Herbs & Botanicals · Brazilian tonic bark

Catuaba

Q: What is catuaba?

Catuaba is the bark of certain Brazilian trees, used as a folk tonic and aphrodisiac. The tree with the most research is Trichilia catigua, but other trees are sold under the same name. Products are made as dried bark, tea, capsules, tinctures and mixes.

Q: Which tree is catuaba?

Sources disagree because the name is shared. Most research uses Trichilia catigua (Meliaceae). Erythroxylum vaccinifolium and Erythroxylum catuaba (Erythroxylaceae) and Anemopaegma species (Bignoniaceae) are also sold as catuaba. In a 2004 test of 14 products, only a minority held the bark on the label and half held tropane alkaloids typical of the Erythroxylum bark.

Q: Is catuaba the same as Catuama?

No. Catuaba is a bark. Catuama is a marketed Brazilian mix of guarana, catuaba, muira puama and ginger. The only human trial found tested Catuama, so it cannot be credited to catuaba alone.

Q: Is catuaba the same as muira puama?

No. Muira puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides) is a different Amazonian tree. The two are sold together in some products and are often compared; see our muira puama page.

Q: Does catuaba work as an aphrodisiac?

Not shown. It is a traditional aphrodisiac, but no human trial of catuaba for sexual function was found, a test on rabbit erection tissue showed no effect, and a 2024 review says more research is needed.

Q: Can catuaba help low mood or depression?

Unknown in people. A bark extract and the Catuama mix made mice and rats more active in swimming tests and changed dopamine and serotonin handling in rat brain tissue. No human mood trial of catuaba exists, so it should not replace treatment.

Q: Is there any human research on catuaba?

Very little. We found one randomized trial (72 people with burning mouth syndrome, using the four-herb Catuama mix) and one 28-day safety study of the same mix in healthy volunteers. Everything else is in animals and test tubes.

Q: Does it work for cold sores or herpes?

Only lab and mouse results exist. Bark extracts killed herpes viruses in cells, and experimental creams worked about as well as acyclovir in infected mice. No cold-sore trial in people was found.

Q: Does catuaba affect blood pressure or heart rate?

Not measured in people in anything we found. In rabbit hearts kept alive in a dish, Catuama and the bark extract slowed conduction through the ventricles. If you take blood-pressure or heart-rhythm medicines or have a rhythm problem, ask a pharmacist before using it.

Q: Can it be taken with antidepressants?

Ask first. In test tubes the bark blocks MAO-A, and in rat brain tissue it affects serotonin and dopamine. These are targets of antidepressants such as SSRIs, SNRIs and MAO inhibitors. No interaction case was found; the concern is a theory.

Trichilia catigua · also called Catigua, catuaba bark, big catuaba

Catuaba is a bark from Brazilian trees, used in folk medicine as a tonic and aphrodisiac. Nearly all the research is in animals and test tubes, and no human trial of catuaba alone was found. The one controlled human trial tested a four-herb mix for burning mouth syndrome. The key cautions are that products may hold the wrong tree, and that safety in pregnancy and with antidepressants is unknown.

General information, not medical advice. Last substantive update October 25, 2026 · Not medically reviewed. A named clinician has not signed off on this page. How this page is made

About Catuaba

Catuaba is a Brazilian bark sold as a tonic and aphrodisiac. The research is mostly in rodents and test tubes, with almost no human trials. The most useful practical points are about identity (several different trees are sold as catuaba) and about pregnancy, antidepressants and heart medicines, where data are thin.

What it is

Catuaba is a name shared by several Brazilian trees. Most research used Trichilia catigua (family Meliaceae), the bark of which is rich in cinchonains and other flavan-3-ols. Other barks sold as catuaba, such as Erythroxylum vaccinifolium, hold tropane alkaloids instead.

It is not Catuama, a branded mix of guarana, catuaba, muira puama and ginger. It is also not muira puama, which is a separate tree. Each study on this page says which preparation was used.

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How it may work

In rat brain tissue, the bark extract blocked uptake and raised release of dopamine and serotonin. In test tubes, the water extract blocked human MAO-A and acetylcholinesterase, and the main compounds were antioxidant. In isolated rabbit hearts, Catuama slowed conduction. All of this is lab or animal work; none of it is shown in people.

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What the research shows

Human evidence is limited to two papers on the Catuama mix: a randomized trial in 72 people with burning mouth syndrome that favoured Catuama (low certainty), and a 28-day safety study in healthy volunteers with no severe reactions. For mood, memory, tiredness, herpes, sexual function and the heart there are only animal and lab results, and a rabbit-tissue test of the bark showed no erection effect.

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At a glance

Traditional uses history, not proof

Bark used in Brazilian folk medicine as a tonic and sexual stimulant
Also for tiredness, stress and memory (study abstracts)

Studied for research

Burning mouth syndrome (four-herb Catuama mix, one trial), low
Mood, memory, tiredness (rodent tests), insufficient
Herpes (cells and mice), insufficient

Main compounds

Cinchonain Ib (CID 10456516) and cinchonain Ia (CID 442675), flavan-3-ols
Procyanidins (group)
Tropane alkaloids such as catuabine D, in some other catuaba barks

Common forms

Dried bark, tea or tincture
Capsules
Extracts used in the lab
Combination mixes such as Catuama

Research links: Teixeira 2024: Brazilian aphrodisiac plants, review (PubMed) · Kletter 2004: identity and purity of catuaba products (PubMed) · Spanemberg 2012: Catuama for burning mouth syndrome, trial (PubMed) · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library

The plant and its history

Accepted scientific name: Trichilia catigua A.Juss.
Naming authority: A.Juss.
Common names: Catuaba (Portuguese/English); Catigua (Portuguese); Big catuaba (Bernardo 2018) (English)
Botanical family: Meliaceae (mahogany family)
Classification: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Sapindales > Meliaceae > Trichilia > Trichilia catigua
Native range: Brazil (WebMD and the 2024 review describe catuaba trees as native to Brazil); detailed range not read.
Habitat: Not covered in the sources read.
What the plant looks like: Roots: Not described in sources read.; Stems: Bark is the medicinal part.; Leaves: Not described in sources read.; Flowers: Not described in sources read.; Fruit: Not described in sources read.; Seeds: Not described in sources read.
Cultivation: Not covered in the sources read.
Harvest and processing: Not covered; extracts in studies used different solvents (hexane, chloroform, ethanol-water, water, ethyl acetate).
Look-alikes and adulterants: Name: Erythroxylum vaccinifolium Mart. (spelled vacciniifolium in most papers); Note: Family Erythroxylaceae; GBIF ACCEPTED. Its bark also sold as catuaba and contains tropane alkaloids (Zanolari 2003; Kletter 2004).; Name: Erythroxylum catuaba A.J.Silva ex Raym.-Hamet; Note: GBIF ACCEPTED, family Erythroxylaceae; named as a catuaba source by WebMD.; Name: Anemopaegma mirandum (Cham.) Mart. ex DC.; Note: Family Bignoniaceae; GBIF lists it as a synonym of Anemopaegma arvense. A cell study used a commercial extract of it (Valverde 2008); it is not T. catigua.; Name: 'Tabebuia catuaba'; Note: Named by the requester; GBIF matched only the genus Tabebuia, so we found no species by that name. Not verified.; Name: Muira puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides); Note: A different Amazonian tree; it is a separate ingredient of the Catuama mix. See our muira puama page.
Sustainability and conservation: Not covered in the sources read.

Traditional use and history history, not clinical proof

Tradition or era	Documented use	Source
Brazilian folk medicine	Used as a tonic and sexual stimulant; also for fatigue, stress, impotence and memory deficit (Martins 2018 and Teixeira 2024 abstracts). The 2024 review notes many species are called catuaba.	p37437795
Wikipedia and older ethnobotany	Not read; any claim about indigenous (Tupi) origin of the name is NOT verified here.	s-webmd-catuaba

Traditional use shows how a plant was used. It does not show that a supplement works or is safe today.

What is inside, and how it may work

What the plant contains and how those compounds act in cells and animals. Laboratory and animal mechanisms are not proven effects in people.

Main compounds

Compound	Family	Where it is concentrated	Activity studied	Level of evidence
Cinchonain Ib PubChem 10456516	Phenylpropanoid-substituted flavan-3-ol (flavalignan)	Bark	Main constituent of T. catigua extracts; antioxidant in the test tube. ^{12 17}	Lab
Cinchonain Ia PubChem 442675	Phenylpropanoid-substituted flavan-3-ol (flavalignan)	Bark	Main constituent of T. catigua extracts; antioxidant in the test tube. ^{12 17}	Lab
Procyanidins	Flavan-3-ol oligomers	Bark	Found only in the hydroalcoholic extract in one analysis; group name, so no single PubChem ID. ¹²	Lab
Catuabine D (and its hydroxymethyl derivative)	Tropane alkaloid	Bark of some catuaba products (Erythroxylum type) Found in 50% of 14 commercial samples	No CID found by name. Not shown to have an effect in rabbit tissue tests. ^{11 20}	Lab

Mechanisms, receptors and pathways

Target or pathway	Gene or receptor	What was found	Level
Serotonin and dopamine uptake and release	Monoamine transporters (not specified in the abstract)	Extract blocked uptake and raised release of serotonin and especially dopamine in rat brain preparations; Catuama also blocked noradrenaline uptake. ^{6 5}	Lab
MAO-A and acetylcholinesterase	MAO-A (human); acetylcholinesterase	Bark water extract blocked human MAO-A and acetylcholinesterase in dishes; hydroalcoholic extract blocked acetylcholinesterase. ^{4 12}	Lab
Oxidative stress and inflammation after ischemia	Protein carbonyls, myeloperoxidase	Fraction reduced both markers in ischemic rat brain. ¹⁰	Animal research
Keap1-Nrf2 and sex-hormone making	Nrf2, Keap1, SOD2, SOD3, CYP11A1, 3beta-HSD, 5alpha-R, AR	Extract reversed DEHP-induced changes in these genes in mice. ⁷	Animal research
Herpes virus particles and attachment	Not specified	Virucidal effect and blocked adsorption in cells; synergy with acyclovir for two fractions. ^{9 15}	Lab
Heart conduction	Ventricular conduction, monophasic action potential	Prolonged conduction and a longer plateau in isolated rabbit hearts. ¹⁴	Animal research

Absorption, metabolism and elimination

Absorption: Not found in the sources read.
Distribution: Not found.
Metabolism: Not found.
Elimination: Not found.
Bioavailability: Not found; no blood-level study of catuaba compounds in people or animals was read.

