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This rainforest botanical is traditionally used in South America for its ability to increase sexual desire, libido and performance.* Much of the more recent research however has been on it's possibility to affect Alzheimer's and other actions on the brain.* For more information about muira puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides), please refer to the Database File for Muira puama in the Tropical Plant Database. To see pictures of muira puama, click here.

Traditional Uses:* for erectile dysfunction and impotency; as a male aphrodisiac and libido promoter; as a tonic (tones, balances, strengthens) for males; for hair loss and balding; central nervous system tonic (tones, balances, strengthens) and antidepressant

Suggested Use: The active chemicals in this plant are not very water soluble. It is best prepared as an alcohol tincture. Combine 1 part bark powder with 4 parts 90 proof alcohol (everclear or vodka). Allow to macerate for 2 weeks while agitating solution daily. Strain into a clean bottle and seal. It is traditionally taken in dosages of 2-3 ml (60 to 90 drops) 2-3 times daily. For more complete instructions on preparing herbal tinctures, see the Methods for Preparing Herbal Remedies Page.

Contraindications: None reported.

Drug Interactions: None reported.

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Third-Party Published Research on Muira Puama

Available third-party documentation and research on muira puama be found at PubMed. A partial listing of the third-party published research on muira pauma updated through Feb 2019 is shown below:

Actions on Erectile Function and Libido:
Mendes, F., et al. "Tonic, fortifier and aphrodisiac: adaptogens in the Brazilian folk medicine," Rev. Bras. Farmacogn. 2011 Jun; 21(4): 754-763.
Melnyk, P., et al. "Aphrodisiacs from plant and animal sources—A review of current scientific literature." Food Res. Int. 2011 May; 44(4): 840-850.
Rowland, D., et al. "A review of plant-derived and herbal approaches to the treatment of sexual dysfunctions." J. Sex. Marital Ther. 2003 May-Jun; 29(3): 185-205.
Waynberg, J., et al. "Effects of Herbal vX on libido and sexual activity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women." Adv. Ther. 2000 Sep-Oct; 17(5): 255-62.
Waynberg, J. "Male sexual asthenia—interest in a traditional plant-derived medication." Ethnopharmacology; 1995.
Waynberg, J. "Contributions to the clinical validation of the traditional use of Ptychopetalum guyanna." Presented at the First International Congress on Ethnopharmacology, Strasbourg, France, June 5-9, 1990.
Gaebler, H. "Revival of the drug Muira puama." Deut. Apoth. 1979; 22(3): 94-6.

Memory Enhancement, Anti-Alzheimer's & Neuroprotective Actions:
Tang, W., et al. "Two new stachane diterpenoids from the bark of Ptychopetalum olacoides." Chem. Nat. Compounds. 2016 Sep; 52(5): 841-844.
Howes M., et al. "Ethnobotanical treatment strategies against Alzheimer's disease." Curr. Alzheimer Res. 2012 Jan; 9(1): 67-85.
Figueiro, M., et al. "Inhibition of Ptychopetalum olacoides on acetylcholinesterase isoforms in brain of mice." Chin. Herb. Med. 2012 Aug; 4(3): 189-194.
Figueiro, M., et al. "The Amazonian herbal Marapuama attenuates cognitive impairment and neuroglial degeneration in a mouse Alzheimer model." Phytomedicine. 2011 Feb; 18(4): 327-33.
Figueiro, M., et al. "Acetylcholinesterase inhibition in cognition-relevant brain areas of mice treated with a nootropic Amazonian herbal (Marapuama)." Phytomedicine. 2010 Oct; 17(12): 956-62.
Tang, W., et al. "Novel NGF-potentiating diterpenoids from a Brazilian medicinal plant, Ptychopetalum olacoides." Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2009 Feb; 19(3): 882-6.
da Silva, A., et al. "MK801- and scopolamine-induced amnesias are reversed by an Amazonian herbal locally used as a "brain tonic"." Psychopharmacology. 2009 Jan; 202(1-3): 165-72.
Tang, W., et al. "Clerodane diterpenoids with NGF-potentiating activity from Ptychopetalum olacoides." J. Nat. Prod. 2008 Oct; 71(10): 1760-3.
da Silva, A., et al. "Serotonin receptors contribute to the promnesic effects of P. olacoides (Marapuama)." Physiol. Behav. 2008 Sep; 95(1-2): 88-92.
Siqueira, I., et al. "Antioxidant activities of Ptychopetalum olacoides ("muirapuama") in mice brain." Phytomedicine. 2007 Nov; 14(11): 763-9.
da Silva, A., et al. "Promnesic effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides in aversive and non-aversive learning paradigms." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Feb; 109(3): 449-457.
da Silva, A., et al. "Memory retrieval improvement by Ptychopetalum olacoides in young and aging mice." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Dec; 95(2-3): 199-203.
Siqueira, I., et al. "Neuroprotective effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham (Olacaceae) on oxygen and glucose deprivation induced damage in rat hippocampal slices." Life Sci. 2004 Aug; 75(15): 1897-906.
Ng, T., et al. "Plants beneficial to the aging brain." Neuroembryol Aging 2004; 5(3): 136–141.
Siqueira, I., et al. "Ptychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian "nerve tonic," possesses anticholinesterase activity." Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 2003 Jun; 75(3): 645-50.
Siqueira, I., et al. "Psychopharamcological properties of Ptychopetalum olachoides Bentham (Olacaceae)." Pharmaceutical Biol. 1998; 36(5): 327-34.
Forgacs, P., et al. "Phytochemical and biological activity studies on 18 plants from French Guyana." Plant Med. Phytother. 1983; 17(1): 22-32.
Da Silva, R. "Medicinal plants of Brazil. Botanical and pharmacognostic studies. Muira puama." Rev. Bras. Med. Pharm. 1925; 1(1): 37-41.

