aphrodisiacs, but Horny Goat Weed seems to be the most potent one. It is found naturally in south of China, then toward Europe all over Asia, whereby only the furthest outposts of Europe seems to grow these perennials. Japanese cultivars have imported Epimedum for centuries already, using it as garden plants. The legend states that a goat keeper observed the mating habits of the goats after they consumed the Horny Goat Weed and thus recognized the properties of the plant. Chinese herbal medicine used this icariin containing plant for treatment of erectile dysfunctions. It seems to mimic testosterone effects, is a PDE5 inhibitor, just like Viagra, antioxidant, antidepressant and has nootropic properties as well.

L-Arginine is an amino acid that helps the body get rid of ammonia and is used to make compounds such as creatine, l-proline and l-glutamine which is then converted into glucose as the body needs it.

Macuna Pruriens is a flowering plant in the legume family, genus mucuna and the family Fabaceae, sub family Phaseoleae. It is a climbing plant, a shrub with over fifteen meter extending vines, which has a long lasting history of being used as an aphrodisiac. It is actually containing a lot of levodopa, which is a precursor of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. The levodopa is also used for centuries in traditional medicines, such as Ayurveda, for combating Parkinson’s disease. Some parts of the plant contain 5-hydroxytryptamine, also known as serotonin. These hairy parts have commonly been used to produce itching powder. Seeds are believed to have certain antidepressant qualities, when ingested; furthermore, it contains other ingredients, such as nicotine, 5-HTP, dimethyltryptamine – DMT, and bufotenine, which can induce psychedelic reactions.

Magnesium, which is a mineral used by the body to help maintain muscles, bones, and nerves. Magnesium is also needed for energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

Saw Palmetto - The ripe fruit of saw palmetto (botanical name: Serenoa repens) is an important member of the herb kingdom. The Seminole tribe of Florida used it to treat various health conditions, but today it is used mainly for treating urinary symptoms related to an enlarged prostate gland, also called as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. Other conditions that can be effectively treated using saw palmetto include: bladder disorders hair loss decreased sex drive chronic pelvic pain hormone imbalances The fresh ripe fruit as well as the dried one is used to make various medicinal preparations that are available in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid extract, infusion, and even tea. Saw plametto may sometimes cause stomach discomfort and some men have experienced side effects like tender breasts and a decline in sexual desire after using it.

Selenium , an essential mineral that is toxic at high dosages. Selenium plays an important function in the antioxidant enzymes that protect cells against free radicals. Selenium also promotes proper thyroid hormone metabolism.

Tribulus Terrestris is an invasive species and noxious weed, but also a flowering perennial plant that is native to warmer to tropical regions of Europe, south of Asia, Africa, north of Australia and recently naturalized in both of the Americas. Historically, the Tribulus terrestris was recognized by the traditional Chinese medicine and the Indian ayurveda. Because of the increases in testosterone levels, also dihydrotestosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone, Tribulus terrestris was deemed an aphrodisiac, but also a nerve tonic and diuretic. Protodioscin was identified as the active chemical in T. terrestris, which is a relative to DHEA. These traits have made this supplement very popular with the body building community, and also why it was used in Extendzine,Tribulus terrestris is used as a promoter of a stable libido function and to augment the muscle tone.

Yohimbe is an alkaloid and the active ingredient of a medicinal herb also known as Pausinystalia yohimbe, formerly named Corynanthe yohimbe. It is noted as a stimulant drug and also as an aphrodisiac. While the medicinal community has conducted numerous studies of yohimbe in conjunction with sexual dysfunctions, in veterinary medicine, yohimbine is employed as the antidode to anesthesia stemming from the drug xylazine in large and small animals. In recent times, yohimbine has been found to instigate fat loss in athletes when taken orally. There are also some formulations available, for a significant price, where yohimbine can be directly applied transdermally to adipose tissue, leading to a local reduction. This application is still in experimentation and should not be used without professional assistance.

Zinc is a metallic chemical element and an essential trace element, whereby only two to four grams of Zinc are found in the human body. There are several biological roles that Zinc plays in humans, including the metabolism of RNA and DNA, gene expression and the regulation of apoptosis. It is deemed vital for proper brain activity and essential in the learning process. It is also critical for the central nervous system, but is also found in muscle, bones, liver, kidneys, eyes and most prominently in the prostate. It is supplied to the body by the ingestion of red meats, particularly beef and lamb, but can also be found in seeds, including sesame and mustard, wheat, beans, whole grains, sunflower seeds and nuts, including almonds.