Isolated compounds versus whole extracts

Most research uses lab-made extracts (hydroalcoholic, water, ethyl-acetate fractions) and a four-herb mix (Catuama). Neither bark powder, tea nor a catuaba-only capsule has been tested in people. Results from one preparation do not carry over to another, and 'catuaba' on a label may be a different tree.

Nutritional composition

Catuaba bark is not a food source of vitamins or minerals; the sources read give no nutrient values.

9benefits and uses looked at

20studies and sources checked

Low certaintybest evidence rating found

6lab markers tracked in trials

1 low certainty8 not enough evidence

What is Catuaba good for?

The studied uses and how strong the human evidence is for each. Almost every row rests on animal or test-tube work, and the one human trial tested a mix, not catuaba alone.

Benefits, one by one

Each card is a research question, not a promise. Tap a goal to filter. Open a card to see the studies, doses and limits.

Low mood (animal forced-swim tests; no human trial)

Not enough evidence

In mice and rats, a hydroalcoholic bark extract and the Catuama mix cut the time animals spent giving up in swimming tests, which is how drugs for low mood are screened. In brain-tissue tests the extract blocked the uptake and raised the release of dopamine and serotonin. No human has been tested for mood with catuaba, so this is a lead, not a benefit.

3 studiesHydroalcoholic bark extract (Campos 2005) or the marketed four-herb C…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Campos 2005 (mice and rats): one oral dose of T. catigua hydroalcoholic extract lowered immobility in the forced-swim test; the effect in mice was undone by haloperidol or chlorpromazine but not by pimozide, ketanserin, spiroxatrine or p-chlorophenylalanine. Campos 2004 tested the four-herb Catuama mix in mice: lower immobility in the forced-swim and tail-suspension tests, no change in open-field movement, and an effect described as comparable to classical antidepressants. Bernardo 2018 (test tube): bark water extract blocked human MAO-A, within concentrations that were not toxic to nerve cells.

Results

Animals gave up less in swimming tests; brain-tissue and enzyme tests point to dopamine, serotonin and MAO-A.

Effect sizes as reported

Numbers are not given in the abstracts read, except the test-tube MAO figure (121.06 +/- 2.13 ug/mL, which the abstract repeats for a second test, so it may be a typing slip).

Why this rating

Rodent and test-tube work only. Forced-swim tests are screening tools and often fail to carry over to people. No trial of catuaba for mood in any person was found.

Form and dose studied

Hydroalcoholic bark extract (Campos 2005) or the marketed four-herb Catuama (Campos 2004); aqueous bark extract in the test tube (Bernardo 2018). Not a tea trial.

Who was studied

Rodents, rat brain tissue and human enzyme in a dish. No human participants.

Limits

Animals only; a four-herb mix in one study; the MAO figure may contain a typing error; no data on whether enough reaches the human brain.

Why researchers looked

Folk use for low mood and stress, and the Catuama tonic sold in Brazil, made a mood test in animals an obvious step.

Traditional use

Catuaba bark is a Brazilian folk tonic. The 2024 review and the WebMD page both describe use for fatigue, stress and memory, but we did not read an old source, so the history is secondary.

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

In rat brain-tissue preparations the extract blocked uptake of serotonin and especially dopamine and raised their release. A separate test-tube study found the bark water extract blocks human MAO-A, an enzyme that breaks these chemicals down.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

The lab results on serotonin, dopamine and MAO-A are the reason to ask a pharmacist before combining catuaba with antidepressants. See the Safety tab.

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Memory and brain protection after a stroke-like injury (rodents)

Not enough evidence

In rats and mice with a blood-flow injury to the brain, a concentrated ethyl-acetate fraction of the bark kept memory from failing and calmed damage markers, even when started hours after the injury. Whole-bark extract did not stop memory loss from the drug scopolamine in mice. Nothing was tested in people.

3 studiesEthyl-acetate fraction of the bark (not whole bark or tea) in the inj…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Godinho 2018 (rats): the ethyl-acetate fraction given around a four-vessel ischemia prevented lasting memory loss in the aversive radial maze, and the benefit lasted after treatment stopped; carbonyls (+43%) and myeloperoxidase (+100%) were brought back down, though brain-cell structure was not protected. Truiti 2015 (mice): at 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg, the fraction countered water-maze deficits and kept more hippocampal cells intact. Martins 2018: the hydroalcoholic extract did not prevent scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice.

Results

Memory loss after injury prevented in two animal models; no protection against scopolamine amnesia.

Effect sizes as reported

Numbers not given in the abstracts, except the 43% and 100% marker rises.

Why this rating

Animals only, with a concentrated fraction given before or soon after an injury, which does not match how anyone takes a supplement. One rodent test was null.

Form and dose studied

Ethyl-acetate fraction of the bark (not whole bark or tea) in the injury studies; hydroalcoholic extract in the scopolamine test.

Who was studied

Rats and mice. No human participants.

Limits

Fractions made in a lab are not products sold in shops; timing around the injury; mixed results across tests.

Why researchers looked

Folk use for memory, and lab findings of antioxidant and enzyme-blocking activity, led researchers to test the bark in animal brain-injury models.

Traditional use

Catuaba bark is a Brazilian folk tonic. The 2024 review and the WebMD page both describe use for fatigue, stress and memory, but we did not read an old source, so the history is secondary.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

The fraction lowered markers of oxidative damage (protein carbonyls) and inflammation (myeloperoxidase) in rat brain after ischemia. In the test tube the bark extract also blocked acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that breaks down the memory chemical acetylcholine.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

None reported in the abstracts read.

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Tiredness and stress (partial effect in mice; none for stress)

Not enough evidence

In mice, the highest amount of the bark extract partly reduced tiredness after forced treadmill exercise at some time points. The same extract did not protect rats from cold-restraint stress. No human tiredness trial of catuaba was found.

1 studiesHydroalcoholic bark extract, 25-300 mg/kg by mouth in rodents.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Martins 2018: in mice, the highest dose of hydroalcoholic extract raised spontaneous activity and reduced the grip-strength deficit after forced exercise, at some observation times only (p < 0.05). It did not protect rats from cold immobilization stress.

Results

Partial effect on exercise fatigue in mice; no effect on stress in rats.

Effect sizes as reported

p < 0.05 for some time points; no sizes in the abstract.

Why this rating

One rodent paper with a partial effect and one null result; nothing in people.

Form and dose studied

Hydroalcoholic bark extract, 25-300 mg/kg by mouth in rodents.

Who was studied

Mice and rats.

Limits

Single paper, highest dose only, some time points only.

Why researchers looked

Catuaba is a folk tonic for tiredness and stress.

Traditional use

Catuaba bark is a Brazilian folk tonic. The 2024 review and the WebMD page both describe use for fatigue, stress and memory, but we did not read an old source, so the history is secondary.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

The extract was antioxidant in the test tube, but how it might reduce fatigue was not tested.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

None reported in the abstract.

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Burning mouth syndrome (swallowed four-herb mix that includes catuaba)

Low certainty

This is the only randomized human trial found. In 72 people with burning mouth syndrome, capsules of Catuama (a Brazilian mix of guarana, catuaba, muira puama and ginger) cut burning symptoms more than the control capsules over 8 weeks, and the gap held at 12 weeks. Catuaba was one of four herbs, so the result cannot be credited to catuaba alone.

1 studiesCatuama capsules, 2 a day for 8 weeks in the trial (herbs per the 200…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Spanemberg 2012: 72 patients with burning mouth syndrome were randomly given Catuama (38) or control capsules (34), double-blind. Both groups improved, but the Catuama group improved more after 4 weeks (faces scale p = .010) and 8 weeks (numeric scale p = .03; faces scale p < .001), and the difference was kept at 12 weeks after the start (p = .001 on both scales).

Results

Greater symptom reduction than the control group at 4, 8 and 12 weeks.

Effect sizes as reported

Only p values in the abstract; no effect sizes or confidence intervals.

Why this rating

One randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of 72 people with a clear result, but it tested a four-herb mix, both groups improved, no effect sizes were given in the abstract, funding was not stated, and the authors' group also made the animal studies of the product.

Form and dose studied

Catuama capsules, 2 a day for 8 weeks in the trial (herbs per the 2005 volunteer study: guarana, catuaba, muira puama, ginger). Not catuaba bark alone, not a tea.

Who was studied

Adults with burning mouth syndrome.

Limits

Single trial; mix product; placebo response high in this condition; no registration or funding in the abstract; not repeated.

Why researchers looked

Catuama is a marketed Brazilian tonic, and the same group had shown pain-related and mood-related effects in animals.

Traditional use

Not a traditional use of catuaba. Burning mouth syndrome was tested because of lab work on Catuama and pain (animal studies, abstracts not read).

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

Not tested. The same group reported Catuama affects serotonin and dopamine uptake in rat brain tissue (Campos 2004).

