Catuaba

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.

It is often claimed that catuaba is derived from the tree Erythroxylum catuaba, but this tree has been only described once, (in 1904), and it is not known today to what tree this name referred. The name E. catuaba is therefore not a recognised species (Kletter et al; 2004).

Local synonyms are Chuchuhuasha, Tatuaba, Pau de Reposta, Piratancara and Caramuru. A commercial liquid preparation, Catuama, contains multiple ingredients, one of these being catuaba from Trichilia catigua.

An infusion of the bark is used in traditional Brazilian medicine as an aphrodisiac and central nervous system stimulant. These claims have not been confirmed in scientific studies, but a journalist for the Discovery Channel claims that "reports in scientific journals and at conferences have supported [catuaba's] use for sexual enhancement. In catuaba, a group of three alkaloids dubbed catuabine A, B and C are believed to enhance sexual function by stimulating the nervous system"

A study by Manabe et al. (1992) showed that catuaba extracts from Trichilia catigua were useful in preventing potentially lethal bacterial infections and HIV infection in mice.

Catuaba bark and preparations are sold as aphrodisiacs and remedies for erectile dysfunction in health food stores and through online retailers.