Muira Puama

What Is Muira Puama?

Muira puama is a small Amazonian tree whose root and bark are a traditional Brazilian tonic, known as “potency wood”. It is taken, usually as an alcoholic extract, for low libido, fatigue, “nervous weakness” and the complaints of age ^{28Reference 28Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

Ptychopetalum olacoides grows in the Amazon forests of northern Brazil and the Guianas ^{30Reference 30GBIF Secretariat · 2026Ptychopetalum — accepted species and native ranges (World Checklist of Vascular Plants; Flora e Funga do Brasil; Catalogue of Life) — species database. https://www.gbif.org/species/7326449View study →}. Almost all of the supply is wild-collected ^{29Reference 29Useful Tropical Plants Database (n.d.)Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →}.

The bark is dominated by the alkaloids magnoflorine and menisperine ^{20Reference 20Tian et al. · 2018Qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical constituents of Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →}. Research, mostly from one Brazilian group, has looked at memory, mood and stress in rodents, where a standardised ethanol extract inhibits acetylcholinesterase in the brain ^{4,5Reference 4Siqueira et al. · 2003In vitroPtychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian “nerve tonic”, possesses anticholinesterase activity — in vitro / animal studyView study →Reference 5Figueiró et al. · 2010AnimalAcetylcholinesterase inhibition in cognition-relevant brain areas of mice treated with a nootropic Amazonian herbal (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →}. The human studies of libido and erectile function used combination products ^{15,16Reference 15Waynberg et al. · 2000Clinical trialEffects of Herbal vX on libido and sexual activity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women — open-label clinical study (combination product)View study →Reference 16Nguyen et al. · 2018Clinical trialSafety and efficacy of daily Revactin in men with erectile dysfunction: a 3-month pilot study — uncontrolled clinical trial (combination product)View study →}.

A close relative, P. uncinatum, is sold under the same name, and so has an unrelated tree, Liriosma ovata.

How Is Muira Puama Used?

Muira puama is taken as an alcoholic extract of the dried root or bark. Research has used an ethanol extract of the root ^{2,3Reference 2da Silva et al. · 2007Promnesic effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides in aversive and non-aversive learning paradigms — animal studyView study →Reference 3da Silva et al. · 2004AnimalMemory retrieval improvement by Ptychopetalum olacoides in young and aging mice — animal studyView study →}, and water infusions are the weaker traditional form ^{28Reference 28Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}. Powdered bark in capsules is also sold.

• Liquid extract (1:2) — 10–25 mL a week.
• Tincture (1:5) — dried bark or root in high-proof clear alcohol, taken with periodic breaks.
• Bark steeped in spirit — the Amazonian preparation, made with cachaça or wine and often combined with catuaba, taken before meals ^{28Reference 28Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

Traditional Uses

Traditional Amazonian Medicine

In the Amazon, muira puama has a long history as a tonic for many complaints, especially those of age. Traditionally almost every part of the plant was used, though practice narrowed over time to the bark and roots.

In the Rio Negro region of Brazil, native peoples used it for baldness, fatigue, muscular weakness and “sexual debility”, and for what was called nervous weakness: lassitude, low motivation, tremor and loss of libido ^{28Reference 28Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}. It was also used in recovery from stroke and to cope with physical and emotional stress.

The classic preparation is alcoholic. The crushed bark, often combined with catuaba, is infused in warm water or, more often, in spirit. Muira puama liquor, made with the sugar-cane spirit cachaça or steeped in wine as garrafadas, was taken daily before meals ^{28Reference 28Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

Indications

• Low libido [root and bark; Amazonian folk use] ⚠Caution: The only human studies used combination products, with ginkgo or with guaraná, ginger and L-citrulline, so the effect of muira puama alone is not known ^15,16.
• Erectile dysfunction [root and bark; Amazonian folk use]
• Fatigue and physical weakness [root and bark; Amazonian folk use]
• “Nervous weakness”: lassitude, low motivation and tremor [root; Amazonian folk use]
• Memory and age-related decline [root extract]
• Low mood and stress [root extract]
• Recovery after stroke [root; Amazonian folk use]
• Baldness [root; Amazonian folk use]

Botany

Muira puama is a small tree in the family Olacaceae, growing to around 5 m tall ^{29Reference 29Useful Tropical Plants Database (n.d.)Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →}. Its small white flowers have a fragrance like jasmine ^{29Reference 29Useful Tropical Plants Database (n.d.)Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →}.