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

No harms are reported in the abstract. See the Safety tab for the 28-day volunteer study of the same mix.

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Cold sores and genital herpes (cell and mouse studies only)

Not enough evidence

In cell cultures, bark extracts killed herpes viruses directly and blocked their attachment, and creams or gels made from them worked about as well as acyclovir on skin and genital lesions in infected mice. No cold-sore or herpes trial in people was found, and no catuaba ointment has been tested on people.

2 studiesBark crude extract and fractions in the lab; experimental creams and …

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Espada 2015 (cells): crude extract, aqueous and ethyl-acetate fractions blocked HSV-1, bovine herpesvirus and poliovirus at low concentrations, with a synergistic effect with acyclovir for two fractions. Ribelato 2023 (cells and mice): 16 bark extracts were screened; three went into creams and gels; in infected BALB/c mice treated 8 days, creams for acyclovir-resistant HSV-1 skin lesions differed from untreated mice and were similar to acyclovir; Tc13 and Tc16 gels did similarly for HSV-2 genital infection.

Results

Lab antiviral activity; lesions improved in mice.

Effect sizes as reported

IC50 2.44-34.25 ug/mL for herpesviruses in cells (Espada); no numbers for the mouse results.

Why this rating

Cell and mouse studies only. Mouse herpes lesions do not predict cold sores in people.

Form and dose studied

Bark crude extract and fractions in the lab; experimental creams and gels in mice, not products for sale.

Who was studied

Cell lines and BALB/c mice.

Limits

No human data; lab extracts are not shop products.

Why researchers looked

Folk use for skin disease and sexual infections, and a search for new drugs for acyclovir-resistant herpes.

Traditional use

The 2023 paper says T. catigua is used in traditional medicine for skin diseases and sexual infections; we did not read an older source.

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

The extracts were virucidal and prevented early stages of viral replication in cells.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Cytotoxic concentrations were far above the active ones in cells (abstract); no skin-safety data in people.

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Sexual desire and erections (traditional aphrodisiac; no human trial)

Not enough evidence

Catuaba is best known as a Brazilian aphrodisiac. A 2024 review of Brazilian aphrodisiac plants says T. catigua was studied in the lab or in animals and that more research is needed; a 2004 test of bark extracts on rabbit erection tissue found no effect. We found no human trial of catuaba for sexual function.

2 studiesBark extracts in a dish. The commercial samples tested were often not…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No human trial. Teixeira 2024 (review): 74 plants compiled, 14 studied pharmacologically, including T. catigua; more research is needed. Kletter 2004: water and methanol extracts of the T. catigua reference bark, and alkaloid-rich fractions of commercial samples, did not affect rabbit corpus cavernosum tissue in a dish.

Results

No effect on rabbit erection tissue in a dish; no human data.

Effect sizes as reported

Not applicable.

Why this rating

A traditional claim with no human trial and a null test-tube result.

Form and dose studied

Bark extracts in a dish. The commercial samples tested were often not the labelled bark.

Who was studied

None.

Limits

No human studies at all.

Why researchers looked

It is the plant's main folk use.

Traditional use

Used as a sexual tonic in Brazilian folk medicine (2024 review).

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

Suggested modes of action for Brazilian aphrodisiac plants as a group include antioxidant effects, PDE5 blocking, more nitric oxide and dopamine and noradrenaline pathways; the abstract does not say which apply to catuaba.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

See the Safety tab on look-alike products and unlisted drugs in sexual-performance supplements (secondary report).

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Male reproductive organs after chemical damage (mice)

Not enough evidence

In mice damaged by the plastic chemical DEHP, a 28-day course of T. catigua extract improved testis and sperm measures and sex hormones. This is a damage-repair model in mice, not a test of fertility in men.

1 studiesT. catigua extract at three levels by mouth for 28 days.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Chang 2022: acute maximum tolerated dose in mice up to 2.7 g/kg; after DEHP damage, 28 days of the extract improved anogenital distance, testis and epididymis weights, varicocele and cell lesions; the high level lowered sperm abnormality and raised sex hormones and antioxidant enzymes.

Results

Improved reproductive measures vs the DEHP-damaged group.

Effect sizes as reported

Numbers not in the abstract.

Why this rating

One mouse study with a chemical-damage model.

Form and dose studied

T. catigua extract at three levels by mouth for 28 days.

Who was studied

Male mice.

Limits

Single mouse paper. Another rat study found the opposite for female fertility (Safety tab).

Why researchers looked

Chinese researchers tested the bark in a standard reproductive-damage model.

Traditional use

Not stated.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

The authors point to the Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant pathway, cell-cycle control (CDC25C-CDK1) and testosterone-making enzymes.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

A separate rat study found more early pregnancy loss; see Safety.

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Heart rhythm (isolated rabbit hearts)

Not enough evidence

In rabbit hearts kept alive outside the body, Catuama and the T. catigua extract stopped a dangerous rhythm (ventricular fibrillation) and slowed the heart's electrical conduction. This tells us the extract acts on heart tissue; it does not show a heart benefit and it is not tested in people.

1 studiesCatuama and the T. catigua extract perfused through rabbit hearts.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Pontieri 2007: Catuama and T. catigua reverted ventricular fibrillation in all isolated hearts, prevented its return and prolonged intraventricular conduction; Catuama prolonged phase 2 of the action potential. Guarana alone reverted it in 3 of 5 hearts but depressed automatism.

Results

Fibrillation stopped in the isolated-heart model.

Effect sizes as reported

Heart numbers not in the abstract.

Why this rating

Rabbit-heart model only.

Form and dose studied

Catuama and the T. catigua extract perfused through rabbit hearts.

Who was studied

Isolated rabbit hearts.

Limits

No heart-rate or blood-pressure measures in the abstract; no human data.

Why researchers looked

Researchers tested the herbal drug Catuama on heart rhythm in a lab model.

Traditional use

Not stated.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

Prolonged conduction through the ventricles and a longer plateau of the heart's electrical signal.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Effects on the heart's conduction mean people with rhythm problems or heart medicines should ask a clinician (see Safety).

¹⁴

Antioxidant activity (test tube)

Not enough evidence

Compounds from the bark, especially the cinchonains, mop up free radicals in test-tube tests. Test-tube antioxidant strength has not been shown to mean any health benefit in people.

3 studiesIsolated compounds and bark extracts in a dish.

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Tang 2007: catiguanin A and B and cinchonain Ia-Id were potent antioxidants in a radical-scavenging test (IC50 2.3-9.4 micromolar). Martins 2018: all four extracts were antioxidant, the hydroalcoholic strongest (EC50 43 ug/mL). Bernardo 2018: water extract scavenged superoxide and blocked the xanthine oxidase pathway.

Results

Antioxidant in test tubes.

Effect sizes as reported

IC50 2.3-9.4 micromolar; EC50 43 ug/mL.

Why this rating

Test tube only.

Form and dose studied

Isolated compounds and bark extracts in a dish.

Who was studied

None.

Limits

Antioxidant results in dishes often do not carry over to the body.

Why researchers looked

Bark chemistry studies often start with antioxidant tests.

Traditional use

Not stated.

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

Phenylpropanoid-substituted flavan-3-ols (cinchonains) scavenge radicals in the DPPH test; the water extract also blocked the xanthine oxidase pathway.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

None.

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Connections to the rest of health

How Catuaba connects to the rest of our health knowledge graph. Every link says what kind of connection it is. A safety link (for example to the liver) is a warning, not a benefit. A study that merely mentions a topic never creates a benefit link.

Explore every connection: goals, body systems, organs, symptoms, genes

Kind of connection Connected to Search

A. Wellness goals

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Mood Balance		Not enough evidence	Low mood (animal forced-swim tests; no human trial): In mice and rats, a hydroalcoholic bark extract and the Catuama mix cut the time animals spent giving up in swimming tests, which is how drugs for low mood are screened. In brain-tissue tests the extract blocked the uptake and raised the release of dopamine and serotonin. No human has been tested for mood with catuaba, so this is a lead, not a benefit.	^{6 5 4}
Memory Support		Not enough evidence	Memory and brain protection after a stroke-like injury (rodents): In rats and mice with a blood-flow injury to the brain, a concentrated ethyl-acetate fraction of the bark kept memory from failing and calmed damage markers, even when started hours after the injury. Whole-bark extract did not stop memory loss from the drug scopolamine in mice. Nothing was tested in people.	^{10 19 12}
Brain Health		Not enough evidence	Memory and brain protection after a stroke-like injury (rodents): In rats and mice with a blood-flow injury to the brain, a concentrated ethyl-acetate fraction of the bark kept memory from failing and calmed damage markers, even when started hours after the injury. Whole-bark extract did not stop memory loss from the drug scopolamine in mice. Nothing was tested in people.	^{10 19 12}
Reduce Fatigue		Not enough evidence	Tiredness and stress (partial effect in mice; none for stress): In mice, the highest amount of the bark extract partly reduced tiredness after forced treadmill exercise at some time points. The same extract did not protect rats from cold-restraint stress. No human tiredness trial of catuaba was found.	¹²
Stress Reduction		Not enough evidence	Tiredness and stress (partial effect in mice; none for stress): In mice, the highest amount of the bark extract partly reduced tiredness after forced treadmill exercise at some time points. The same extract did not protect rats from cold-restraint stress. No human tiredness trial of catuaba was found.	¹²
Libido Support	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	Sexual desire and erections (traditional aphrodisiac; no human trial): Catuaba is best known as a Brazilian aphrodisiac. A 2024 review of Brazilian aphrodisiac plants says T. catigua was studied in the lab or in animals and that more research is needed; a 2004 test of bark extracts on rabbit erection tissue found no effect. We found no human trial of catuaba for sexual function.	^{18 11}
Mens Vitality	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	Sexual desire and erections (traditional aphrodisiac; no human trial): Catuaba is best known as a Brazilian aphrodisiac. A 2024 review of Brazilian aphrodisiac plants says T. catigua was studied in the lab or in animals and that more research is needed; a 2004 test of bark extracts on rabbit erection tissue found no effect. We found no human trial of catuaba for sexual function.	^{18 11}
Fertility Support		Not enough evidence	Male reproductive organs after chemical damage (mice): In mice damaged by the plastic chemical DEHP, a 28-day course of T. catigua extract improved testis and sperm measures and sex hormones. This is a damage-repair model in mice, not a test of fertility in men.	⁷
Heart Health		Not enough evidence	Heart rhythm (isolated rabbit hearts): In rabbit hearts kept alive outside the body, Catuama and the T. catigua extract stopped a dangerous rhythm (ventricular fibrillation) and slowed the heart's electrical conduction. This tells us the extract acts on heart tissue; it does not show a heart benefit and it is not tested in people.	¹⁴
Cellular Protection		Not enough evidence	Antioxidant activity (test tube): Compounds from the bark, especially the cinchonains, mop up free radicals in test-tube tests. Test-tube antioxidant strength has not been shown to mean any health benefit in people.	^{17 12 4}

