Damiana  Family Name: TurneraFamily Name: Turneraceae Latin Name:   Turnera diffusa, aphrodisiaca            (Also Known As):  Turnera microphylla, T. asiatica Common/Native Names: Damiana, damiane, oreganillo, the bourrique, Mexican damiana, Mexican holly, damiana de Guerrero, yerba del pastor, agüita de damiana, pastorcita(1)(3)(4) Related Species: Haplopappus disoideas, Chrysactinia mexicana (15) 

 Body System Affiliations: 1.  Nervous 2.  Reproductive3.  Urinary4.  Hormonal5.  Digestive

 Botanical Description:            Habit: small perennial shrub                 Size:  60 cm high            Arrangement: AlternateLeaves: serrated with curved margins, 1-2.5 cm long, 6 mm wide, smooth, pale green on upper surface, glabrous with a few scattered hairs on underneath ribs, ovate-lanceolate, short-petioled, 2 ribs at base            Flowers: small, yellow, solitary and axillaryFruit: small fruit, sweet smell, fig like flavor, globular, many-seeded capsule, which breaks up into 3 parts, aromatic and resinous            (14)(15) 

 Ecology:Habitat: Means the kind of conditions the plant likes, for example, moist forestunderstory; disturbed sites; wetlands, etc.Range: Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, southern Africa, southern U.S. (15)Native Where: Mexico, South and Central America, West Indies (13)

 Western (European-American) Uses/Relationships: Food:  approved by FDA for food use and flavoring, made into a liquor thru out Mexico, liquor can be used in place of any other sweet liquor in dessert recipes (6)(10) Medicine: Part Used: aerial parts and leaves (1) Medicinal Actions: antidepressant, mild laxative and diuretic, reputed aphrodisiac, stimulant, testosterogenic, tonic, antispasmodic, antiseptic, tonic, emmenagogue, anti-anxiety, aperient, astringent, bitter, diuretic, expectorant, hormonal, nervine (1)(4) Indications:  amaurosis, common cold, diabetes, dysentery, dysmenorrhea, dyspepsia, enuresis, headache, hormonal imbalance, infection, liver ailments, nervous depression, nervous disorders, pain, poor appetite, stomach ache  (5) Body System Associations: Nervous, Reproductive, Urinary, Hormonal, Digestive Constituents: arbutin (up to 7%), volatile oil (including 10% delta-cadinene and 4% thymol), cyanogenic glycoside (tetraphyllin), resins (7%), gums, tannins (4%) (4) Applications: infusion, tincture, smoke, capsules (5)(6) Preparation: infusion:  1 tsp. damiana per 1 cup water.(11) Pharmacy: infusion:  1 cup three times a day; tincture:  1–3 ml is taken two or three times a day; capsule or tablet:  3–8 g twice a day (1)(6)

Other:  reputed magical qualities:  fire element, masculine, of the planets mars and venus, powers of lust, love, visions, mineral association quartz, Wicca (a spirit recipe) 3 Tsp. Wormwood, 2 Tsp. Lavender, 1 Tsp. Dog Grass, 1 Tsp. Damiana, 1 Tsp. Hemp; APHRODISIAC TEA
Mexican daiana leaves, Saw palmetto berries
Powder and mix in equal parts. Take 1 to 2 tsp. a day, in water, or wine  (2)(3)(9)(13)

Cautions: minor laxative affect, may produce mild sense of euphoria if taken in large quanities, long term use may be toxic to liver, not recommended if you have gastrointestinal or kidney disorders,  (3)(5)

 Indigenous and Non-Western Use/Significance/Relationships:              Medicine:                        Indigenous Group: Northern MexicoPart Used: leaves                         Indications: nervous and muscular debilityPreparation: tea Medicine:                        Indigenous Group: Latin AmericaPart Used:  leaves                        Indications: bed wetting                        Preparation: tea                        Medicine:                        Indigenous Group: Central AmericaPart Used:  leaves                        Indications: poor sex drive                        Preparation: tea                        (11) Medicine:                        Indigenous Group:  West IndiesPart Used:  leaves                        Applications:  discharge placenta after child birth (8)

 Propagation:            Technique:  seeds and cuttings

 Harvest:

  Personal Experience:Food:  made brownies replacing water with a Damiana infusion.            Medicine:Part Used:  leaves                        Desired Medicinal Actions: help regulate hormones                        Targeted Indications: hormonal balance                        Procurement:                                    Source  Radiance                                    Condition Dried                                    Cost $22/lb                        Application/Preparation/Pharmacy:                                    Applications Infusion                                    Preparation 1 tsp Damiana leaves soaked in 1 cup boiling waterPharmacy 1 cup in the morning upon rising before eating                                    Reason/Purpose help in regulating hormonesExperience I tend to skip periods regularly.  My period, which had been late, began the three days after taking the herb without many of the painful PMS symptoms I usually experience.  Felt a little sluggish the first few days, but then began to have more energy than usual thru out the day.Cautions based on experience:  It did mess with my blood sugar levels.  The first few days I felt like I did when I was very hypoglycemic.  I then started to eat small meals often and the feeling went away while still taking the Damiana infusion.

  References Cited:  Taylor, Leslie The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs  2005.  Online at http://www.rain-tree.com/damiana.htm [1]  Visited 2-11-20071.      http://www.toadhollowbeads.com/THHerbsCh-E.htm [2]  Visited 2-12-20072.      http://www.heartofthedragon.net/Damiana.htm [3]  Visited 2-12-20073.      http://www.innvista.com/health/herbs/damiana.htm [4]  Visited 2-10-20074.      http://www.holisticopia.com/herbage/files/H1458.htm [5]  Visited 2-12-20075.      Davidson, Trish Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, 2005 http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/damiana [6]  Visited 2-12-20076.      Duke JA. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs 1985, http://www.personalhealthzone.com/herbal_medicine/side_effects/damiana_side_effects.html [7]  Visited 2-12-20077.      http://www.springboard4health.com/notebook/herbs_damiana.html [8]  Visited 2-12-20078.      http://members.fortunecity.com/aspellortwo/ml-rec1.html [9]  Visited 2-13-20079.      http://lomexicano.com/ [10]  Visited 2-13-2007.  Info given in e-mail.10.  Antol, Marie Nadine Healing Teas. Garden City Park, New York, Avery Publishing Group, 199611.  http://www.planetbotanic.ca/fact_sheets/damiana_fs.htm [11]  Visited 2-13-200712.  http://www.southwoodnursery.com/herbs.html [12]  Visited 2-13-200713.  http://www.msnusers.com/TheWiccanHerbalist/herbalrecipesandformulas.msnw [13]  Visited 2-10-200714.  http://www.rain-tree.com/damiana.htm [14]  Visited 2-13-200715.  PDR of Herbal Medicines, June 2006 pNA16.  http://www.textfiles.com/drugs/growhalu.txt [15]  Visited 2-13-2007 

Alisa McDuff    -   Healing Gardens   -   Winter   -  2007