| Turnera diffusa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Turnera diffusa var.aphrodisiaca | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Passifloraceae |
| Genus: | Turnera |
| Species: | T. diffusa |
| Binomial name | |
| Turnera diffusa | |
| Varieties[2] | |
T. d. var.aphrodisiaca(G.H.Ward)Urb. | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
List
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Turnera diffusa, known asdamiana,[4] is ashrub native to southernTexas in the United States,[5] Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. It belongs to the familyPassifloraceae.[2]
Damiana is a relatively small, woody shrub that produces small, aromatic flowers. It blossoms in early to late summer, followed by fruits that taste similar to figs. The shrub is said to have a strong spice-like odor somewhat likechamomile, due to the aromatic compounds present in the plant.[6]
Damiana is traditionally used inMexicanliqueurs andmargaritas, historically featured in 19th-centurypatent medicines as an allegedaphrodisiac, and today is valued inherbal teas andsmoking blends for itscalming and mildpsychoactive effects. It contains a complex mix ofphytochemicals—includingflavonoids likeapigenin andacacetin,terpenoids,phenolics, cyanogenicglycosides, and others. It serves as ahost plant for the Mexican fritillary (Euptoieta hegesia), abutterfly.
Manyplants andseeds sold asT. diffusa are actuallyTurnera ulmifolia (“false damiana”), a differentspecies with differentchemical properties and uses, and this misidentification mostly happens inhorticultural sales, not inherbal product markets.
Damiana is an ingredient in a traditionalMexicanliqueur, which is sometimes used in lieu oftriple sec inmargaritas. Mexican folklore claims that it was used in the "original" margarita. The damiana margarita is popular in theLos Cabos region of Mexico.[7][8]
Damiana was included in several 19th-centurypatent medicines, such asPemberton's French Wine Coca. The leaves were omitted from that product's non-alcoholic counterpart,Coca-Cola.[9] In folklore, the plant was believed to be an aphrodisiac, hence its sometimes used binomial synonym,Turnera aphrodisiaca.
Beyond its historical use in drinks, Damiana continues to be a valued herb for its ability to induce relaxation and improve emotional well-being. It is commonly found in modern herbal teas and smoking blends, where it is used for its calming, mild psychoactive effects.[10]
Damiana contains damianin; tetraphyllin B; gonzalitosin I;arbutin; tricosan-2-one;acacetin;p-cymene;β-sitosterol;1,8-cineole;apigenin;[11]α-pinene;β-carotene;β-pinene;tannins;thymol;[12] andhexacosanol. In total, 22flavonoids,maltolglucoside,phenolics, sevencyanogenic glycosides,monoterpenoids,sesquiterpenoids,triterpenoids, the polyterpene ficaprenol-11,fatty acids, andcaffeine have been found in the genusTurnera.[13] As of 2006, damiana's constituents have not been identified for their effects attributed to the whole herb.[14]
T. diffusa is a host plant for the Mexican fritillary (Euptoieta hegesia), a butterfly.[15]
Viable plant and seed material sold asT. diffusa from both private and commercial sources largely turns out to be misidentifiedTurnera ulmifolia (a.k.a. "False Damiana"), a closely related species. This widespread issue has been noted by the scientific community, and has created much confusion among both amateur and professional horticulturists alike.[16][17] Mature stems ofT. diffusa are woody, with small, grayed green leaves 13 to 16 mm long, 4.5 to 5.5 mm wide, obtuse at the apex, and strongly aromatic when crushed.[18]T. ulmifolia is differentiated by herbaceous stems, larger blue-green leaves that are strongly dentate with a pointed apex, and only weakly aromatic.[19][20][21] One scientific study however, demonstrated this confusion being mostly associated with horticultural commerce, and does not extend appreciably to commercial herbal products, most of which exhibit constituents that can be definitively traced toT. diffusa.[22]
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