Turner sprawling ( lat. Turnera diffusa ), or Damiana , - a shrub up to 60 cm tall from the Turner family of the Turner family, common in Mexico , in Central and South America , in the Caribbean islands .
| Turner sprawling | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Turner sprawling (damiana) | ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Latin name | ||||||||||||||
| Turnera diffusa Willd. ex Schult. ( 1820 ) |
Synonym: Turnera aphrodisiaca .
In the literature, the plant is also called the turner sprawling .
Content
Chemical Composition
The plant contains arbutin , damianin, sugar , tar , tannins , chlorophyll , essential oils , bitterness . The leaves contain 0.2–0.9% essential oil, 6% solid brown gum, 8% soft gum, 3.5% tannin and 6% starch . The plant stems contain caffeine . Initially, the plant was suspected of having ephedrine in it, but repeated chemical analysis determined that this alkaloid was absent in the plant.
Use
Since ancient times, the plant is known as an aphrodisiac [2] and a psychoactive agent used by the Aztecs to restore sexual activity.
Maya Indians used damiana for the treatment of asthma , lung diseases, dizziness and maintaining overall tone . Hydroquinone arbutin and damianin contained in the leaves have a stimulating effect on intestinal motility and urinary tract.
The leaves of the plant are used for the preparation of certain drugs, as well as for flavoring liqueurs . Damiana, as a tonic component, is part of the energy drink Revo , and is also used as part of some modern dietary supplements . Damiana is the basis of the Mexican liqueur of the same name, which is often used in Mexico (primarily in Los Cabos ) instead of triple sec liqueur in a margarita cocktail; it is argued that the original margarita recipe was based precisely on the “Damiana” liqueur. [3] [4]
History
The grass and flowers of the plant have long been used by the Maya and other inhabitants of Mexico in medicine and as an aphrodisiac . In 1699, missionary Juan Maria de Salvierra first described the use of the plant by North American Indians and its aphrodisiac properties. The first botanical description of damiana belongs to the Austrian botanist Joseph Schultes (1820). The plant has been used in American and Mexican pharmaceuticals since the 19th century, imported to Europe in 1880 .
As an aphrodisiac, Damiana was used as a part of love compositions in Voodoo magic. In Afro-Caribbean cults, this plant was dedicated to the goddess of love, Erzuli . In the magical tradition of the Macai Indians, the roots of one of the varieties of damiana were used to improve the sound of flutes .
The inventor of Coca-Cola, Dr. John Stith Pemberton, shortly before the introduction of Prohibition, created the tonic drink “french wine coca”. In addition to extracts from coca and cola nuts, the drink contained wine and damiana extract (see the article Wine Mariani ) ..
Notes
- ↑ globos. Damiana - Turnera diffusa, Turnera ulmifolia seed pictures .
- ↑ Ritchason, J. 1995, "The Little Herb Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition" p.70
- ↑ Damiana Liqueur at Damiana.net
- ↑ Perry, Charles . The unexpected thrill , Los Angeles Times (June 20, 2007).
Literature
- Trifonov V.I. Family Turner (Turneraceae). // Plant Life. In 6 t. V. 5. Part 2. Flowering plants / Ed. A.L. Tahtajyan . - M .: Education, 1981. - p. 50.
Links
- Turner sprawling (English) : information on the site GRIN .