Damiana

What Is Damiana?

Damiana is an aromatic herb from Mexico, and Central America. It’s been used as a flavouring agent in liqueurs for hundreds of years, and is thought to be the original flavour for the margarita.

Damiana is a potent anxiolytic, often used for conditions involving pain, fatigue, anxiety, and stress. It’s also been used successfully for a very long time for conditions involving sexual debility.

What Is Damiana Used For?

Damiana is mainly used for conditions involving anxiety, as well as sexual debility. Newer uses involve its ability to improve the effectiveness of antibiotics.

Indications

• Adjunctive with antibiotics
• Anxiety
• Bacterial infection
• Cancer
• Constipation
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Fungal infection
• Impotency
• Insomnia (Sleep onset and maintenance)
• Low libido
• Male infertility
• Nervous dyspepsia
• Pain
• Trigeminal neuralgia

Contraindications

• Hypoglycemic medications (agonistic interaction)
• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding

Mechanisms

• Antiaromatase
• Efflux pump inhibitor
• GABAergic

Traditional Uses

Western Herbal Medicine

In Germany, damiana is used to relieve excess mental activity, as well as nervous debility, and as a tonic for the hormonal and central nervous systems ^{8Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia cites indications for damiana’s use for “anxiety Neurosis, with a predominant sexual factor, depression, nervous dyspepsia, atonic constipation, and coital inadequacy” ^{8Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

Traditional uses of this plant from around the world include its use as an antidepressant, cough suppressant, mild laxative, aphrodisiac, tonic, diuretic. It has been used for conditions such as bedwetting, depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunctions, bronchitis, gastric ulcers, menstrual irregularities, constipation, asthma, neurosis, diabetes, dysentery, dyspepsia, headaches, paralysis, nephrosis, spermatorrhea, stomachaches, and syphilis. ^{8,10Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinalsReference 10Bone · 2003A clinical guide to blending liquid herbs: Herbal formulations for the individual patient}.

South America

Damiana was used by the Mayans for “giddiness, and loss of balance,” as well as its more well-known use as an aphrodisiac ^{8Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

Botanical Information

[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“1000”] (Damiana flower) [/caption]

Some resources suggest that Damiana is a member of the Turneraceae family of plants, with others listing it in the Passifloraceae family.

The Turneraceae family consists of about 10 genera and 120 species. The majority of these plants are subtropical or tropical shrubs, with a few trees as well. The Passifloraceae family contains some 750 species and 27 genera.

Damiana is a small shrub, growing to a height of about 1-2m.

Its leaves are serrate, aromatic, and roughly 10-25cm long.

There are two species used interchangeably in herbal medicine — Turnera diffusa, and Turnera aphrodisiaca.

A third species —Turnera ulmifolia — is very similar in appearance but has different traditional uses ^{8Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}. This species has been confirmed to share many of the more recent uses such as in combatting drug-resistant bacterial strains ^{4Reference 4Coutinho et al. · 2009Herbal therapy associated with antibiotic therapy: potentiation of the antibiotic activity against methicillin – resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Turnera ulmifolia LView study →}.

More research is needed to determine the chemical composition differences of each species.

Harvesting, Collection & Preparation

The leaves are harvested during the flowering season.

Most of the Damiana on the market today comes from Mexican, and Latin American cultivation projects ^{8Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

There has been some evidence that the hypoglycaemic effects aren’t offered in the alcoholic extraction of this herb — suggesting that the components responsible for this action are water soluble only ^{8Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

However, other studies have eluded to some of the effects only being methanol soluble.

Therefore, it may be better to utilize both methods, and combining these extracts together and reducing or concentrating this liquid to achieve maximum effectiveness.

Pharmacology & Medical Research

Analgesic

Eugenol, present in damiana, has been shown to regulate GABAA receptors ^{7Reference 7Lee et al. · 2015Eugenol Inhibits the GABAA Current in Trigeminal Ganglion NeuronsView study →}. GABAA receptors play a role in the modulation of various activities in the CNS. These results suggest a mechanism of action for damiana’s effect on various CNS disorders, especially pain.

Antiaromatase

The flavonoids acacetin and pinocembrin contained in T. diffusa were shown to be weakly aromatase inhibitors ^{3Reference 3Balunas et al. · 2010Natural Compounds with Aromatase Inhibitory Activity: An UpdateView study →}. Aromatase is an enzyme that synthesizes estrogen. Therefore, aromatase inhibition is one method of combating both breasts and ovarian cancer in females.

Antibacterial

A study investigating the effects of Turnera ulmifolia (a similar species with a similar chemical makeup to Turnera diffusa and Turnera aphrodisiaca) investigated the effects on MRSA (Multidrug resistant methicillin Staphylococcus aureus).

