Damiana (Turnera diffusa)
Damiana Information
Turnera diffusa is the botanical name of the plant more commonly known as damiana. The Turnera genus is made up of over 10 species, which are in turn part of the Turneraceae family. The Turneraceae family itself is made up of over 100 species and 10 genera.
The plant has also been referred to as Turnera aphrodisiac or Turnera diffusa var. aphrodisiaca. These references to aphrodisiac in the name, are based on the fact that Turnera diffusa has a long history of being used as an aphrodisiac.
When taken as a tea or smoked, the leaves are said to act upon the reproductive organs of both sexes. With men it is consumed to treat impotence, and with women it is consumed to treat frigidity. The leaves have also been used as a flavoring in liqueurs, a substitute for tea, and for other medical, recreational, or spiritual purposes.
Scientific Classification Of Turnera diffusa
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Turneraceae
Genus: Turnera
Species: Turnera diffusa
Turnera diffusa is thought to have originated in Central America. It can now be found growing wild in Central America, Mexico, South America, West Indies, and parts of the south-western USA. Plants require a hot climate and they can be found in their greatest concentrations in Baja California and Northern Mexico.
Turnera diffusa grows into a small perennial (lives more than two years) shrub that can reach a height of 3-6 feet tall. The leaves have an aroma similar to that of lemon. The stems are upright with small yellow flowers that produce sweet smelling fruit.
A drink made with damiana has been used in central Mexico for thousands of years as an aphrodisiac, and for centuries, the spiritual and mystical application of damiana have long been recorded in Central American folk lore.
The Mayan Indians utilized the leaves of the Turnera diffusa plant by making them into a drink and adding sugar to sweeten it. Then it was drunk for its power to enhance lovemaking. It was also consumed in some Latin American countries as a dietary supplement.
For medical purposes, in addition to being utilized as an aphrodisiac and for treating conditions related to the reproductive organs, Turnera diffusa has been used as an anti depressant, cough suppressant, diuretic, laxative, and as a tonic.
Other medical applications include being used to treat asthma, bronchitis, neurosis, and gastrointestinal problems such as dysentery. It can also relieve or reduce headaches.
In Germany, damiana is consumed mainly to relieve excess mental activity and other nervous disorders. In the UK, the application of damiana has been primarily focused on the sexual factors, but it has also been used to treat constipation, depression, and dyspepsia (disturbed digestion).
Damiana can provide antibacterial benefit when applied to the body or taken internally. Scientific testing has shown that damiana can be effective with certain weight loss treatments, and has been beneficial in reducing blood sugar.
How To Use Damiana (Turnera diffusa)
You can buy damiana from a supplier located here. They ship from the USA to most countries. Damiana is usually considered an assisting herb, helping other herbs to perform their purpose better. It is normally taken with other herbs, but can be taken alone.
The most common way of ingesting damiana as an aphrodisiac or for medical purposes is to make it into a tea and drink it. To make damiana tea, take 2 grams of dry plant material and crush it into a powder. Add the powder to some water and heat at sub-boiling temperatures for 15-30 minutes.
When ready, separate the plant material from the water with a strainer (or something that will do the same job), then drink the water. You can increase the amount of damiana up to 3 or 4 grams when making tea, but larger doses may cause headaches and/or stomach aches.
Instead of mixing damiana with other herbs, some people prefer to take damiana (by itself) in high dosages to experience a sense of euphoria. The recreational uses of damiana have been noted in cultures that routinely soak the leaves in warm water and drink it as a tea.
For maximum psychoactive effect, rather than ingest large amounts of damiana by itself, drink some damiana tea. After drinking the tea, wait for 30-60 minutes and smoke a mixture of 1/4 gram marijuana and 1/4 gram damiana. Most people feel a stronger marijuana stone with physically energetic effects.
Marijuana users that consume the substance daily may go through withdrawl when deprived of herb. Damiana tea can ease the discomfort of marijuana withdrawl for some people. The tea is especially good before bed, it can make falling asleep easier when marijuana isn't available.
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Information about almost every plant that has been used for medical, spiritual, or recreational purposes. Includes all the common and most of the less common plant drugs. This is the most thorough plant drug encyclopedia available at the present time. Contains four pages of Damiana (Turnera diffusa) info with several images.
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