Is Catuaba an Aphrodisiac?
The old legend about Catuaba is very widely known in Brazil: It’s said that “Before a man reaches sixty, the child belongs to him. After sixty, the child is Catuaba’s.” Catuaba has been part of Brazilian folklore and traditional use as an aphrodisiac for generations – particularly as a remedy for male impotence. Songs have even been composed in praise of the virtues of Catuaba.[3] According to Chris Kilham, writing in a Discovery Health article, a group of three alkaloids named catuabine A, B and C are believed to stimulate the nervous system and thereby enhance sexual function. [4] Papers describing isolation and structure of the alkaloids were published in 1977 [5] and 1978 [6] respectively – but more work is needed in order to ascertain the aphrodisiac claims. Kilham also states that according to local shamans and plant experts, Catuaba is often given together with Muira Puama and that this combination has a tremendous success rate as a sexual restorative. [4] This could provide fur
