A Yang Tonic herb from South America which has a renowned reputation for moving energy to the genita l area and is enhanced by the tonifying effect of the primary formula. It is warm and enters the Kidney channel. Catuaba is considered a central nervous system stimulant with aphrodisiac properties and used for sexual impotency, agitation, nervousness, poor memory, and sexual weakness and lowered libido in both men and women. It is employed for many types of nervous conditions including insomnia, hypochondria, and pain related to the central nervous system. Clinical studies on Catuaba have found very interesting results involving its antibacterial and antiviral properties.
The name catuaba is used for the infusions of the bark of a number of trees native to Brazil. The most widely used barks are derived from the trees Trichilia catigua and Erythroxylum vacciniifolium. Other catuaba preparations use the bark of trees from the following genera or families : Anemopaegma, Ilex, Micropholis, Phyllanthus, Secondatia, Tetragastris and species from the Myrtaceae.