This study stated that “the results obtained indicate that Turnera ulmifolia — and broadly Turneraceae — could serve as a source of plant-derived natural products with antibiotic resistance-modifying activity to be used against multi-drug resistant bacteria as MRSA strains acquired from hospital and community” ^{4Reference 4Coutinho et al. · 2009Herbal therapy associated with antibiotic therapy: potentiation of the antibiotic activity against methicillin – resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Turnera ulmifolia LView study →}.

These findings are significant in a time where bacterial resistance to antibiotics is increasing at an alarming rate.

The overuse of antibiotics in hospital settings are likely a major cause of this adaptive resistance.

Amino-glycosides are potent antibacterial chemicals that attack the ribosomes of bacteria to destroy them.

Bacteria such as MRSA have developed efflux pumps to “pump” the antibiotic out of the cell, as well as the use of enzymes to inactivate this chemical from destroying the cell.

Turnera ulmifolia, and likely other members of the Turneracea family as well as other botanicals, work on eliminating this resistance by modifying and inactivating these efflux pumps ^{4Reference 4Coutinho et al. · 2009Herbal therapy associated with antibiotic therapy: potentiation of the antibiotic activity against methicillin – resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Turnera ulmifolia LView study →}. By incorporating what is being coined as “resistance modifying agents” (RMA) to antibiotic formulas, the effectiveness of known antibacterial agents will increase in resistant bacteria. Their use will also significantly lower the ability for bacteria to adapt and resist to these medications in the future.

More study is needed in determining the effectiveness of Turneraceae botanicals, as well as other possible RMAs to improve our ability to fight drug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA in a time where this is becoming a very serious global health issue.

Antifungal

Eugenol, one of the most well-known components of Turnera spp. Has been shown to produce a wide range of antimicrobial effects, including against fungi. It’s active against many wood-decaying fungi, plant pathogen fungi, and human pathogenic fungi as well. These actions have been reported to its ability to disrupt the cell walls of both fungi and bacteria ^{9Reference 9Wang C et al. · 2010Antifungal activity of eugenol against Botrytis cinereaView study →}.

Anxiolytic

Damiana has long been used with CNS disorders. Researchers out of India were able to extract and isolate the known anxiolytic compound apigenin from Turnera aphrodisiaca. These researchers suggested this constituent be the bioactive marker towards ensuring effectiveness with this botanical ^{6Reference 6Kumar et al. · 2008Estimation of apigenin, an anxiolytic constituent, in Turnera aphrodisiacaView study →}.

Damiana can also be smoked to achieve a tranquilizing and slightly euphoric sensation. Many use this herb in this way to manage low levels of stress/anxiety, or acute stress from a long day.

Aphrodisiac

Damiana has a long history of use as an aphrodisiac. It’s been shown to produce a significant improvement in the sexual function of impotent rats in a study done in Italy.

The study concluded that “[damiana] may act by increasing central noradrenergic and dopaminergic tone, and possibly (indirectly) oxytocinergic transmission” 1.

Other mechanisms include induced relaxation of the corpus cavernosum ^{11Reference 11Arletti et al. · 1999AnimalStimulating property of Turnera diffusa and Pfaffia paniculata extracts on the sexual behavior of male rats} and the suggested action that the volatile oil may irritate the urethral mucous membranes ^{10Reference 10Bone · 2003A clinical guide to blending liquid herbs: Herbal formulations for the individual patient}.

Phytochemistry

Damiana’s activity is carried by three groups of constituents. The leaves yield a volatile oil (up to ~1%) of at least 20 components, dominated by monoterpenes such as 1,8-cineole, alpha-pinene, and beta-pinene, alongside thymol and the sesquiterpenes alpha-copaene and gamma-cadinene ^{8,13Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinalsReference 13Godoi et al. · 2004Application of low-pressure gas chromatography–ion-trap mass spectrometry to the analysis of the essential oil of Turnera diffusa (Ward.) Urb}.

The leaves also carry flavonoids — the anxiolytic marker apigenin plus the weak aromatase inhibitors acacetin and pinocembrin, and luteolin — together with the hydroquinone glycoside arbutin, the species-characteristic amorphous bitter principle damianin, beta-sitosterol, tannins, and the cyanogenic glycoside tetraphyllin B ^{2,8Reference 2Avelino-Flores et al. · 2015Cytotoxic Activity of the Methanolic Extract of Turnera diffusa Willd on Breast Cancer CellsView study →Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

Constituent Summary

Figures are percent of dried leaf or share of the essential oil; oil composition and arbutin levels vary substantially with provenance and chemotype. Entries marked No Data are documented qualitatively only ^{2,8,13Reference 2Avelino-Flores et al. · 2015Cytotoxic Activity of the Methanolic Extract of Turnera diffusa Willd on Breast Cancer CellsView study →Reference 8Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinalsReference 13Godoi et al. · 2004Application of low-pressure gas chromatography–ion-trap mass spectrometry to the analysis of the essential oil of Turnera diffusa (Ward.) Urb}.