Two species are sold as muira puama: Ptychopetalum olacoides and its close relative P. uncinatum, which can be used interchangeably ^{29,30Reference 29Useful Tropical Plants Database (n.d.)Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →Reference 30GBIF Secretariat · 2026Ptychopetalum — accepted species and native ranges (World Checklist of Vascular Plants; Flora e Funga do Brasil; Catalogue of Life) — species database. https://www.gbif.org/species/7326449View study →}. P. olacoides is the species used in most research.

An unrelated tree, Liriosma ovata, has also been sold as muira puama, so it is worth buying from a supplier who names the species.

Distribution

Muira puama grows in the Amazon forests of French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana and northern Brazil, where it is recorded from the states of Amazonas, Amapá and Pará ^{30Reference 30GBIF Secretariat · 2026Ptychopetalum — accepted species and native ranges (World Checklist of Vascular Plants; Flora e Funga do Brasil; Catalogue of Life) — species database. https://www.gbif.org/species/7326449View study →}. P. uncinatum is recorded from Pará and Amazonas ^{30Reference 30GBIF Secretariat · 2026Ptychopetalum — accepted species and native ranges (World Checklist of Vascular Plants; Flora e Funga do Brasil; Catalogue of Life) — species database. https://www.gbif.org/species/7326449View study →}.

Almost all muira puama is wild-collected ^{29Reference 29Useful Tropical Plants Database (n.d.)Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →}. The parts used are the root and bark, and taking the root generally kills the tree. The IUCN Red List assesses P. olacoides as Least Concern ^{31Reference 31IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (n.dPtychopetalum olacoides — assessed Least Concern — red list assessmentView study →}.

Because two species are sold under one name and other woods have been substituted, it is worth buying from a supplier who names the species and can say how the material was collected.

Growing Conditions

Cultivation snapshot for Muira Puama

Lifeevergreen treeSunshade - a forest understorey treeWaterwet lowland tropics; no dry seasonEaseno commercial cultivation exists

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Phytochemistry

The bark is dominated by two aporphine alkaloids, magnoflorine and menisperine, which made up about 76% of the compounds measured in a 2018 analysis ^{20Reference 20Tian et al. · 2018Qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical constituents of Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →}. The same analysis found luteolin, several methoxylated luteolins and phenolic acids, the highest at 1.04 mg/g ^{20Reference 20Tian et al. · 2018Qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical constituents of Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →}.

The root oil contains sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes, including beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene and the pinenes ^{27Reference 27Bucek et al. · 1987Volatile constituents of Ptychopetalum olacoides root oilView study →}. The bark and root also contain fatty-acid esters, chiefly of behenic acid, phytosterols such as beta-sitosterol, the triterpene lupeol, and an alkaloid named muirapuamine ^{28Reference 28Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

Clerodane diterpenoids isolated from the plant enhanced nerve growth factor–driven neurite growth in cell culture ^{21,22Reference 21Tang et al. · 2009In vitroNovel NGF-potentiating diterpenoids from a Brazilian medicinal plant, Ptychopetalum olacoides — in vitro studyView study →Reference 22Tang et al. · 2008In vitroClerodane diterpenoids with NGF-potentiating activity from Ptychopetalum olacoides — in vitro studyView study →}.

Studies of lupeol’s antioxidant and anticancer activity used lupeol from other plants and should be read separately from studies of muira puama.

Constituent Summary

Amounts come from a 2018 analysis of the bark ^{20Reference 20Tian et al. · 2018Qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical constituents of Ptychopetalum olacoides BenthView study →} and an older secondary compilation ^{28Reference 28Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}; the other constituents are reported without amounts.

