Damiana (Turnera diffusa) is a wild shrub native to Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. It is used in traditional Maya/Mexican medicine as a diuretic, laxative, stimulant, aphrodisiac, and for treating diabetes and venereal diseases.
Use two teaspoons in hot water or blend with your favorite green tea for a delicious brew!
The NIH considers it Hepatoprotective, and encourages further development: "There are few drugs available for the prevention or treatment of hepatic diseases, and there is a growing need for the development of safe hepatoprotective agents. The medicinal plant, Turnera diffusa, has many ethnopharmacological uses, one of which is the production of a flavonoid named hepatodamianol, which is the principal component responsible for this plant's hepatoprotective properties."
Damiana has shown anxiolytic, antidepressant, hypoglycemic, anti-ulcer, cytotoxic effects, and stimulated sexual behavior in preclinical models. Research indicates it can treat and prevent sexual problems by boosting and maintaining mental and physical stamina and acting as an aphrodisiac.
Development of a Hepatoprotective Herbal Drug from Turnera diffusa - PMC (nih.gov)