B. Body systems

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Stress Mood	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Low mood (animal forced-swim tests; no human trial) Studied for: Tiredness and stress (partial effect in mice; none for stress)	^{6 5 4 12}
Nervous System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Low mood (animal forced-swim tests; no human trial) Studied for: Memory and brain protection after a stroke-like injury (rodents)	^{6 5 4 10 19 12 16}
Energy Fatigue	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Tiredness and stress (partial effect in mice; none for stress)	¹²
Pain Inflammation	Biological association	Low certainty	Studied for: Burning mouth syndrome (swallowed four-herb mix that includes catuaba)	¹⁶
Immune System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Cold sores and genital herpes (cell and mouse studies only)	^{9 15}
Skin Hair Beauty	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Cold sores and genital herpes (cell and mouse studies only)	^{9 15}
Reproductive System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Sexual desire and erections (traditional aphrodisiac; no human trial) Studied for: Male reproductive organs after chemical damage (mice)	^{18 11 7}
Cardiovascular System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Heart rhythm (isolated rabbit hearts)	¹⁴
Whole Body	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Antioxidant activity (test tube)	^{17 12 4}

E. Health conditions

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Pregnancy and fertility	Adverse effect or risk	Animal	More pre- and post-implantation loss in rats. Preparation or compound: T. catigua crude extract	⁸
Burning mouth syndrome	Potential benefit	Low certainty	One double-blind trial of the mix; catuaba alone not tested. Preparation or compound: Catuama four-herb mix	¹⁶
Erectile dysfunction	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	Traditional use; no human trial found; null rabbit-tissue test. Preparation or compound: Catuaba bark	^{18 11}
Herpes simplex (cold sores, genital herpes)		Not enough evidence	Cells and mice only. Preparation or compound: Bark extracts, experimental creams	^{9 15}

I. Biomarkers

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Immobility in the forced-swim test (animals)	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{6 5}
MAO-A enzyme activity (test tube)	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁴
Maze memory performance after brain injury (rodents)	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{10 19 12}
Burning mouth symptom scores (faces scale and 0-10 numeric scale)	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁶
Herpes lesion severity (mice)	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁵
Reversion of ventricular fibrillation (isolated rabbit heart)	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: raised. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁴

J. Genes, receptors and enzymes

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
MAO-A	Preliminary mechanism	Lab	Blocked by the bark water extract in a dish.	⁴

K. Biological pathways

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant pathway	Preliminary mechanism	Animal	Reported to be changed in the DEHP mouse model.	⁷

L. Active compounds

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Cinchonain Ib	Biological association	Lab	Main constituent of T. catigua extracts; antioxidant in the test tube. Preparation or compound: Bark	^{12 17}
Cinchonain Ia	Biological association	Lab	Main constituent of T. catigua extracts; antioxidant in the test tube. Preparation or compound: Bark	^{12 17}
Procyanidins	Biological association	Lab	Found only in the hydroalcoholic extract in one analysis; group name, so no single PubChem ID. Preparation or compound: Bark	¹²
Catuabine D (and its hydroxymethyl derivative)	Biological association	Lab	No CID found by name. Not shown to have an effect in rabbit tissue tests. Preparation or compound: Bark of some catuaba products (Erythroxylum type)	^{11 20}

Each connection is stored with the ingredient, the connected record, the kind of connection, the evidence status, the supporting studies, the preparation or compound involved, and a review date (last reviewed October 25, 2026).

Evidence at a glance: what changed in 6 lab markers

Tap a number to show only those markers. Counts are markers, not people.

Other42

The evidence

The research centre for Catuaba. Every record here was checked against PubMed or the publisher's page; we never list a study we have not verified.

Evidence by outcome

Bars show how many studies we found for each outcome, not how well it works. People are added up across trials only (reviews are not added, to avoid double counting).

How we rate evidence

High certainty

Several well-run trials or reviews agree; further research is unlikely to change the picture much.

Moderate certainty

Good trials point the same way, but some doubt remains.

Low certainty

Small, short or inconsistent trials. The finding could change with better research.

Very low certainty

Very little or very weak human data. Treat as a possibility only.

Mixed findings

Trials or reviews disagree with each other.

Not enough evidence

Not enough human research to say either way.

Evidence against

Good research found no benefit, or found harm.

We take the reviewers' own risk-of-bias and GRADE statements where they exist, and otherwise judge from study size, design, consistency, directness and whether a product matches what is sold. Many publications do not make evidence high. Method note: We started from our existing catuaba summary, re-checked its PubMed items, searched PubMed for mood, memory, MAO, heart, herpes, safety and chemistry papers, and read the abstract of every PubMed study cited. We checked plant names in GBIF and NCBI Taxonomy and compound IDs in PubChem. NCCIH, EMA, LiverTox and LactMed were checked quickly and nothing was found; WebMD was read as a secondary reference.