Other reported plant chemicals include alpha-copaene, alpha-elemene, alpha-guaiene, alpha-muurolene, alpha-resinic acid, alpha-terpinene, allo-aromadendrene, beta-bisabolene, beta-resinic acid, beta-transfarnesene, borneol, camphene, car-3-ene, cerotic acid, cubebene, dotriacontanoic acid, elixene, ergosterol, eugenol, gamma-muurolene, hentriacontanoic acid, heptacosanoic acid, linalool, melissic acid, montanic acid, myrcene, nonacosanoic acid, para-cymene, pentacosanoic acid, phlobaphene, trichosanic acid and uncosanic acid ^{27,28Reference 27Bucek et al. · 1987Volatile constituents of Ptychopetalum olacoides root oilView study →Reference 28Taylor · 2005The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals}.

Pharmacology & Research

Muira puama has about two dozen primary studies, almost all in animals. Most come from one group at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, which tested a standardised ethanol extract (POEE) for memory, stress, mood and nerve protection in rodents ^{4,5Reference 4Siqueira et al. · 2003In vitroPtychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian “nerve tonic”, possesses anticholinesterase activity — in vitro / animal studyView study →Reference 5Figueiró et al. · 2010AnimalAcetylcholinesterase inhibition in cognition-relevant brain areas of mice treated with a nootropic Amazonian herbal (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →}.

The most consistent finding is inhibition of acetylcholinesterase in brain areas involved in memory, shown in vitro and after oral dosing in mice ^{4,5Reference 4Siqueira et al. · 2003In vitroPtychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian “nerve tonic”, possesses anticholinesterase activity — in vitro / animal studyView study →Reference 5Figueiró et al. · 2010AnimalAcetylcholinesterase inhibition in cognition-relevant brain areas of mice treated with a nootropic Amazonian herbal (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →}.

All the human studies used combination products: muira puama with ginkgo (“Herbal vX”), or blends with guaraná, ginger and L-citrulline (Catuama, COMP-4 and Revactin) ^{15,16,24Reference 15Waynberg et al. · 2000Clinical trialEffects of Herbal vX on libido and sexual activity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women — open-label clinical study (combination product)View study →Reference 16Nguyen et al. · 2018Clinical trialSafety and efficacy of daily Revactin in men with erectile dysfunction: a 3-month pilot study — uncontrolled clinical trial (combination product)View study →Reference 24Oliveira et al. · 2005Clinical trialClinical toxicology study of an herbal medicinal extract of Paullinia cupana, Trichilia catigua, Ptychopetalum olacoides and Zingiber officinale (Catuama) in healthy volunteers — clinical studyView study →}.

A survey of 24 Brazilian books found P. olacoides among four native plants with earlier studies on anti-stress, memory or performance effects, alongside guaraná, damiana and Heteropterys aphrodisiaca ^{23Reference 23Mendes et al. · 2007ReviewBrazilian plants as possible adaptogens: an ethnopharmacological survey of books edited in Brazil — review / surveyView study →}.

1. Nootropic & Memory

A standardised ethanol extract (POEE) improved memory in step-down inhibitory-avoidance and object-recognition tasks in both young and aged mice ^{2,3Reference 2da Silva et al. · 2007Promnesic effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides in aversive and non-aversive learning paradigms — animal studyView study →Reference 3da Silva et al. · 2004AnimalMemory retrieval improvement by Ptychopetalum olacoides in young and aging mice — animal studyView study →}. In the first study it improved memory retrieval without changing acquisition or consolidation ^{3Reference 3da Silva et al. · 2004AnimalMemory retrieval improvement by Ptychopetalum olacoides in young and aging mice — animal studyView study →}. Later work found effects on short-term memory as well, which were strengthened by a 5-HT2A serotonin antagonist ^{1,2Reference 1da Silva et al. · 2008Serotonin receptors contribute to the promnesic effects of P. olacoides (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →Reference 2da Silva et al. · 2007Promnesic effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides in aversive and non-aversive learning paradigms — animal studyView study →}.

POEE inhibited acetylcholinesterase in rat frontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum in vitro ^{4Reference 4Siqueira et al. · 2003In vitroPtychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian “nerve tonic”, possesses anticholinesterase activity — in vitro / animal studyView study →}. Given by mouth to mice, it inhibited the enzyme by about 33% in hippocampal area CA1 and by smaller amounts in CA3 and striatum, showing that the active compounds are absorbed and reach these brain areas ^{5Reference 5Figueiró et al. · 2010AnimalAcetylcholinesterase inhibition in cognition-relevant brain areas of mice treated with a nootropic Amazonian herbal (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →}.

