Yohimbe.

Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 15:25:30 +0100
Sender: HERB.TREARNPC.EGE.EDU.TR
From: Paul Iannone <pi2.LOOP.COM>
Subject: Re: Yohimbine

>Is anyone familiar with Yohimbine (Corynanthe yohimbe) an African evergreen plant (The plant is yohimbe. Yohimbine is an active constituent extracted from it. -Henriette). John Heinerman states that it is has clinically verified aphrodisiac effects and used in treating people who are overweight. If you have used this herb: Did you use it alone or mixed with other herbs? In what form is it sold? What were the effects, if any, you experienced? Where can this be purchased on a wholesale level?

A dangerous herb---more like a drug. Hot, imbalancing...generally speaking, bad medicine unless a well-developed diagnosis points to its use.

From: Jack van Luik <jackv.PACIFIER.COM>

> Is anyone familiar with Yohimbine (Corynanthe yohimbe) an African

I've taken it for a short while, found that it made me very irritable, and never finished the (very expensive) bottle.

From: Howie Brounstein <howieb.TELEPORT.COM>

>A dangerous herb---more like a drug. Hot, imbalancing...generally speaking, bad medicine unless a well-developed diagnosis points to its use.

I agree completely with Paul. Yohimbe is a powerful herb, more like a drug, that should only be used for specific reasons that do not include muscle building, increased sexual prowess, or increased immune system. It should not be taken daily without the advice of a reputable health practioner. Long term use is questionable, and its complex actions on the body warrant extreme caution when mixing with other herbs and drugs.

I am sorry to see it so available on the herb market, particularly because it is becoming so popular in the health clubs and body building arenas. When I look at the herb shelf in my local health food store, I feel that Yohimbe is one of the more dangerous herbs available on the shelf. Unfortunately, the sorry state of the herb consumer in the USA suggests that if this herb becomes too popular, we will see many folks taking large doses of it inappropriately. If this happens, I believe more people will be hurt than those hurt by MaHuang, Comfrey, and Chapparal combined.

I am not saying that the herb doesn't make penises hard, it can. But I do not generally consider it to be a healing herb. It's for folks looking for an erection or pychic pyrotechnics without concern for the health of their bodies.

Generally speaking, of course.

From: Howie Brounstein <howieb.TELEPORT.COM>

>What harm does it do to you if you take it long term? My hubby is seeing a doctor but seems to be on a long-term usage of it and this concerns me from what I've read here.

This stuff is from Michael Moore's Herbal/Medical Contraindications, available free on the net at
http://www.swsbm.com/ManualsMM/MansMM.html
You can use the "find" on your text or acrobat reader. If you don't understand the words (parasympa what?), the search for it in his herbal glossary available at the same URL.

Using Moore's resources along woth other databases on my homepage you can get alot of information.

Certainly not for pregnancy, and he lists it contraindicated for: (Michaels stuff)
PREGNANCY: UTERINE VASODILATORS
PREGNANCY: OVERT DRUG PLANTS (and compounds)
Corynanthe (Pausinystalia Johimbe, Yohimbe) Yohimbine AND some reserpine relatives..an indole stew

NEUROENDOCRINE: SYMPATHOMIMETICS
NEUROENDOCRINE: PARASYMPATHOMIMETICS
NEUROENDOCRINE: VASOPRESSOMIMETIC

In other words, it mimics vassopressin, which in not for people with vascular diseases, especially deseases of the coronory arteries.

NEUROENDOCRINE: THYROID STIMULATING
NEUROENDOCRINE: FLAVIN-MAO-INHIBITING

This can cause interactions and effects from other drugs and even foods that were safe without the MAO inhibitor.

METABOLIC: HYPO-HYPERGLYCEMIC (REACTIVE)

How's your husband's blood sugar balance?

CVS: TACHYCARDIC
CVS: HYPERTENSIVE POTENTIAL

How's your husband's heart?

HERBS LACKING ANY SOCIALLY REDEEMING VALUE (at least as herbal medicines)
Corynanthe (Pausinystalia Johimbe, Yohimbe) An especially pernicious herb with simultaneous sympathetic AND parasympathetic actions. It will mimic vasopressin and can irritate the kidneys; it increases pelvic blood supply and can aggravate reproductive, GU, and descending colon irritations; it can irritate arterial endothelium and contribute to or cause vasculitis. Lousy for the prostate, it CAN trigger a few and relatively useless erections, followed by rebound re-flaccidity.

Hope this is a bit more specific.