Study library: every study we checked 20

Design Research type Plant part Year from Search

Study	Design	People	Product, dose, length	Result
AlternativeMed research check 2026 Catuaba - Uses, Side Effects, and More (WebMD, medically reviewed 3 Aug 2026) WebMD (consumer drug reference) · Source	Consumer reference reference page	n/a	n/a n/a n/a n/a · vs n/a	Read on 2026-10-25. Says catuaba is made from bark of Brazilian trees (mainly Trichilia catigua or Erythroxylum vacciniifolium; other plants are also sold as catuaba), human evidence is limited and benefits are not well defined. It says some products tested contained tropane alkaloids and many did not contain the species on the label, and that some catuaba products have been found to contain unlisted prescription medicines. It says animal research suggests lower female fertility, that effects in pregnancy and in breast milk are unknown, that people allergic to catuaba plants should not use it, and that people on SSRIs, SNRIs or MAOIs should talk to a provider, as interactions are not fully understood. The page gives no blood-pressure warning and no liver warning. Not applicable Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Record check Limitations: A consumer reference, not a primary study; it does not cite the studies behind its safety statements, so its claims are treated as secondary. Funding and conflicts: Not applicable Read: web page
AlternativeMed research check 2026 Regulator and reference checks for catuaba (NCCIH, EMA/HMPC, LiverTox, LactMed): none found NCCIH; EMA; NCBI Bookshelf · Source	Database record regulatory	n/a	n/a n/a n/a n/a · vs n/a	On 2026-10-25: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/catuaba returned 404. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/catuaba returned 404 (a guessed address, so not proof that no monograph exists). A search of NCBI Bookshelf (which holds LiverTox and LactMed) for 'catuaba' returned 0 results. WebMD says the FDA has not reviewed catuaba (secondary). Commission E and WHO monographs were not checked. Not applicable Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Record check Limitations: Guessed addresses and one search; not found is not proof of absence. Funding and conflicts: Not applicable Read: api and URL checks
AlternativeMed research check 2026 GBIF species matches: Trichilia catigua, Erythroxylum vaccinifolium, Erythroxylum catuaba, Anemopaegma mirandum, Tabebuia catuaba GBIF API · Source	Database record plant	n/a	n/a n/a n/a n/a · vs n/a	On 2026-10-25: Trichilia catigua A.Juss. returned ACCEPTED, exact, confidence 99, family Meliaceae, key 7271401. Erythroxylum vaccinifolium Mart. returned ACCEPTED (fuzzy match to the spelling 'vacciniifolium', confidence 96), family Erythroxylaceae, key 3694388. Erythroxylum catuaba A.J.Silva ex Raym.-Hamet returned ACCEPTED, exact, confidence 97, family Erythroxylaceae, key 7476474. Anemopaegma mirandum (Cham.) Mart. ex DC. returned SYNONYM (exact, confidence 97), family Bignoniaceae, key 7298524; its accepted name is Anemopaegma arvense (Vell.) Stellfeld ex De Souza. 'Tabebuia catuaba' matched only the genus Tabebuia (higher rank), so no species with that exact name was found. Not applicable Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Record check Limitations: A name database, not evidence about health. Funding and conflicts: Not applicable Read: api
Bernardo 2018 In vitro multimodal-effect of Trichilia catigua A. Juss. (Meliaceae) bark aqueous extract in CNS targets. Journal of Ethnopharmacology · PMID 28970152 · DOI	Laboratory research in-vitro	Enzyme tests, rat brain homogenate, human neuronal SH-SY5Y cells	Aqueous (water) extract of T. catigua bark bark Test-tube concentrations 24 h cell exposure · vs Untreated	Twenty-six compounds were identified, mostly phenylpropanoid-substituted flavan-3-ols (about 81% of quantified mass). The extract blocked human MAO activity in a concentration-dependent way, blocked acetylcholinesterase (mixed model), blocked the xanthine/xanthine oxidase pathway and scavenged superoxide, within concentrations not toxic to SH-SY5Y cells. The authors say this validates the traditional neuroactive use; that is their interpretation of test-tube results. MAO IC50 reported as 121.06 +/- 2.13 ug/mL Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Human MAO-A inhibition; acetylcholinesterase inhibition; xanthine oxidase pathway and superoxide scavenging; cell toxicity Limitations: Test tube only; the abstract gives the identical number (121.06 +/- 2.13 ug/mL) for both MAO and the xanthine-oxidase test, which looks like a typing error, so treat the figure with care; blood levels reached in people are unknown. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Campos 2004 Pharmacological and neurochemical evidence for antidepressant-like effects of the herbal product Catuama. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · PMID 15301932 · DOI	Animal and lab mouse/rat/in-vitro	Mice and rats; rat brain preparations	Catuama, a marketed Brazilian herbal mix (guarana, catuaba, muira puama and ginger, per the 2005 volunteer study) mixed herbal extract Acute and chronic oral treatment in animals Acute and chronic · vs Vehicle; classical antidepressant drugs	Acute and chronic oral Catuama reduced immobility in two mouse depression tests without changing movement in an open field. The effect was comparable to classical antidepressant drugs. In vitro, Catuama blocked uptake of noradrenaline and especially serotonin and dopamine, and raised release of serotonin and dopamine, in rat brain preparations; uptake of serotonin and dopamine was also affected after long-term oral treatment of rats. Less immobility, comparable to classical antidepressants in mice; numbers not in the abstract Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Forced swimming and tail suspension immobility; open-field activity; synaptosomal uptake and release Limitations: A four-herb mix, so results cannot be credited to catuaba alone; animals only; the authors suggest possible use alone or alongside current antidepressants, which is a hypothesis, not a finding. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Campos 2005 Antidepressant-like effects of Trichilia catigua (Catuaba) extract: evidence for dopaminergic-mediated mechanisms. Psychopharmacology · PMID 15991001 · DOI	Animal and lab mouse/rat/in-vitro	Mice and rats; rat brain synaptosome preparations	Hydroalcoholic extract of T. catigua bark (as the extract) Single oral treatment in animals Acute · vs Vehicle; haloperidol, chlorpromazine, pimozide etc. used to probe mechanism	One oral treatment with the extract produced antidepressant-like effects (less immobility) in the forced swimming test in both mice and rats. The effect in mice was reversed by haloperidol or chlorpromazine, but not by pimozide, ketanserin, spiroxatrine or p-chlorophenylalanine. In vitro, the extract inhibited uptake and raised release of serotonin, and especially dopamine, in rat brain preparations. Less immobility in the forced swimming test; numbers not in the abstract Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Forced swimming test (immobility time); monoamine uptake and release in brain preparations Limitations: Rodents and test tubes only; forced swimming is a screening test, not depression; the abstract calls the evidence convincing for a dopamine-linked effect in animals, which does not show an effect in people. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Chang 2022 The Protective Effect of Trichilia catigua A. Juss. on DEHP-Induced Reproductive System Damage in Male Mice. Frontiers in Pharmacology · PMID 35185586 · DOI	Animal study mouse	Male mice given the plasticizer DEHP	Trichilia catigua extract (TCE) at low, medium and high levels plant extract (part not stated in the abstract) Three levels by mouth 28 days · vs DEHP-only model group	In acute toxicity testing the maximum tolerated dose in mice was up to 2.7 g/kg. After DEHP damage, the extract improved anogenital distance and testis and epididymis weights, reduced varicocele and cell lesions, and (high level) reduced sperm abnormality and raised sex hormones and antioxidant enzymes. The authors link this to the Keap1-Nrf2, CDC25C-CDK1 and steroid-making pathways. Improvements vs the damaged model group; numbers not in the abstract Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Testis/epididymis weights, sperm abnormality, hormones, antioxidant enzymes, gene expression Limitations: Mouse model of chemical damage, not normal fertility; the abstract does not name the plant part. Funding and conflicts: Authors declare no commercial or financial relationships. Read: abstract
Dos Santos 2015 The exposure to Trichilia catigua (catuaba) crude extract impairs fertility of adult female rats but does not cause reproductive damage to male offspring. Journal of Ethnopharmacology · PMID 25792016 · DOI	Animal study rat	Pregnant and nursing female rats and their male offspring	T. catigua crude extract (CAT) crude extract (part not stated in the abstract) 400 mg/kg by gavage daily Throughout pregnancy and lactation · vs Vehicle	Dams given the extract had higher pre- and post-implantation losses than controls. No significant changes were seen in maternal behaviour or in the male offspring's physical, reproductive or behavioural measures. The authors conclude the extract interfered with implantation in early pregnancy. Higher pre- and post-implantation loss rates (numbers not in the abstract) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Fertility, maternal behaviour, male offspring development and behaviour Limitations: Rats only; one amount; no numbers in the abstract; relevance to women unknown. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Espada 2015 Antiviral Activity of Trichilia catigua Bark Extracts for Herpesvirus and Poliovirus. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology · PMID 25941883 · DOI	Laboratory research cell culture	HEp-2 cell cultures infected with HSV-1, bovine herpesvirus-1 and poliovirus-1	Crude extract, aqueous fraction and ethyl-acetate fraction of T. catigua bark bark 0.25 to 100 ug/mL in cell culture Hours · vs Acyclovir (reference drug)	The extract and fractions showed low cell toxicity and virus-blocking at low concentrations (IC50 2.44-34.25 ug/mL for herpesviruses, 0.67-1.8 ug/mL for poliovirus), with a strong virucidal effect and blocking of viral attachment. Two fractions acted together with acyclovir in a synergistic way (combination index below 1). IC50 2.44-34.25 ug/mL (herpesviruses); 0.67-1.8 ug/mL (poliovirus) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Plaque reduction; virucidal and adsorption-blocking activity; combination with acyclovir Limitations: Cell culture only; no animals or people in this paper. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Godinho 2018 Ethyl-acetate fraction of Trichilia catigua restores long-term retrograde memory and reduces oxidative stress and inflammation after global cerebral ischemia in rats. Behavioural Brain Research · PMID 28919157 · DOI	Animal study rat	Rats with transient global cerebral ischemia (four-vessel occlusion)	Ethyl-acetate fraction (EAF) of T. catigua bark fraction Given 30 min before and 1 h after ischemia, then daily for 7 days 7 days of treatment; memory tested at 8, 15 and 21 days · vs Vehicle	Ischemia caused lasting retrograde amnesia and the fraction prevented it; the memory protection lasted after treatment stopped, although no protection of brain cell structure was seen. Protein carbonyl content and myeloperoxidase activity rose about 43% and 100% after ischemia, and the fraction abolished these rises. Memory loss prevented; oxidative and inflammatory markers back to normal (as stated) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Retrograde memory in the aversive radial maze; protein carbonyls; myeloperoxidase Limitations: Rats; a concentrated ethyl-acetate fraction, not whole bark or tea; given around the time of the injury, which is not how people would use it; no structural protection of brain cells. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Kletter 2004 Morphological, chemical and functional analysis of catuaba preparations. Planta Medica · PMID 15490329 · DOI	Product analysis plant/product	14 14 commercial catuaba samples labelled as Anemopaegma, Erythroxylum or Trichilia bark	Commercial catuaba bark products and a Trichilia catigua reference sample bark Not applicable Not applicable · vs Reference bark	Only a minority of the 14 samples contained the bark claimed on the label. More than half were adulterated with other crude drugs. Most samples contained bark from Trichilia catigua. In 50% of the samples tropane alkaloids were found; the two main ones were catuabine D and its hydroxymethyl derivative. Neither water nor methanol extracts of the T. catigua reference bark, nor alkaloid-rich fractions of commercial samples, had any effect on rabbit corpus cavernosum tissue in vitro. Only a minority correct; more than half adulterated; 50% had tropane alkaloids Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Identity and purity by microscopy and chemistry; tropane alkaloids; effect on rabbit corpus cavernosum tissue in a dish Limitations: Only 14 samples bought in 2004 or earlier; the market may have changed; the abstract does not give an exact count of matching samples; lab tissue test only. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Martins 2018 Antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antifatigue effects of Trichilia catigua (catuaba). BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine · PMID 29866157 · DOI	Animal and lab mouse/rat/in-vitro	Four bark extracts in test tubes; adult male mice and rats	Hexane, chloroform, hydroalcoholic and water extracts of T. catigua bark (animals: hydroalcoholic) bark 25-300 mg/kg by mouth in rodents Not stated in the abstract · vs Untreated/vehicle animals	Cinchonain IIa, Ia and Ib were the main constituents in all four extracts; procyanidins were found only in the hydroalcoholic extract. All extracts were antioxidant and blocked acetylcholinesterase, the hydroalcoholic one most (EC50 43 ug/mL; IC50 142 ug/mL). The extract did not protect rats from cold immobilization stress and did not prevent scopolamine-induced amnesia in mice. It partly reduced treadmill-induced fatigue: the highest dose raised spontaneous activity and reduced the grip-strength deficit after forced exercise, at some time points (p < 0.05). Partial reduction of fatigue at the highest dose in some measurements; null for stress and amnesia Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Chemical profile; antioxidant (DPPH) and acetylcholinesterase blocking in vitro; cold-stress, scopolamine-amnesia and treadmill-fatigue tests Limitations: Rodents and test tubes only; a partial, time-point-specific effect; the authors' own conclusion says it only partially supports folk use. Funding and conflicts: Authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Oliveira 2005 Clinical toxicology study of an herbal medicinal extract of Paullinia cupana, Trichilia catigua, Ptychopetalum olacoides and Zingiber officinale (Catuama) in healthy volunteers. Phytotherapy Research · PMID 15798997 · DOI	Human safety study	Healthy volunteers of both sexes (number not given in the abstract)	Catuama liquid extract: guarana, catuaba, muira puama and ginger mixed herbal extract 25 mL twice a day 28 days · vs None stated in the abstract	After 28 days of Catuama, no severe adverse reactions and no haematological or biochemical changes were reported. No severe adverse reactions; no blood changes (abstract states no numbers) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Toxic effects; blood counts and blood chemistry Limitations: Very short abstract; number of volunteers, control group and the tests run are not in the abstract; a four-herb mix, not catuaba alone; blood pressure and heart rate are not mentioned in the abstract. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract; the product is a marketed Brazilian one, so an industry link is possible. Read: abstract
Pontieri 2007 The herbal drug Catuama reverts and prevents ventricular fibrillation in the isolated rabbit heart. Journal of Electrocardiology · PMID 17888942 · DOI	Animal ex vivo rabbit (isolated heart)	Isolated, perfused rabbit hearts	Catuama, T. catigua extract alone, and guarana (P. cupana) alone herbal extracts Perfused through the heart Minutes · vs Not stated in the abstract	Catuama and the T. catigua extract reverted ventricular fibrillation in all hearts, prevented its reinduction and prolonged intraventricular conduction. Catuama prolonged phase 2 of the action potential. Guarana alone reverted fibrillation in 3 of 5 hearts but depressed automatism and did not prevent reinduction. The authors think the T. catigua extract is probably the main agent responsible for the effect. VF reverted in all hearts treated with Catuama or T. catigua (number of hearts not in the abstract) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Intraventricular conduction, heart rate, monophasic action potential, reversion and reinduction of ventricular fibrillation Limitations: Rabbit hearts outside the body; no heart-rate or blood-pressure numbers in the abstract; shows an effect on the heart's electrical conduction in this model; not tested in people. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Ribelato 2023 Topical formulations containing Trichilia catigua extract as therapeutic options for a genital and an acyclovir-resistant strain of herpes recurrent infection. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology · PMID 37338788 · DOI	In vitro and animal cell/mouse	Cell cultures with HSV-1 (acyclovir-resistant) and HSV-2 (genital); infected BALB/c mice	16 T. catigua bark extracts; three (Tc12, Tc13, Tc16) put into creams or gels bark extracts Topical cream or gel on the skin or genitals of mice 8 days · vs Infected untreated mice; acyclovir-treated mice	In cell culture the extracts killed virus particles directly (virucidal) and blocked early steps of virus replication. In mice infected with acyclovir-resistant HSV-1 on the skin, the creams did better than no treatment and were similar to acyclovir. In HSV-2 genital infection, similar effects were found for the Tc13 and Tc16 gels. Lesion severity lower than untreated mice; similar to acyclovir (no numbers in the abstract) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Cell toxicity and virus-blocking in cell culture; lesion severity in mice Limitations: Cells and mice only; no human trial of any catuaba cream or ointment was found; the extracts are lab preparations, not products on sale. Funding and conflicts: Authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Spanemberg 2012 Effect of an herbal compound for treatment of burning mouth syndrome: randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology · PMID 22669143 · DOI	Randomized trial	72 72 patients with burning mouth syndrome (38 test, 34 control)	Catuama capsules (herbal compound; guarana, catuaba, muira puama, ginger per the 2005 volunteer study) mixed herbal extract 2 capsules a day 8 weeks of treatment; reviewed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after start · vs Control group (double-blind, controlled)	Both groups improved, but the test group improved significantly more than the control group after 4 weeks (FS p = .010) and 8 weeks (VNS p = .03; FS p < .001). The difference was kept 12 weeks after the start (FS and VNS p = .001). The authors conclude Catuama reduces burning mouth syndrome symptoms and may be a novel strategy. Greater symptom reduction than control at 4, 8 and 12 weeks (p values only in the abstract) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Burning symptoms on a faces scale (FS) and a visual numeric scale (VNS) Limitations: Single trial; both groups improved (placebo response likely); no effect sizes or confidence intervals in the abstract; a four-herb mix, so catuaba's own part is unknown; the abstract does not give capsule contents or a trial registration; funding not stated; one author (Campos MM) also wrote the 2004-2005 Catuama animal studies. Funding and conflicts: Funding and conflicts not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Tang 2007 Antioxidant phenylpropanoid-substituted epicatechins from Trichilia catigua. Journal of Natural Products · PMID 18020420 · DOI	Phytochemical study plant chemistry	Plant chemistry paper (no animals or people)	Compounds isolated from T. catigua bark bark Not applicable Not applicable · vs n/a	Two new phenylpropanoid-substituted epicatechins (catiguanin A and B) were isolated along with cinchonain Ia, Ib, Ic and Id. All were potent antioxidants in a test-tube radical-scavenging assay (IC50 2.3-9.4 micromolar). IC50 2.3-9.4 micromolar (DPPH test) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Isolation, structure and radical-scavenging in a test tube Limitations: Test tube only. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Teixeira 2024 The traditional use of native Brazilian plants for male sexual dysfunction: Evidence from ethnomedicinal applications, animal models, and possible mechanisms of action. Journal of Ethnopharmacology · PMID 37437795 · DOI	Narrative review review	Review of Brazilian folk and laboratory literature, not a patient study	Brazilian plants used as aphrodisiacs, including Trichilia catigua various Not applicable Not applicable · vs n/a	Seventy-four plant species used in Brazil for sexual dysfunction were compiled. Fourteen, including Trichilia catigua, were studied in the lab or in animals. Suggested modes of action include antioxidant and androgen-like effects, PDE5 enzyme blocking, more nitric oxide, and dopamine and noradrenaline pathways. Several different species are called catuaba, leading to adulteration and controversial effects. The authors say more research is needed to identify and standardize the active ingredients. Not applicable (no pooled effect) Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: 74 folk aphrodisiac plants compiled; 14 studied pharmacologically; modes of action; adulteration Limitations: Narrative review; the abstract does not say which findings are human and which animal or lab, and does not separate T. catigua from the other 13 plants. Funding and conflicts: Authors declare no competing interests. Read: abstract
Truiti 2015 Trichilia catigua ethyl-acetate fraction protects against cognitive impairments and hippocampal cell death induced by bilateral common carotid occlusion in mice. Journal of Ethnopharmacology · PMID 26099636 · DOI	Animal study mouse	Male Swiss mice after bilateral common carotid occlusion	Ethyl-acetate fraction (EAF) of T. catigua bark fraction 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg by mouth 30 min before, then daily for 7 days · vs Vehicle	Mice with the occlusion had memory problems in the water maze; the fraction counteracted the spatial deficits at all three amounts and increased the number of intact-looking hippocampal cells. Cognitive deficits counteracted at 200-800 mg/kg; numbers not in the abstract Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Morris water maze (spatial memory); hippocampal Nissl-stained cells Limitations: Mice; fraction, not whole bark; given before the injury; no human data. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Zanolari 2003 Tropane alkaloids from the bark of Erythroxylum vacciniifolium. Journal of Natural Products · PMID 12713400 · DOI	Phytochemical study plant chemistry	Plant chemistry paper (no animals or people)	Bark of 'catuaba', Erythroxylum vacciniifolium Martius bark Not applicable Not applicable · vs n/a	Eight new tropane alkaloids were isolated from the bark of 'catuaba', a Brazilian endemic plant, Erythroxylum vacciniifolium Martius. Their structures were determined by mass spectrometry and NMR. Not applicable Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Isolation and structure of alkaloids Limitations: Chemistry only; says nothing about safety or effects. Funding and conflicts: Not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract

