Damiana (Turnera diffusa): properties and safety in light of research

Damiana (Turnera diffusa) is considered one of the most highly regarded herbal aphrodisiacs. However, its reputation is stronger than the evidence. The largest trial in women with a mixture containing damiana involved 186 individuals after cancer treatment and after 12 weeks showed no difference compared to placebo in sexual functions (Greven et al., Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology, 2015). Anxiolytic effects have only been described in mice and rats. From this text, you will learn what was measured in the laboratory and what in humans. We also explain why the new measurement found no caffeine in damiana and with which medications to exercise caution. Finally, we describe what is known about smoking and vaporizing this herb. Where research is lacking, we state it directly.

KEY INFORMATION
• In a trial of 186 women, the mixture with damiana did not differ from placebo in sexual functions (Greven et al., 2015).
• NMR measurement did not detect caffeine in damiana (Pauli et al., 2026).
• Anxiolytic effects have only been described in mice and rats.
• In vitro, the leaf extract strongly inhibited CYP3A4, the enzyme that metabolizes drugs.

What is damiana and what does it contain?

Damiana is Turnera diffusa from the Passifloraceae family, one of about six species of the genus Turnera used in traditional medicine. A review from 2014 counts 135 recognized species in the genus and names damiana as one of the most highly regarded herbal aphrodisiacs (Szewczyk and Zidorn, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2014).

The same review lists several traditional uses of the genus, from cough to skin diseases, also as an expectorant or laxative.

The composition is better described than the effects. The 2014 review lists among others 22 flavonoids, 7 cyanogenic glycosides, and caffeine in the genus, but these data are for the entire genus. From damiana itself, 35 compounds have been isolated, including flavonoids and cyanogenic derivatives (Zhao et al., Journal of Natural Products, 2007). Caffeine is described separately below.

According to the authors of the review, most described effects have only been verified in chemical tests, on cells, or in animals. With a few exceptions, they cannot yet be attributed to a specific compound. An exception is apigenin, which in animal experiments has been indicated as a pain-relieving component of damiana.

The herbs from the store’s offer can be found in the herbs category.

Does damiana contain caffeine?

The latest measurement says no. Pauli’s team examined the above-ground parts and seeds of damiana with confirmed identity using NMR. They did not detect caffeine at a detection limit below 4 nM, which is below 4 µg per daily serving of damiana (Pauli et al., Planta Medica, 2026). We only know this work from the abstract.

An older work provided something different. In 2009, Estrada-Reyes’s team described an HPLC-ESI-MS analysis of the aqueous extract of damiana. They listed caffeine, arbutin, and flavonoids as the main compounds (Estrada-Reyes et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2009). We also know this work only from the abstract. It does not provide the concentration of caffeine.

These two results are contradictory. We rely on the 2026 work because it is a measurement planned for caffeine, with a stated detection limit. So where did caffeine come from in the literature about damiana? The authors write that claims about it mainly arise from erroneous or convoluted citations.

Does damiana stimulate at all? In mice, the aqueous extract did not change activity in tests designed to detect stimulating effects (Dorantes-Barron et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2019). None of the studies cited in this text also measured concentration or memory in humans. If you are interested in this topic, read the text about bacopa monnieri for memory and concentration.

Does damiana act as an aphrodisiac?

In rats, it changed sexual behaviors, but the evidence in humans is weak. In a 2009 study, an aqueous extract of damiana at a dose of 80 mg/kg increased the percentage of sexually exhausted males who completed an ejaculatory series and started another. Yohimbine at a dose of 2 mg/kg, a comparative drug, had a similar effect (Estrada-Reyes et al., 2009).

A liquid extract of damiana at doses of 0.25-1 ml/kg did not change copulatory behaviors in active rats but improved them in animals with low sexual activity. It did not increase the activity of the rats (Arletti et al., Psychopharmacology, 1999).

In 2013, a team from Mexico checked the mechanism. In rats with low sexual activity, the extract at a dose of 10 mg/kg and sildenafil at the same dose mainly shortened the time to ejaculation. A nitric oxide synthase inhibitor abolished this effect, so the authors link it to the nitric oxide pathway, mainly at the central level (Estrada-Reyes et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2013).

