Overview

Damiana is a wild shrub that grows in Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. The leaf and stem are used to make medicine.

People use damiana for a slight "high", as an aphrodisiac, to treat stomach complaints, and for other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its use.

How does it work ?

Damiana contains chemicals that may affect the brain and nervous system.

Damiana contains chemicals that may affect the brain and nervous system.

Uses & Effectiveness ?

Insufficient Evidence for

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of damiana for these uses.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Damiana is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in foods. Damiana is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. But there have been serious side effects when taken in very high doses. Convulsions and other symptoms similar to rabies or strychnine poisoning have been reported after taking 200 grams of damiana extract.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Damiana is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in foods. Damiana is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. But there have been serious side effects when taken in very high doses. Convulsions and other symptoms similar to rabies or strychnine poisoning have been reported after taking 200 grams of damiana extract.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if damiana is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Diabetes: Damiana might affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use damiana.

Surgery: Since damiana seems to affect blood glucose levels, there is a concern that it might interfere with blood glucose control during and after surgery. Stop using damiana at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions ?

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with DAMIANA

    Damiana might decrease blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking damiana along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.

    Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (Diabeta, Glynase PresTabs, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of damiana depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for damiana. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
© Therapeutic Research Faculty 2020.