Herba de la pastora, Mexican damiana, Old woman's broom

Damiana is a traditional aphrodisiac of the Mayan people in Central America. Damiana continues to be considered valuable as an aphrodisiac and general tonic, and its stimulant, tonic action also makes it a valuable remedy for people with mild depression. Damiana has a strongly aromatic, slightly bitter taste, and the leaves are used in Mexico as a substitute for tea and as a flavoring for liqueurs.

Damiana leaves, drunk in the form of a tea or smoked like tobacco, produced a relaxed state in the user and a kind of subtle high with sexual overtones, somewhat reminiscent of the effects of marijuana. The medication is supposed to be especially effective in women. Damiana liqueurs, produced in Mexico and subtly advertised as aphrodisiacs, contain only minute quantities of the medication. The amount is sufficient, however, to give these beverages a distinctive flavor.

Chemical studies have shown that damiana contains between 0.2 and 0.9 percent of a complex volatile oil which is responsible for most of the characteristic odor and taste of the medication. In addition, quantities of a resin, a bitter principle, tannin, mucilage, starch, etc., are present. The reported presence of caffeine requires verifying. No constituent responsible for claims of damiana as an aphrodisiac has ever been identified. On the basis of available evidence, we must conclude that the medication lacks significant physiological activity and that no basis exists for its consumption by human beings. Indeed, the purported virtue of the product has been described as nothing more than an "herbal hoax.