Muira Puama

Generic name: Liriosma Ovata Miers., Ptychopetalum Olacoides Benth., Ptychopetalum Uncinatum Anselm.
Brand names: Composita, Marapuama, Mirantã, Muira Puama, Muirapuama, Pilula Potentin, Potency Wood, Potenzholz, Raiz Del Macho

Usage of Muira Puama

Antimicrobial effects

In vitro data

A screening study using agar diffusion tests reported antimicrobial effects of P. olacoides extracts.Oliveira 2013

Antioxidant activity

In vitro data

Antioxidant activity of P. olacoides extracts, which exhibited a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of less than 10 mcg/mL (comparable with that of ascorbic acid), has been confirmed.de Vargas 2016

CNS effects

Animal data

Studies of P. olacoides administration in rodents have demonstrated improved memory and reversal of cognitive impairment.da Silva 2004, da Silva 2007, da Silva 2009, Figueiró 2011

Potential mechanisms of action in Alzheimer disease are unclear; however, repair of damaged neural cells and regeneration have been suggested,Howes 2012 and anticholinesterase activity has been demonstrated.Figueiró 2010, Siqueira 2003

Antidepressant activity of P. olacoides, including activity on serotonin receptors, has been demonstrated in mice.da Silva 2008, Piato 2008, Piato 2009, Piato 2010

Conversely, anxiogenic properties have been noted in ethnopharmacological and rodent studies.da Silva 2002, Paiva 1998

Antioxidant effects in the CNS have been demonstrated in mice.Siqueira 2004, Siqueira 2007

Periorbital hyperchromia

In vitro data

A multi-ingredient topical preparation that included P. olacoides was studied in volunteers with periorbital hyperchromia. In vitro examination determined the observed improvements were attributed to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.Eberlin 2009

Clinical data

In a small study evaluating effects of an herbal combination (Pfaffia paniculate/P. olacoides B./Lilium candidum L.–associated compound) on periorbital hyperchromia in healthy female volunteers (N=21), topical application of the compound led to significant improvement in skin luminance and tone in the periorbital area. Subjects reported reduced intensity and improved appearance of "dark circles."Eberlin 2009

Sexual dysfunction

Animal and in vitro data

Effects of P. olacoides on estrogen receptors have been demonstrated.Powers 2015 In a study in which the other constituents of Catuama (guarana, catuaba, and ginger) were active, P. olacoides had no vasorelaxant effects.Calixto 1997 In another study in isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum, P. olacoides demonstrated less smooth muscle relaxant properties than the other constituents of Catuama,Antunes 2001, Melnyk 2011 attributable in part to activation of the endogenous cellular iNOS-cGMP pathway within the cavernosal smooth muscle cells.Ferrini 2018

Clinical data

Clinical trials are lacking to support effects of P. olacoides alone on sexual dysfunction.Melnyk 2011, Shamloul 2010 An open-label, uncontrolled clinical study suggested improvement upon administration of muira puama in men with a lack of sexual desire and the inability to attain or maintain an erection.Murray 2012 In a study of 262 men reporting a loss of sexual desire, 60% indicated improvement over pretrial levels following administration of muira puama extract 1 to 1.5 g daily for 2 weeks; more than 50% of the men unable to attain an erection rated treatment with muira puama as beneficial.Rowland 2003 In a 3-month pilot study, men with erectile dysfunction (N=54) received 2 capsules of Revactin (each capsule containing 125 mg each of ginger root, muira puama, and Paullinia cupana, and 400 mg of L-citrulline) orally twice daily. Safety of Revactin was demonstrated; early improvement in erectile function was observed in about 50% of patients, possibly due to elevated levels of cGMP produced via the iNOS-cGMP pathway.Nguyen 2018

Muira Puama side effects

Information regarding adverse reactions to muira puama is lacking. The stimulant action of muira puama may cause nervousness and agitation.Rowland 2003

Before taking Muira Puama

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking. Effects on estrogen receptors have been demonstrated.Powers 2015

How to use Muira Puama

There are no quality clinical trials to provide dosing guidance. Clinical trials evaluating P. olacoides alone are lacking.

In a review of data regarding herbal product use for sexual dysfunction, which included a study of muira puama use in men with loss of sexual desire, a muira puama concentrate dosage of 0.5 to 1.5 g/day was determined to be effective; although effect may be evident within 24 hours, studies used a 2-week regimen.Rowland 2003

Revactin, a combination product containing muira puama (125 mg per capsule), was administered as 2 capsules twice daily (total daily muira puama dose, 500 mg) over 3 months in a study of men with erectile dysfunction.Nguyen 2018

Warnings

Data are lacking. In a toxicity study in healthy volunteers taking a 25 mL dose of the combination preparation Catuama (containing 0.875 mL of P. olacoides) twice daily for 28 days, no severe adverse reactions or hematological and biochemical changes were reported.Oliveira 2005 No severe adverse reactions were noted when the combination product Revactin was used at daily muira puama doses amounting to 500 mg over a period of 3 months.Nguyen 2018

What other drugs will affect Muira Puama

None well documented.

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