What we do not know yet

No human trial of catuaba alone for any use.
The burning mouth trial tested a four-herb mix and has not been repeated.
No human blood-pressure, heart-rate or liver data for catuaba.
No pregnancy, breastfeeding or children data in people.
No NCCIH, EMA/HMPC, LiverTox or LactMed record found.

How new research is added

New studies are found by a saved PubMed search and placed in a review queue. A person reads each one before it changes any rating or safety wording.

Lab markers

What changed in blood or saliva tests during trials. A changed number is not the same as feeling or being healthier, and we give no "normal ranges".

Other 6

▼

Immobility in the forced-swim test (animals)

Lowered in trials

How long a mouse or rat stays still when placed in water. Antidepressant drugs shorten it, so it is used to screen for them.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

A quick animal screen for mood-lifting activity.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A screening test in animals. It does not show that a substance helps people with depression, and many failed drugs also passed it.

Safety implication

None.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁶	Immobility lowered in mice and rats after one oral dose of T. catigua hydroalcoholic extract; numbers not in the abstract.	Mice and rats	Hydroalcoholic bark extract, acute oral
⁵	Immobility lowered in forced-swim and tail-suspension tests with acute and chronic Catuama; no change in open-field movement.	Mice	Catuama four-herb mix, acute and chronic oral

^{6 5}

▼

MAO-A enzyme activity (test tube)

Lowered in trials

MAO-A is an enzyme that breaks down serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. Blocking it raises these chemicals.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is the target of one class of antidepressant drugs, so any plant that blocks it matters for drug interactions.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Shows the extract can block the enzyme in a dish. Whether enough reaches the human brain to matter is not known.

Safety implication

A reason to ask a pharmacist before combining with antidepressants (theory).

Study	Result	People	Product
⁴	Bark water extract blocked human MAO-A in a concentration-dependent way (reported IC50 121.06 +/- 2.13 ug/mL, repeated in the abstract for a second test).	Enzyme in a dish; SH-SY5Y human nerve cells for toxicity	Aqueous bark extract in the test tube

⁴

▲

Maze memory performance after brain injury (rodents)

Raised in trials

How well a rat or mouse remembers the way through a maze after a blood-flow injury to the brain.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

A standard animal test of memory loss.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Helpful for understanding the plant but far from showing memory benefit in people.

