Damiana
Turnera diffusa
An aromatic shrub of Central America whose leaves have been infused as a tea in Mexican and Caribbean practice for centuries.
- Common name
- Damiana
- Scientific name
- Turnera diffusa
- Family
- Passifloraceae
- Plant part
- Leaf
- Native region
- Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean
- Traditional systems
- Western Herbalism
Botanical classification
A small shrub of the Passifloraceae with serrated aromatic leaves, harvested at flowering.
Origin & traditional use
Recorded in Mesoamerican use and later in nineteenth-century eclectic American herbals, most often as a simple leaf infusion.
Modern scientific perspective
The leaf contains volatile oils and flavonoids. The research literature is small and largely preclinical.
Evidence snapshot
Traditional use well documented. Research literature limited.
Proposed mechanisms
Flavonoid and volatile oil activity are the usual lines of enquiry.
- Antioxidant capacityAssessed in laboratory assays for free-radical scavenging.
Key active constituents
- Apigenin
- Volatile oils
- Arbutin
Safety & considerations
Traditionally taken as a mild infusion.
- Contraindications
- Limited data in those with liver conditions.
- Drug interactions
- Not well characterised.
- Pregnancy
- Avoid.
- Breastfeeding
- Avoid.
- Pregnancy and nursing. Not intended for use during pregnancy or while nursing. Speak with your healthcare provider.
References
- 01 Dietary Supplement Label Database. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, 2024 — Government ResourceSource
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.