Scientific name
Corynanthe yohimbe
Family
Rubiaceae
Origin
Africa (Forests of Gabon, Cameroon, Congo)
Parts Used
The "plant drug" consists of the dried bark of the trunks and / or branches.It has been used for over 70 years in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, before the advent of PDE-5 inhibitors such as sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Cialis).
Chemical constituents
- Contains 0.3-1.5% of total alkaloids, the main of which is the yohimbine which is due to the effect.
Yohimbe in Herbalist: Properties of Yohimbe
The alkaloids present in the plant are responsible for blocking the alpha-adrenergic receptors, therefore in addition to the aphrodisiac action, yohimbine seems to have hypotensive power and is in any case a vagolytic similar to atropine, with local anesthetic properties similar to those of cocaine.
Yohimbine is the only natural drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of impotence and can only be administered by prescription (dry extract titrated in yohimbine, 5 mg of yohimbine three times a day).
The active dosage is 0.5-10 g / day for the plant drug, while for the active ingredient, yohimbine chloride, it corresponds to 5.4 mg 3 times a day.