Safety implication

None reported.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁰	Lasting retrograde amnesia after ischemia was prevented by the ethyl-acetate fraction.	Rats, four-vessel occlusion	Ethyl-acetate fraction, 7 days
¹⁹	Water-maze deficits after carotid occlusion were counteracted at 200-800 mg/kg.	Mice, bilateral carotid occlusion	Ethyl-acetate fraction, 7 days
¹²	No prevention of scopolamine-induced amnesia.	Mice	Hydroalcoholic extract

^{10 19 12}

▼

Burning mouth symptom scores (faces scale and 0-10 numeric scale)

Lowered in trials

Self-rated burning pain in the mouth, on a faces scale (FS) and a visual numeric scale (VNS).

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

It is how burning mouth syndrome is usually tracked.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Self-rated pain is easily moved by expectation, and both groups improved.

Safety implication

None reported in the abstract.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁶	Greater drop in the Catuama group than the control group at 4 weeks (FS p = .010), 8 weeks (VNS p = .03; FS p < .001) and at 12 weeks after the start (p = .001); sizes not in the abstract.	72 patients with burning mouth syndrome	Catuama capsules, 2 a day for 8 weeks, double-blind

¹⁶

▼

Herpes lesion severity (mice)

Lowered in trials

A score of how bad herpes sores look in infected mice.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

A standard animal test of antiviral creams.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Animal lesion scores do not predict how people respond.

Safety implication

None.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁵	Mice treated 8 days with creams (acyclovir-resistant HSV-1) or gels (HSV-2 genital) had less severe lesions than untreated mice, similar to acyclovir-treated mice; numbers not in the abstract.	BALB/c mice	Experimental T. catigua extract creams and gels

¹⁵

▲

Reversion of ventricular fibrillation (isolated rabbit heart)

Raised in trials

Whether a dangerous quivering heart rhythm returned to normal in a heart kept alive in a dish.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

A lab test of anti-arrhythmic action.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A lab effect on heart electrical conduction; it also marks a possible interaction with heart-rhythm medicines (theory).

Safety implication

Possible interaction with heart-rhythm medicines (theory).

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁴	Catuama and T. catigua reverted fibrillation in all hearts and prevented its return; also prolonged conduction.	Isolated rabbit hearts	Catuama and T. catigua extract perfused

¹⁴

Safety

What studies and official sources say about side effects, medicines and who should check first. Each point shows what kind of evidence it comes from.

Main points to know 5

Which plant is in the bottle? Species mix-ups and adulteration are common. Several different trees are sold as catuaba: Trichilia catigua (most research), Erythroxylum vaccinifolium (spelled vacciniifolium in most papers), Erythroxylum catuaba and Anemopaegma species. In a 2004 test of 14 commercial samples, only a minority held the bark named on the label and more than half were adulterated with other crude drugs; about half contained tropane alkaloids, which come from the Erythroxylum bark, not from Trichilia catigua. WebMD adds that some catuaba products have been found to hold unlisted prescription medicines (a secondary statement we could not verify). Safety information for one plant cannot be assumed for another. Product analysis ^{11 18 20 1}
Very little human safety data. No study of catuaba alone in people was found. The only human safety study tested the four-herb Catuama liquid in healthy volunteers for 28 days: no severe adverse reactions and no blood-count or blood-chemistry changes were reported, but the abstract gives no number of volunteers and says nothing about blood pressure or heart rate. WebMD says catuaba seems well tolerated but not well studied. Human data ^{13 1}
Pregnancy, trying to conceive and breastfeeding: avoid unless a clinician agrees. In rats given a T. catigua extract throughout pregnancy and nursing, more embryos were lost before and after implantation; maternal behaviour and male pups were not changed. WebMD states that the effect on pregnancy and on breast milk is unknown and that animal research suggests lower female fertility. No LactMed record was found. The safe choice is to avoid it while pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding. Animal research ^{8 1 2}
Antidepressants and other mood medicines: lab signals, no case reports. In test tubes the bark blocks human MAO-A, and in rat brain tissue it raises dopamine and serotonin release while blocking their uptake. These are the same targets as several antidepressant drugs, so in theory catuaba could add to them. WebMD says to talk to a provider if taking an SSRI, SNRI or MAOI. We found no case report of an actual interaction. Pharmacological theory ^{4 6 1}
Blood pressure and heart rate: not measured in people. We found no human measurement of blood pressure or heart rate for catuaba, and WebMD lists no blood-pressure warning. In isolated rabbit hearts, Catuama and the T. catigua extract slowed conduction through the ventricles and reverted a dangerous rhythm, showing an action on heart tissue. WebMD lists a racing heart only as a sign of a serious allergic reaction. If you take blood-pressure or heart-rhythm medicine, or have a heart rhythm problem, ask before using it. Animal research ^{14 13 1}

Side effects 3

Effect	How often	Severity and recovery	Evidence
No severe adverse reactions or blood-test changes in healthy volunteers (four-herb Catuama, 28 days) Abstract gives no counts and does not list minor effects.	Not established	none severe reported Not stated	Human data ¹³
Allergic reactions (listed by WebMD as possible and serious) A consumer-reference statement; no case reports were found in PubMed.	Not established	can be serious Not stated	Consumer reference ¹
More early pregnancy loss in rats Rats given a crude extract through pregnancy and lactation.	Higher pre- and post-implantation loss than controls (numbers not in the abstract)	reproductive Not stated	Animal research ⁸

Liver

No LiverTox record for catuaba was found (an NCBI Bookshelf search returned no results) and no published case of liver injury from catuaba turned up in our searches. The 28-day volunteer study of the Catuama mix reported no biochemical changes, but the abstract does not name liver tests. ^{13 2}

How often. No frequency of liver injury is available.

Monitoring. No monitoring advice was found. If you notice yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, pale stools or strong upper-right belly pain, stop and get care.

This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that Catuaba supports liver health.

Medicines and supplements 5

With	Why it matters	Importance	Evidence	What to do
Antidepressants: SSRIs, SNRIs and MAO inhibitors prescription	Bark water extract blocks human MAO-A in a dish; the hydroalcoholic extract blocks uptake and raises release of serotonin and dopamine in rat brain tissue.	Unknown; no case reports or human studies found.	Pharmacological theory Not enough evidence ^{4 6 1}	Do not start or stop anything without telling your prescriber or pharmacist; WebMD advises asking a provider.
Heart-rhythm and blood-pressure medicines prescription	Catuama and the T. catigua extract prolonged conduction through the ventricles of isolated rabbit hearts.	Unknown; no human blood-pressure or heart-rate data.	Pharmacological theory Not enough evidence ¹⁴	Ask your prescriber or pharmacist first, especially if you have a rhythm problem.
Acyclovir and other herpes medicines prescription	Two bark fractions acted together with acyclovir against HSV-1 in cell culture (synergy).	Lab only; not an interaction in people.	Laboratory research Not enough evidence ⁹	No action needed from this finding; it is reported for completeness.
Liver-processed medicines (cytochrome P450 enzymes) prescription	No enzyme-interaction study of catuaba was found.	Not studied.	Not found Not enough evidence ²	Tell your pharmacist you take it.
Alcohol, foods and other herbs other	WebMD states no known food or drink interactions and that the effect of alcohol is unknown.	Unknown.	Consumer reference Not enough evidence ¹	Combination products (such as Catuama) hold other herbs; check their labels and our pages on those herbs.

Who should check first 4

Situation	Advice	Evidence
Pregnancy, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding	Avoid unless a clinician advises; rat data show more early pregnancy loss and effects in people are unknown.	Animal research ^{8 1}
Allergy to catuaba or to any of the plants sold under that name, or to an ingredient in the product	Do not use (WebMD).	Consumer reference ¹
Taking antidepressants (SSRI, SNRI, MAOI) or heart-rhythm medicines	Ask a prescriber or pharmacist first; the interaction is unproven.	Pharmacological theory ^{4 14 1}
Children	No data in children; WebMD says to keep it out of the reach of children.	Consumer reference ¹

Overdose, product quality and regulators

Summary. No formal toxicity assessment of catuaba bark in people was found. In mice, an acute maximum tolerated dose of up to 2.7 g/kg was reported for a T. catigua extract. The rat study with 400 mg/kg through pregnancy found more embryo loss. The 28-day Catuama study reported no severe reactions.

Animal. Mouse maximum tolerated dose up to 2.7 g/kg (Chang 2022); rat pregnancy study at 400 mg/kg a day (Dos Santos 2015).

Human doses studied. Catuama (four herbs) was given for 28 days to healthy volunteers and for 8 weeks to people with burning mouth syndrome; catuaba alone was not tested.

High dose or long term signals. Not found beyond the rat pregnancy result.

Overdose response. Not found.

Genotoxicity. Not found in the sources read.

Toxic plant parts. The bark is the part used. Bark of Erythroxylum vaccinifolium (also sold as catuaba) holds tropane alkaloids, which WebMD says can affect the nervous system. The bark of Trichilia catigua is not reported to contain them (Kletter 2004).

The main quality problem is identity: wrong species, mixed barks and tropane alkaloids in about half of samples tested in 2004, plus a secondary report of unlisted prescription medicines in sexual-performance supplements.