What does this mean for humans? Not much, as all these doses pertain to rats and cannot be directly transferred to humans. We do not provide doses for humans, as the European Medicines Agency has not established them.

What have trials with mixtures containing damiana shown?

The results are ambiguous and almost always pertain to mixtures. In the largest trial in women, 186 individuals after cancer treatment were randomly assigned for 12 weeks to a mixture containing among others damiana, ginseng, ginkgo, and L-arginine or to placebo. There was no difference between the groups in any of the assessed areas of sexual function (Greven et al., 2015).

This same trial showed a better overall quality of life result in the group with the mixture. In an earlier 4-week trial of this mixture on 77 women, 73.5% of the group with the mixture reported improvement in sexual life satisfaction compared to 37.2% of the placebo group (Ito et al., Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 2001).

In a second such trial, on 108 women with lack of desire, improvement over placebo was reported at every stage of menopause (Ito et al., 2006). An observation of 29 postmenopausal women who took a mixture of 4 plants with damiana for 2 months showed an increase in the FSFI questionnaire score from 20.15 to 25.03 points. This study did not have a control group (Palacios et al., BMC Women’s Health, 2019). None of these trials can isolate the contribution of damiana itself.

We write about cannabis and intimate life in the text CBD and sex.

Has anyone studied damiana itself in humans?

Yes, but only in an observation without a control group. A review from 2023 describes a German observational study of a preparation with damiana in 35 women with sexual interest and arousal disorder. The FSFI questionnaire score increased, and the score on the sex-related stress scale decreased (Parra-Naranjo et al., Pharmaceuticals, 2023).

The original from 2021 (Rotmann et al.) is not in PubMed, so we only know it from the review. Without a control group, it is impossible to separate the effect of the preparation from the expectations of the participants. We did not find a randomized trial with damiana alone. The studies of preparations with damiana in humans are summarized in a table.

Among the placebo trials in women, the largest, with 186 participants over 12 weeks, showed no difference in sexual functions. Positive results were given by two 4-week trials of the same mixture and two observations without a control group. The 2023 review also describes a 12-week trial of another mixture in men with erectile dysfunction, with a questionnaire result better than with placebo (Shah et al., 2012). In each of these placebo trials, damiana was only one of the ingredients, so none shows the effect of damiana alone.

Does damiana help with stress and anxiety?

In the works we collected, data on anxiolytic effects come only from animals. In mice in the elevated plus-maze test, the methanol extract at a dose of 25 mg/kg acted anxiolytically. The reference point was the control group and diazepam at a dose of 2 mg/kg (Kumar and Sharma, Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy, 2005). The work uses the name Turnera aphrodisiaca.

In rats, the aqueous extract at a dose of 10 mg/kg acted anxiolytically in the burying test and did not change activity assessed in an open field (Estrada-Reyes et al., 2013). In mice, the aqueous extract acted anxiolytically and antidepressively (Dorantes-Barron et al., 2019).

These results are less independent than they seem. The 2013 and 2019 works, as well as the 2009 work on the sexual behaviors of rats, came from the same Mexican National Institute of Psychiatry laboratory. Among the works we collected on damiana extracts and anxiety, only one, from India, was produced elsewhere, and under a different species name. None measured anxiety in humans.

Is apigenin responsible for this? It is unknown. Apigenin from chamomile has been linked to the benzodiazepine receptor and acted anxiolytically in mice without sedation (Viola et al., Planta Medica, 1995). This study is about chamomile apigenin, not damiana extract. We write about the plant described as an adaptogen for stress in the text about tulsi, or holy basil.

Does damiana interact with medications?

In vitro studies indicate this, but we did not find interaction studies in humans. In a screening of 123 plant extracts, the leaf extract of damiana strongly inhibited CYP3A4 and mildly CYP1A2, enzymes that metabolize drugs (Husain et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2023).

The 2023 review provides an IC50 value of about 6 µg/ml for CYP3A4. This concentration is in a laboratory vessel, not in the blood. What does this mean? The result justifies caution with drugs broken down by this enzyme, but does not prove interactions in the body. We also did not find a study showing that arbutin from damiana enhances the effect of warfarin.