Beta-adrenergic and dopamine D1 receptors are also involved ^{1Reference 1da Silva et al. · 2008Serotonin receptors contribute to the promnesic effects of P. olacoides (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →}.

All of this is rodent work. There is no human cognition study, and the molecule that inhibits acetylcholinesterase has not been isolated.

2. Antidepressant & Anti-Stress

POEE reduced immobility in the tail-suspension and forced-swim tests in mice. The effect depended on dopamine D1 and β-adrenergic receptors ^{7Reference 7Piato et al. · 2009AnimalAntidepressant profile of Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham (Marapuama) in mice — animal studyView study →}.

In the unpredictable chronic mild stress model, it prevented the decline in coat state and grooming, and it blocked the stress-induced rise in blood corticosterone, a marker of an overactive stress-hormone (HPA) axis ^{8Reference 8Piato et al. · 2008Effects of Marapuama in the chronic mild stress model: further indication of antidepressant properties — animal studyView study →}.

A separate study found POEE had no anxiety-reducing effect of its own but prevented stress-induced anxiety in the light/dark test. It also prevented stress-induced rises in blood sugar and delayed convulsions caused by lack of oxygen ^{9Reference 9Piato et al. · 2010AnimalAnti-stress effects of the “tonic” Ptychopetalum olacoides (Marapuama) in mice — animal studyView study →}.

An earlier study found that POEE at 30–300 mg/kg reduced exploration in the hole-board test, which the authors read as an anxiety-increasing effect ^{10Reference 10da Silva et al. · 2002Anxiogenic properties of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →}. The evidence is entirely from rodents, and there are no human mood or stress data.

3. Neuroprotective

In a mouse Alzheimer model made with β-amyloid (Aβ1-42), 14 days of oral POEE prevented memory impairment and reduced amyloid deposits, astrocyte activation and loss of CA1 hippocampal neurons ^{6Reference 6Figueiró et al. · 2011AnimalThe Amazonian herbal Marapuama attenuates cognitive impairment and neuroglial degeneration in a mouse Alzheimer model — animal studyView study →}.

In rat hippocampal slices deprived of oxygen and glucose, a model of stroke, POEE preserved cell viability and prevented the rise in free radicals ^{13Reference 13Siqueira et al. · 2004In vitroNeuroprotective effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham on oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced damage in rat hippocampal slices — in vitro studyView study →}.

Clerodane-type diterpenoids isolated from the plant enhanced nerve growth factor–driven neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells ^{21,22Reference 21Tang et al. · 2009In vitroNovel NGF-potentiating diterpenoids from a Brazilian medicinal plant, Ptychopetalum olacoides — in vitro studyView study →Reference 22Tang et al. · 2008In vitroClerodane diterpenoids with NGF-potentiating activity from Ptychopetalum olacoides — in vitro studyView study →}, and the extract has antioxidant activity in the brain ^{11Reference 11Siqueira et al. · 2007AnimalAntioxidant activities of Ptychopetalum olacoides (“muirapuama”) in mice brain — animal studyView study →}.

It is not known whether the diterpenoids act after oral dosing, and there are no human neuroprotection data.

4. Aphrodisiac

A study of the Catuama formula and each of its four plants found that a P. olacoides extract relaxed isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum, the erectile tissue, in a dose-dependent way. Guaraná was the most active of the four. The muira puama effect was not affected by blocking nitric oxide synthesis but was more than halved by blocking guanylate cyclase ^{14Reference 14Antunes et al. · 2001In vitroThe relaxation of isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum by the herbal medicine Catuama and its constituents — in vitro studyView study →}.

Every human dataset uses combination products. In a study of 202 women with low sex drive, 65% reported higher sexual-function scores after one month of “Herbal vX”, which combines muira puama with Ginkgo biloba. There was no control group ^{15Reference 15Waynberg et al. · 2000Clinical trialEffects of Herbal vX on libido and sexual activity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women — open-label clinical study (combination product)View study →}.

