''Butea superba'' is a vining shrub in the legume family
Fabaceae
Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,[International Code of Nomen ...](_blank)
, native to India and mainland Southeast Asia. It is thought by locals to be an
aphrodisiac
An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases libido, sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior. These substances range from a variety of plants, spices, and foods to synthetic chemicals. Natural aphrodisiacs, such as ...
, among other effects.
Efficacy
Existing open trials have come to conflicting conclusions about the efficacy of butea, though they used completely different products at different doses and in different populations. No
placebo-controlled clinical studies exist so far to support aphrodisiac activity.
Actions
The tuberous roots of ''Butea superba'' were found to contain
flavonoid
Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans.
Chemically, flavonoids ...
s and flavonoid
glycoside
In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...
s as well as
sterol
A sterol is any organic compound with a Skeletal formula, skeleton closely related to Cholestanol, cholestan-3-ol. The simplest sterol is gonan-3-ol, which has a formula of , and is derived from that of gonane by replacement of a hydrogen atom on ...
compounds, including
β-sitosterol,
campesterol
Campesterol is a phytosterol whose chemical structure is similar to that of cholesterol, and is one of the ingredients for E number E499.
Natural occurrences
Many vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds contain campesterol, but in low concentrati ...
and
stigmasterol
Stigmasterol – a plant sterol (''phytosterol'') – is among the most abundant of plant sterols, having a major function to maintain the structure and physiology of cell membranes. In the European Union, it is a food additive listed with E nu ...
.
Safety
One study in rats found the application of high doses of dried plant material (200 mg/kg body weight) had a negative impact on several blood parameters and decreased
testosterone
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and androgen in Male, males. In humans, testosterone plays a key role in the development of Male reproductive system, male reproductive tissues such as testicles and prostate, as well as promoting se ...
.
See also
* ''
Pueraria mirifica
''Pueraria mirifica'', also known as กวาวเครือ Kwao Krua (among other names), is a plant found in northern and north eastern Thailand and Myanmar.
In Thailand, the plant is known as "Kwao Krua Kao", the 'Kao' meaning white whi ...
'' (white kwao krua)
References
Phaseoleae
Flora of Indo-China
Flora of India (region)
{{Phaseoleae-stub