Clinical Applications

Damiana is useful as an anxiolytic for conditions involving stress, performance anxiety, overstimulation, SNS/PNS imbalance, pain, etc. It works mainly through GABA. It’s also useful for conditions involving sexual debility.

Other uses of damiana are for its ability to improve the efficacy of antibiotics, especially in the presence of hard to kill organisms like MRSA.

Synergy With Other Herbs & Nutrients

Eugenol has been found to be synergistic with antibiotics due to its effect on disrupting the cell walls of bacteria (especially gram-negative bacteria), and the efflux pumps located there ^{4Reference 4Coutinho et al. · 2009Herbal therapy associated with antibiotic therapy: potentiation of the antibiotic activity against methicillin – resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Turnera ulmifolia LView study →}.

Shows indications of being synergistic with other GABA inhibitors, or other anxiolytics such as passionflower or muira puama.

Damiana is also combined with herbs like kava for enhancing the euphoric effects, and with catuaba as a herbal anti-depressant combination.

References

1. Arletti, R., Benelli, A., Cavazzuti, E., Scarpetta, G., & Bertolini, A. (1999). Stimulating property of Turnera diffusa and Pfaffia paniculata extracts on the sexual behavior of male rats.Psychopharmacology, 143(1), 15-19. doi:10.1007/s002130050913
2. Avelino-Flores, M. D., Cruz-López, M. D., Jiménez-Montejo, F. E., & Reyes-Leyva, J. (2015). Cytotoxic Activity of the Methanolic Extract of Turnera diffusa Willd on Breast Cancer Cells. Journal of Medicinal Food, 18(3), 299-305. doi:10.1089/jmf.2013.0055
3. Balunas, M., & Kinghorn, A. (2010). Natural Compounds with Aromatase Inhibitory Activity: An Update. Planta Med, 76(11), 1087-1093. doi:10.1055/s-0030-1250169
4. Coutinho, H. D., Costa, J. G., Lima, E. O., Falcão-Silva, V. S., & Siqueira, J. P. (2009). Herbal therapy associated with antibiotic therapy: potentiation of the antibiotic activity against methicillin – resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Turnera ulmifolia L. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 9(1), 13. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-9-13
5. Darvishi, E., Omidi, M., Bushehri, A. A., Golshani, A., & Smith, M. L. (2013). The Antifungal Eugenol Perturbs Dual Aromatic and Branched-Chain Amino Acid Permeases in the Cytoplasmic Membrane of Yeast. PLoS ONE, 8(10), e76028. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0076028
6. Kumar, S., Madaan, R., & Sharma, A. (2008). Estimation of apigenin, an anxiolytic constituent, in Turnera aphrodisiaca. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 70(6), 847. doi:10.4103/0250-474x.49143
7. Lee, S. H., Moon, J. Y., Jung, S. J., Kang, J. G., Choi, S. P., & Jang, J. H. (2015). Eugenol Inhibits the GABAA Current in Trigeminal Ganglion Neurons. PLOS ONE, 10(1), e0117316. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117316
8. Taylor, L. (2005). The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals. Garden City Park, NY: Square One Publishers.
9. Wang C, Zhang J, Chen H, Fan Y, Shi Z. (2010). Antifungal activity of eugenol against Botrytis cinerea. Tropical Plant Pathology. 35. 3. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1982-56762010000300001
10. Bone, K. (2003). A clinical guide to blending liquid herbs: Herbal formulations for the individual patient. Edinburgh [u.a.: Churchill Livingstone.
11. Arletti, R., Benelli, A., Cavazzuti, E., Scarpetta, G., & Bertolini, A. (1999). Stimulating property of Turnera diffusa and Pfaffia paniculata extracts on the sexual behavior of male rats. Psychopharmacology, 143(1), 15-19.
12. Szewczyk, K., & Zidorn, C. (2014). Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and bioactivity of the genus Turnera (Passifloraceae) with a focus on damiana—Turnera diffusa. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 152(3), 424-443.
13. Godoi, A. F., Vilegas, W., Godoi, R. H., Van Vaeck, L., & Van Grieken, R. (2004). Application of low-pressure gas chromatography–ion-trap mass spectrometry to the analysis of the essential oil of Turnera diffusa (Ward.) Urb. Journal of Chromatography A, 1027(1-2), 127-130.