In an uncontrolled pilot study of Revactin in 54 men with erectile dysfunction, the daily dose was 500 mg of ginger, muira puama and guaraná with 1,600 mg of L-citrulline. About half of those who stayed on it reported better erectile function, and 16 remained at three months ^{16Reference 16Nguyen et al. · 2018Clinical trialSafety and efficacy of daily Revactin in men with erectile dysfunction: a 3-month pilot study — uncontrolled clinical trial (combination product)View study →}.

In rat penile smooth-muscle cells, the COMP-4 blend raised nitric oxide–cGMP signalling, and the blend had a stronger effect than any of its single ingredients ^{17Reference 17Ferrini et al. · 2018In vitroEffect of ginger, Paullinia cupana, muira puama and L-citrulline on the inducible nitric oxide–NO–cGMP pathway in rat penile smooth muscle cells — in vitro studyView study →}. COMP-4 also improved erectile recovery in a rat nerve-injury model ^{18Reference 18Crisostomo-Wynne et al. · 2024AnimalNutraceutical and low-energy shockwave treatments improved sexual function recovery in a rat pelvic neurovascular injury model — animal studyView study →}.

Gap: No placebo-controlled trial and no human data on muira puama alone. The effect cannot be separated from ginkgo, guaraná or citrulline in any human study.

5. Antioxidant

In aging mice, POEE reduced free-radical production in the hypothalamus and lipid peroxidation in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hypothalamus, and raised catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity ^{11Reference 11Siqueira et al. · 2007AnimalAntioxidant activities of Ptychopetalum olacoides (“muirapuama”) in mice brain — animal studyView study →}.

An in-vitro screen confirmed free-radical scavenging by the ethanol extract in a cell-based assay, though P. olacoides was not the strongest of the Amazonian plants tested ^{12Reference 12de Vargas et al. · 2016In vitroAntioxidant activity and peroxidase inhibition of Amazonian plants extracts traditionally used as anti-inflammatory — in vitro studyView study →}.

Older accounts credit lupeol with the antioxidant effect, but that rests on lupeol studied in other species. The compound behind the brain antioxidant effect has not been identified.

6. Antimicrobial

In a screen of Amazonian plants, a water extract of P. olacoides inhibited two gram-negative bacteria, Klebsiella ozaenae and Acinetobacter baumannii, with at least 40% of the activity of the ciprofloxacin control ^{19Reference 19Oliveira et al. · 2013In vitroAntimicrobial activity of Amazonian medicinal plants — in vitro studyView study →}.

This is one in-vitro study of a water extract, not the alcoholic extract the herb is usually taken as.

Mechanisms

The best-studied mechanism is inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, by the whole ethanol extract in brain areas involved in memory ^{4,5Reference 4Siqueira et al. · 2003In vitroPtychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian “nerve tonic”, possesses anticholinesterase activity — in vitro / animal studyView study →Reference 5Figueiró et al. · 2010AnimalAcetylcholinesterase inhibition in cognition-relevant brain areas of mice treated with a nootropic Amazonian herbal (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →}. The molecule responsible has not been identified. The antidepressant-like effects in mice depended on β-adrenergic and dopamine D1 receptors, and the extract blocked stress-induced rises in corticosterone ^{7,8Reference 7Piato et al. · 2009AnimalAntidepressant profile of Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham (Marapuama) in mice — animal studyView study →Reference 8Piato et al. · 2008Effects of Marapuama in the chronic mild stress model: further indication of antidepressant properties — animal studyView study →}.

Separately, clerodane diterpenoids from the plant enhance nerve growth factor activity in cell culture ^{21,22Reference 21Tang et al. · 2009In vitroNovel NGF-potentiating diterpenoids from a Brazilian medicinal plant, Ptychopetalum olacoides — in vitro studyView study →Reference 22Tang et al. · 2008In vitroClerodane diterpenoids with NGF-potentiating activity from Ptychopetalum olacoides — in vitro studyView study →}. The muira puama extract relaxed erectile tissue through guanylate cyclase rather than nitric oxide ^{14Reference 14Antunes et al. · 2001In vitroThe relaxation of isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum by the herbal medicine Catuama and its constituents — in vitro studyView study →}.