Anti-Anxiety, Anti-Depressant & Nervine Actions:
Piato, A., et al. "Anti-stress effects of the "tonic" Ptychopetalum olacoides (Marapuama) in mice." Phytomedicine. 2010 Mar; 17(3-4): 248-53.
Piato, A., et al. "Antidepressant profile of Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham (Marapuama) in mice." Phytother. Res. 2009 Apr; 23(4): 519-24.
Piato, A., et al. "Effects of Marapuama in the chronic mild stress model: further indication of antidepressant properties." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2008 Jul; 118(2): 300-4.
da Silva, A., et al. "Anxiogenic properties of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. (Marapuama)." Phytother. Res. 2002; 16(3): 223-6.
Siqueira, I., et al. "Psychopharamcological properties of Ptychopetalum olachoides Bentham (Olacaceae)." Pharmaceutical Biol. 1998; 36(5): 327-34.

Hypotensive Actions:
Raymond-Hamet, A. "Physiological action of the extract of muira puama." Comp. Rend. Soc. Biol. 1932; 109: 1064-7

Anti-fatigue, Tonic, & Adaptogenic Actions:
Mendes, F., et al. "Brazilian plants as possible adaptogens: An ethnopharmacological survey of books edited in Brazil." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Feb; 109(3): 493-500.
Bucci, L., et al. "Selected herbals and human exercise performance." Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2000 Aug; 72(2 Suppl): 624S-36S.
Paiva, L., et al. "Effects of Ptychocepalum olacoides extract on mouse behaviour in forced swimming and open field tests." Phytother. Res. 1998; 12(4): 294-96.
Waynberg, J. "Male sexual asthenia—interest in a traditional plant-derived medication." Ethnopharmacology; 1995.
Hanawa, M., et al. "Composition containing an extract from muira puama root and plant worm extract." Taisho Pharmacuetical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, United States Patent No. 6024984, 2000.
Siqueira, I., et al. "Psychopharamcological properties of Ptychopetalum olachoides Bentham (Olacaceae)." Pharmaceutical Biol. 1998; 36(5): 327-34.

Anti-cholesterol Actions:
Jayasuriya, H., et al. "Diterpenoid, steroid, and triterpenoid agonists of liver X receptors from diversified terrestrial plants and marine sources." J. Nat. Prod. 2005; 68(8): 1247-52.
Cherksey, B. D. "Method of preparing Muira puama extract and its use for decreasing body fat percentage and increasing lean muscle mass." United States Patent No. 5516516, 1996.

Antimicrobial Actions:
Oliveira, A., et al. "Antimicrobial activity of Amazonian medicinal plants." Springerplus. 2013 Aug; 2: 371.
Correia, A., et al. "Amazonian plant crude extract screening for activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria." Eur. Rev. Med. Pharmacol. Sci. 2008 Nov-Dec; 12(6): 369-80.

Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatory Actions:
de Vargas, F., et al. "Antioxidant activity and peroxidase inhibition of Amazonian plants extracts traditionally used as anti-inflammatory." BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2016 Feb; 16: 83.
Siqueira, I., et al. "Antioxidant activities of Ptychopetalum olacoides ("muirapuama") in mice brain." Phytomedicine. 2007 Nov; 14(11): 763-9.
Siqueira, I., et al. "Antioxidant action of an ethanol extract of Ptychopetalum olacoides." Pharm. Bio. 2002; 40(5): 374-379.

Estrogenic Actions:
Powers, C., et al. "A molecular docking study of phytochemical estrogen mimics from dietary herbal supplements." In Silico Pharmacol. 2015 Mar; 3:4.

Chemicals Identified:
Tian, X., et al. "Qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical constituents of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth." Nat. Prod. Res. 2018 Feb; 32(3): 354-357.
Tang, W., et al. "Two new stachane diterpenoids from the bark of Ptychopetalum olacoides." Chem. Nat. Compounds. 2016 Sep; 52(5): 841-844.
Tang, W., et al. "Eight new clerodane diterpenoids from the bark of Ptychopetalum olacoides." Nat. Prod. Commun. 2011 Mar; 6(3): 327-32.
Colombo, R., et al. "Validated high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the standardisation of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth., Olacaceae, commercial extracts." Braz. J. Pharmacog. 2010 Nov; 20(5): 781-788.
Tang, W., et al. "Novel NGF-potentiating diterpenoids from a Brazilian medicinal plant, Ptychopetalum olacoides." Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2009 Feb; 19(3): 882-6.
Tang, W., et al. "Clerodane diterpenoids with NGF-potentiating activity from Ptychopetalum olacoides." J. Nat Prod. 2008 Oct; 71(10): 1760-3.