The flavone from damiana, 7-methyl ether of acacetin, inhibited MAO-B in vitro at an IC50 of 198 nM and was over 500 times more selective for MAO-B than for MAO-A (Chaurasiya et al., Molecules, 2019). This flavone occurs in many plants and vegetables. It is unknown how much is in the leaf or whether it reaches the brain. However, with medications acting on the nervous system, this is a reason to talk to your doctor.

The 2014 review also mentions the antidiabetic effects of the genus. Teuhetenone A from damiana injected intraperitoneally into mice with normal glycemia at doses of 1 and 5 mg/kg lowered glucose by 40% (Parra-Naranjo et al., 2023). So if you are taking blood sugar-lowering medications, ask your doctor. A broader summary can be found in the table of which herbs should not be combined.

Is damiana safe?

This is unknown, as there is no official assessment. The European Medicines Agency has not issued a monograph on damiana: in the list of plant substances evaluated by the EMA, downloaded on September 16, 2026, there is no entry with the name Turnera or damiana (EMA, medicine data download). Therefore, there are no EU recommendations regarding doses or contraindications.

In Poland, damiana does not appear in the list of psychotropic substances, narcotics, and new psychoactive substances (t.j. Dz.U. 2024 poz. 1139), also after changes in 2025 and 2026. In the Register of Medicinal Products on September 16, 2026, we did not find a product with damiana.

Aqueous extract from leaves given to mice for 28 days at doses up to 1000 mg/kg did not show signs of toxicity, and at the highest dose, mild congestion of liver vessels was described. A water-alcohol extract injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 2 g/kg killed 6 out of 10 animals, while given orally at a dose of 5 g/kg showed no symptoms (Parra-Naranjo et al., 2023).

In the mixture trial from 2001, no significant adverse effects were reported, and in the trial from 2015, they were similar to those of placebo. A review of adverse effects of herbal aphrodisiacs found no psychiatric or neurological reports for damiana (Brunetti et al., Pharmaceuticals, 2020). Is this good news? With such poorly studied plants, the lack of reports does not prove safety.

In the genus Turnera, 7 cyanogenic glycosides have been described, and cyanogenic derivatives have been isolated from damiana. We did not find a measurement of how much hydrogen cyanide is released by the leaf or infusion. Plants from this genus have also been traditionally used as abortifacients, and we found no data on the safety of damiana during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Therefore, do not use it during this time.

Can damiana be smoked instead of tobacco?

Damiana is included in smoking mixtures, but we did not find a measurement of the composition of its smoke. A review of herbal cigarettes lists it among 6 plants that are main ingredients of such products (Abdel Rahman et al., ACS Omega, 2022). The same review advises against smoking damiana, but does not base this on measurements.

Has anyone checked this? We searched PubMed on September 16, 2026. A query linking the names of damiana with terms describing smoking, burning, or vaporization yielded 2 results. None measured the composition of the smoke or the effects of smoking damiana. Therefore, we do not know what is produced when burning the leaf or whether the flavone inhibiting MAO-B remains in the smoke.

There are measurements of smoke from other plants. In a laboratory test, a herbal cigarette made from mugwort did not yield detectable nicotine but produced 12.3 mg of carbon monoxide per piece. A tobacco cigarette with the same declared content of tar substances yielded 6.1 mg, while a more tarry reference cigarette yielded 12.5 mg (Bak et al., Toxicological Research, 2015). Replacing tobacco with herbs removes nicotine but does not remove smoke. We advise against smoking anything for pregnant or breastfeeding individuals or those suffering from asthma.

A separate risk is what damiana has been mixed with. In 62 “Spice” type mixtures from the illegal market in Japan, damiana DNA was often detected. Most of the detected species differed from those listed on the labels, and the authors suspect that the plants served mainly as carriers for synthetic psychoactive substances (Ogata et al., Forensic Science International, 2013). Do not smoke mixtures with damiana without a complete composition and known origin.

If you are wondering what to smoke instead of tobacco, we describe herbs from mixtures and plants that should not be added to them in a separate text. Damiana itself does not change the legal status of a joint: cannabis with a total delta-9-THC and THCA content above 0.3% is a narcotic in Poland (art. 4 pkt 37, t.j. Dz.U. 2023 poz. 1939 ze zm.).

Can damiana be vaporized?