Clinical Trials

No trial has tested muira puama on its own. The two registered trials (NCT05595915, completed; NCT07469475, active) study COMP-4, a supplement of ginger, L-citrulline, guaraná and muira puama, for blood-vessel and blood-clotting markers. The published human studies are all of similar combination products.

Last checked: July 2026.

Dosage

There is no standard human dose for muira puama. The research doses below are rodent doses in mg/kg or combination products, and are not recommendations.

Traditional Dosage

Traditional use is of the root or bark as an alcoholic extract.

Safety & Pregnancy

Muira puama has no documented serious toxicity. Its interactions have not been studied, and one animal study found an anxiety-increasing effect.

Full Safety & Interactions Detail

Toxicity. In healthy volunteers, Catuama, a formula containing P. olacoides, taken at 25 mL twice daily for 28 days caused no severe adverse reactions and no changes in blood counts or blood chemistry. This was a combination product, not the herb alone ^{24Reference 24Oliveira et al. · 2005Clinical trialClinical toxicology study of an herbal medicinal extract of Paullinia cupana, Trichilia catigua, Ptychopetalum olacoides and Zingiber officinale (Catuama) in healthy volunteers — clinical studyView study →}.

A review of herbal sexual enhancers found that most, including P. olacoides, appeared safe at therapeutic doses, though adverse effects can occur with overdose or unstandardised products ^{25Reference 25Brunetti et al. · 2020ReviewPharmacology of herbal sexual enhancers: a review of psychiatric and neurological adverse effects — reviewView study →}.

Anxiety. In mice, the ethanol extract at 30–300 mg/kg reduced exploratory behaviour, which the authors read as an anxiety-increasing effect ^{10Reference 10da Silva et al. · 2002Anxiogenic properties of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. (Marapuama) — animal studyView study →}.

Interactions. No interaction study exists. The same review noted that interactions with herbal sexual enhancers are a concern because they are often combined with other herbs and medicines ^{25Reference 25Brunetti et al. · 2020ReviewPharmacology of herbal sexual enhancers: a review of psychiatric and neurological adverse effects — reviewView study →}. Traditional guidance also advises avoiding large amounts of caffeine alongside it.

Sourcing. The unrelated Liriosma ovata has been sold under the name muira puama, so buying from a supplier who names the species is part of using it safely.

