Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 1

Muira puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides), also known as "potency wood," is a plant native to the Amazon rainforest that has a long history of traditional use in Brazilian herbal medicine. Traditionally, muira puama has been used as a tonic for improving sexual function, as well as for fatigue, stress, and mild nervous conditions. Its use for anxiety disorders specifically is primarily based on anecdotal and traditional reports rather than robust scientific evidence. In folk medicine, it has been described as a mild nervine—an agent that calms the nerves—but this is not well-defined or substantiated in modern clinical terms. Scientific investigation into muira puama's effects on anxiety is limited and mostly restricted to animal studies. Some preclinical research suggests that certain extracts may have mild anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) effects in rodents, but these findings have not been clearly replicated or validated in human clinical trials. No high-quality, large-scale human studies have directly established its efficacy or safety for anxiety disorders. Therefore, while muira puama is sometimes used in traditional medicine as a calming or adaptogenic herb, the evidence supporting its use for treating anxiety disorders is very weak. Its application for this purpose remains primarily traditional and should be considered with caution until more rigorous scientific research is available.

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