Products with damiana are sometimes advertised for vaporizers, but we did not find a study on the effects of such use. An American team bought 18 products from 8 plants recommended for e-cigarettes (Peace et al., Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 2020). The advertisement claimed that most people use them in vaporizers. No psychoactive compounds were detected in products with damiana, and the health effects were not studied.

We do not provide the vaporization temperatures of damiana, as we did not find a measurement that would justify it. We have gathered ranges for several other herbs in the herb vaporization guide, but these are values from device instructions, not from measurements.

In individuals using cannabis, vaporization was associated with fewer respiratory symptoms than smoking. In a survey of 6,883 individuals, vaporizing had an odds ratio of respiratory symptoms of 0.40 compared to smoking, although only 152 individuals vaporized (Earleywine and Barnwell, Harm Reduction Journal, 2007). We did not find a similar comparison for damiana. Temperature-controlled devices can be found in the vaporizers category. It is still inhaling hot aerosol, so vaporization is not neutral for the lungs.

What does this mean in practice?

Damiana has a stronger reputation than evidence. Changes in sexual behaviors and anxiolytic effects have been measured in rats and mice. In women, the largest trial of a mixture with damiana, involving 186 individuals, showed no difference compared to placebo in sexual functions (Greven et al., 2015). Other trials of mixtures yielded positive results, but the contribution of damiana cannot be isolated in them. The only found study of damiana itself in humans did not have a control group. The latest measurement found no caffeine in damiana.

Signals from the test tube concern the enzymes CYP3A4 and MAO-B. They do not prove interactions in the body, but they do not exclude them either. If you are taking medications regularly, especially those acting on the nervous system or lowering blood sugar, ask your doctor before reaching for damiana. Do not use it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Do not smoke mixtures without a complete composition and known origin. When purchasing dried herbs or extracts, check the label for the species name Turnera diffusa and the full composition. If the decrease in desire persists, tell your doctor about it. None of the described studies prove that damiana alone affects it, and the cause may require diagnosis.

Frequently asked questions

Does damiana contain caffeine?

According to the latest measurement, no. In the NMR analysis of the above-ground parts and seeds of damiana with confirmed identity, caffeine was not detected at a detection limit below 4 µg per daily serving (Pauli et al., Planta Medica, 2026). An older study from 2009 mentioned caffeine in the aqueous extract. We only know both from abstracts.

Does damiana act as an aphrodisiac in humans?

For damiana itself, this has not been demonstrated. In a study of 186 women after cancer treatment, the mixture with damiana did not differ from placebo in sexual functions (Greven et al., 2015). In a trial of another mixture in men with erectile dysfunction, the questionnaire result was better than with placebo (Shah et al., 2012). The only found study of damiana itself did not have a control group.

Does damiana help with stress and anxiety?

Anxiolytic effects have only been described in animals. In mice, a methanol extract acted at a dose of 25 mg/kg (Kumar and Sharma, 2005), and in rats, an aqueous extract at a dose of 10 mg/kg (Estrada-Reyes et al., 2013). In the studies we collected, there is no measurement of anxiety in humans.

What medications should not be combined with damiana?

We did not find interaction studies in humans. In vitro, the leaf extract strongly inhibited the CYP3A4 enzyme that metabolizes drugs (Husain et al., 2023), and the flavone from damiana inhibited MAO-B at IC50 198 nM (Chaurasiya et al., 2019). If you are taking medications for the nervous system or lowering blood sugar, ask your doctor.

What is the vaporization temperature of damiana?

We do not provide it, as we did not find a measurement. A query in PubMed on September 16, 2026, linking damiana with terms about smoking or vaporization yielded 2 results. None studied the composition of the vapor or health effects. It is also unknown whether the flavone inhibiting MAO-B in vitro passes into the vapor.

Is damiana legal in Poland?

It is not a narcotic: it does not appear in the list of psychotropic substances and narcotics (t.j. Dz.U. 2024 poz. 1139), also after changes in 2025 and 2026. In the Register of Medicinal Products, we did not find a product with damiana, and the European Medicines Agency does not have its monograph.

This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Before starting supplementation, consult your doctor, especially if you are taking medications regularly, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have chronic illnesses.

Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-05-29 · Updated: 2026-09-17