References

1. da Silva, A. L., Ferreira, J. G., da Silva Martins, B., et al. (2008). Serotonin receptors contribute to the promnesic effects of P. olacoides (Marapuama) — animal study. Physiology & Behavior. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18561960/
2. da Silva, A. L., Piato, A. L., Ferreira, J. G., et al. (2007). Promnesic effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides in aversive and non-aversive learning paradigms — animal study. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17023132/
3. da Silva, A. L., Piato, A. L., Bardini, S., et al. (2004). Memory retrieval improvement by Ptychopetalum olacoides in young and aging mice — animal study. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15507336/
4. Siqueira, I. R., Fochesatto, C., da Silva, A. L., et al. (2003). Ptychopetalum olacoides, a traditional Amazonian “nerve tonic”, possesses anticholinesterase activity — in vitro / animal study. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12895682/
5. Figueiró, M., Ilha, J., Pochmann, D., et al. (2010). Acetylcholinesterase inhibition in cognition-relevant brain areas of mice treated with a nootropic Amazonian herbal (Marapuama) — animal study. Phytomedicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20833520/
6. Figueiró, M., Ilha, J., Linck, V. M., et al. (2011). The Amazonian herbal Marapuama attenuates cognitive impairment and neuroglial degeneration in a mouse Alzheimer model — animal study. Phytomedicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20739160/
7. Piato, Â. L., Rizon, L. P., Martins, B. S., et al. (2009). Antidepressant profile of Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham (Marapuama) in mice — animal study. Phytotherapy Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19067380/
8. Piato, A. L., Detanico, B. C., Jesus, J. F., et al. (2008). Effects of Marapuama in the chronic mild stress model: further indication of antidepressant properties — animal study. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18513902/
9. Piato, A. L., Detanico, B. C., Linck, V. M., et al. (2010). Anti-stress effects of the “tonic” Ptychopetalum olacoides (Marapuama) in mice — animal study. Phytomedicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19682881/
10. da Silva, A. L., Bardini, S., Nunes, D. S., & Elisabetsky, E. (2002). Anxiogenic properties of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. (Marapuama) — animal study. Phytotherapy Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12164265/
11. Siqueira, I. R., Fochesatto, C., Torres, I. L. S., et al. (2007). Antioxidant activities of Ptychopetalum olacoides (“muirapuama”) in mice brain — animal study. Phytomedicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17433649/
12. de Vargas, F. S., Almeida, P. D., de Boleti, A. P., et al. (2016). Antioxidant activity and peroxidase inhibition of Amazonian plants extracts traditionally used as anti-inflammatory — in vitro study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26921197/
13. Siqueira, I. R., Cimarosti, H., Fochesatto, C., et al. (2004). Neuroprotective effects of Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham on oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced damage in rat hippocampal slices — in vitro study. Life Sciences. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15302233/
14. Antunes, E., Gordo, W. M., De Oliveira, J. F., et al. (2001). The relaxation of isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum by the herbal medicine Catuama and its constituents — in vitro study. Phytotherapy Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11507734/
15. Waynberg, J., & Brewer, S. (2000). Effects of Herbal vX on libido and sexual activity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women — open-label clinical study (combination product). Advances in Therapy. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11186145/
16. Nguyen, S., Rajfer, J., & Shaheen, M. (2018). Safety and efficacy of daily Revactin in men with erectile dysfunction: a 3-month pilot study — uncontrolled clinical trial (combination product). Translational Andrology and Urology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29732286/
17. Ferrini, M. G., Garcia, E., Abraham, A., et al. (2018). Effect of ginger, Paullinia cupana, muira puama and L-citrulline on the inducible nitric oxide–NO–cGMP pathway in rat penile smooth muscle cells — in vitro study. Nitric Oxide. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29551532/
18. Crisostomo-Wynne, T. C., Hertz, A. M., Ferrini, M. G., et al. (2024). Nutraceutical and low-energy shockwave treatments improved sexual function recovery in a rat pelvic neurovascular injury model — animal study. Sexual Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39845379/
19. Oliveira, A. A., Segovia, J. F., Sousa, V. Y., et al. (2013). Antimicrobial activity of Amazonian medicinal plants — in vitro study. SpringerPlus. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23961431/
20. Tian, X., Guo, S., He, K., et al. (2018). Qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical constituents of Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. Natural Product Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28750557/
21. Tang, W., Kubo, M., Harada, K., et al. (2009). Novel NGF-potentiating diterpenoids from a Brazilian medicinal plant, Ptychopetalum olacoides — in vitro study. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19095451/
22. Tang, W., Hioki, H., Harada, K., et al. (2008). Clerodane diterpenoids with NGF-potentiating activity from Ptychopetalum olacoides — in vitro study. Journal of Natural Products. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18821798/
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24. Oliveira, C. H., Moraes, M. E., Moraes, M. O., et al. (2005). Clinical toxicology study of an herbal medicinal extract of Paullinia cupana, Trichilia catigua, Ptychopetalum olacoides and Zingiber officinale (Catuama) in healthy volunteers — clinical study. Phytotherapy Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15798997/
25. Brunetti, P., Lo Faro, A. F., Tini, A., et al. (2020). Pharmacology of herbal sexual enhancers: a review of psychiatric and neurological adverse effects — review. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33066617/
26. Pontieri, V., Neto, A. S., de França Camargo, A. F., et al. (2007). The herbal drug Catuama reverts and prevents ventricular fibrillation in the isolated rabbit heart — animal study. Journal of Electrocardiology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17888942/
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28. Taylor, L. (2005). The healing power of rainforest herbs: A guide to understanding and using herbal medicinals. Square One Publishers (muira puama entry) — secondary compilation, not primary evidence.
29. Useful Tropical Plants Database (n.d.). Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth. — habit, height, flowers, range and cultivation status — plant database. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Ptychopetalum+olacoides
30. GBIF Secretariat (2026). Ptychopetalum — accepted species and native ranges (World Checklist of Vascular Plants; Flora e Funga do Brasil; Catalogue of Life) — species database. https://www.gbif.org/species/7326449
31. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (n.d.). Ptychopetalum olacoides — assessed Least Concern — red list assessment. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/174408412/179304598

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