Wrong or mixed bark. Only a minority of 14 samples contained the bark claimed on the label; more than half were adulterated; the majority contained T. catigua. ¹¹

Tropane alkaloids. Found in 50% of samples; catuabine D and its hydroxymethyl derivative were the main ones. They are described in Erythroxylum vaccinifolium bark. ^{11 20}

Unlisted prescription medicines. WebMD says some catuaba products have been found to contain unlisted prescription medicines. We did not find the underlying report; treat as unverified. ¹

Body	Action	Date

When to get medical help

Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, hives or fainting after taking it: emergency care now (possible allergic reaction).
Fainting, chest pain or a very fast or irregular heartbeat: seek urgent care and stop taking it.
Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine or pale stools: stop and see a doctor.

Stop the supplement and contact a clinician or emergency service. In the US, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.

General information only, not medical advice. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use, especially with medicines, in pregnancy or with a health condition. See the Natural Remedy Safety guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is catuaba?

Catuaba is the bark of certain Brazilian trees, used as a folk tonic and aphrodisiac. The tree with the most research is Trichilia catigua, but other trees are sold under the same name. Products are made as dried bark, tea, capsules, tinctures and mixes.

^{3 1}

Which tree is catuaba?

Sources disagree because the name is shared. Most research uses Trichilia catigua (Meliaceae). Erythroxylum vaccinifolium and Erythroxylum catuaba (Erythroxylaceae) and Anemopaegma species (Bignoniaceae) are also sold as catuaba. In a 2004 test of 14 products, only a minority held the bark on the label and half held tropane alkaloids typical of the Erythroxylum bark.

^{3 11 18 20}

Is catuaba the same as Catuama?

No. Catuaba is a bark. Catuama is a marketed Brazilian mix of guarana, catuaba, muira puama and ginger. The only human trial found tested Catuama, so it cannot be credited to catuaba alone.

^{13 16}

Is catuaba the same as muira puama?

No. Muira puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides) is a different Amazonian tree. The two are sold together in some products and are often compared; see our muira puama page.

¹³

Does catuaba work as an aphrodisiac?

Not shown. It is a traditional aphrodisiac, but no human trial of catuaba for sexual function was found, a test on rabbit erection tissue showed no effect, and a 2024 review says more research is needed.

^{18 11}

Can catuaba help low mood or depression?

Unknown in people. A bark extract and the Catuama mix made mice and rats more active in swimming tests and changed dopamine and serotonin handling in rat brain tissue. No human mood trial of catuaba exists, so it should not replace treatment.

^{6 5}

Is there any human research on catuaba?

Very little. We found one randomized trial (72 people with burning mouth syndrome, using the four-herb Catuama mix) and one 28-day safety study of the same mix in healthy volunteers. Everything else is in animals and test tubes.

^{16 13}

Does it work for cold sores or herpes?

Only lab and mouse results exist. Bark extracts killed herpes viruses in cells, and experimental creams worked about as well as acyclovir in infected mice. No cold-sore trial in people was found.

^{9 15}

Does catuaba affect blood pressure or heart rate?

Not measured in people in anything we found. In rabbit hearts kept alive in a dish, Catuama and the bark extract slowed conduction through the ventricles. If you take blood-pressure or heart-rhythm medicines or have a rhythm problem, ask a pharmacist before using it.

^{14 1}

Can it be taken with antidepressants?

Ask first. In test tubes the bark blocks MAO-A, and in rat brain tissue it affects serotonin and dopamine. These are targets of antidepressants such as SSRIs, SNRIs and MAO inhibitors. No interaction case was found; the concern is a theory.

^{4 6 1}

Is catuaba safe in pregnancy or while breastfeeding?

Avoid it unless a clinician agrees. In rats, a bark extract during pregnancy caused more early pregnancy loss, and WebMD says effects in pregnancy and breast milk are unknown. No LactMed record was found.

^{8 1 2}

Do health agencies approve or warn about catuaba?

We did not find an NCCIH page, an EMA/HMPC monograph, a LiverTox record or a LactMed record for catuaba. WebMD says the FDA has not reviewed it. Not found is not proof that none exists.

^{2 1}

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Editorial transparency

Written by: AlternativeMed editorial team. Research compiled with AI assistance, then checked against PubMed records.
Medical review: None. This page has not been reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.
First published: 2026-10-25
Last substantive update: 2026-10-25
How we research: We started from our existing catuaba summary, re-checked its PubMed items, searched PubMed for mood, memory, MAO, heart, herpes, safety and chemistry papers, and read the abstract of every PubMed study cited. We checked plant names in GBIF and NCBI Taxonomy and compound IDs in PubChem. NCCIH, EMA, LiverTox and LactMed were checked quickly and nothing was found; WebMD was read as a secondary reference.
How we rate evidence: See "How we rate evidence" in the Evidence tab.
Independence: No product is promoted on this page. No affiliate links are shown. Branded products in the trials are flagged where funding was not stated.

Sources 20

Each source was opened and checked. Where we read only the abstract, it says so. The small numbers in the text point here.

AlternativeMed research check. Catuaba - Uses, Side Effects, and More (WebMD, medically reviewed 3 Aug 2026). WebMD (consumer drug reference). 2026. (web page)
AlternativeMed research check. Regulator and reference checks for catuaba (NCCIH, EMA/HMPC, LiverTox, LactMed): none found. NCCIH; EMA; NCBI Bookshelf. 2026. (api and URL checks)
AlternativeMed research check. GBIF species matches: Trichilia catigua, Erythroxylum vaccinifolium, Erythroxylum catuaba, Anemopaegma mirandum, Tabebuia catuaba. GBIF API. 2026. (api)
Bernardo J, Ferreres F, Gil-Izquierdo A, et al.. In vitro multimodal-effect of Trichilia catigua A. Juss. (Meliaceae) bark aqueous extract in CNS targets.. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2018. PMID 28970152. DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2017.09.039. (abstract)
Campos MM, Fernandes ES, Ferreira J, et al.. Pharmacological and neurochemical evidence for antidepressant-like effects of the herbal product Catuama.. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. 2004. PMID 15301932. DOI 10.1016/j.pbb.2004.05.024. (abstract)
Campos MM, Fernandes ES, Ferreira J, et al.. Antidepressant-like effects of Trichilia catigua (Catuaba) extract: evidence for dopaminergic-mediated mechanisms.. Psychopharmacology. 2005. PMID 15991001. DOI 10.1007/s00213-005-0052-1. (abstract)
Chang X, Dong M, Mi X, et al.. The Protective Effect of Trichilia catigua A. Juss. on DEHP-Induced Reproductive System Damage in Male Mice.. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2022. PMID 35185586. DOI 10.3389/fphar.2022.832789. (abstract)
Dos Santos AH, Ramos AC, Silveira KM, et al.. The exposure to Trichilia catigua (catuaba) crude extract impairs fertility of adult female rats but does not cause reproductive damage to male offspring.. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2015. PMID 25792016. DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2015.03.018. (abstract)
Espada SF, Faccin-Galhardi LC, Rincao VP, et al.. Antiviral Activity of Trichilia catigua Bark Extracts for Herpesvirus and Poliovirus.. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. 2015. PMID 25941883. DOI 10.2174/1389201016666150505125235. (abstract)
Godinho J, de Oliveira RMW, de Sa-Nakanishi AB, et al.. Ethyl-acetate fraction of Trichilia catigua restores long-term retrograde memory and reduces oxidative stress and inflammation after global cerebral ischemia in rats.. Behavioural Brain Research. 2018. PMID 28919157. DOI 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.08.050. (abstract)
Kletter C, Glasl S, Presser A, et al.. Morphological, chemical and functional analysis of catuaba preparations.. Planta Medica. 2004. PMID 15490329. DOI 10.1055/s-2004-832627. (abstract)
Martins NO, de Brito IM, Araújo SSO, et al.. Antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antifatigue effects of Trichilia catigua (catuaba).. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2018. PMID 29866157. DOI 10.1186/s12906-018-2222-9. (abstract)
Oliveira CH, Moraes ME, Moraes MO, et al.. Clinical toxicology study of an herbal medicinal extract of Paullinia cupana, Trichilia catigua, Ptychopetalum olacoides and Zingiber officinale (Catuama) in healthy volunteers.. Phytotherapy Research. 2005. PMID 15798997. DOI 10.1002/ptr.1484. (abstract)
Pontieri V, Neto AS, de França Camargo AF, et al.. The herbal drug Catuama reverts and prevents ventricular fibrillation in the isolated rabbit heart.. Journal of Electrocardiology. 2007. PMID 17888942. DOI 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2007.06.002. (abstract)
Ribelato EV, Wouk J, Celestino GG, et al.. Topical formulations containing Trichilia catigua extract as therapeutic options for a genital and an acyclovir-resistant strain of herpes recurrent infection.. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology. 2023. PMID 37338788. DOI 10.1007/s42770-023-01027-w. (abstract)
Spanemberg JC, Cherubini K, de Figueiredo MA, et al.. Effect of an herbal compound for treatment of burning mouth syndrome: randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology. 2012. PMID 22669143. DOI 10.1016/j.oooo.2011.09.005. (abstract)
Tang W, Hioki H, Harada K, et al.. Antioxidant phenylpropanoid-substituted epicatechins from Trichilia catigua.. Journal of Natural Products. 2007. PMID 18020420. DOI 10.1021/np0703895. (abstract)
Teixeira TM, Boeff DD, de Oliveira Carvalho L, et al.. The traditional use of native Brazilian plants for male sexual dysfunction: Evidence from ethnomedicinal applications, animal models, and possible mechanisms of action.. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2024. PMID 37437795. DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116876. (abstract)
Truiti MT, Soares L, Longhini R, et al.. Trichilia catigua ethyl-acetate fraction protects against cognitive impairments and hippocampal cell death induced by bilateral common carotid occlusion in mice.. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2015. PMID 26099636. DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2015.05.060. (abstract)
Zanolari B, Guilet D, Marston A, et al.. Tropane alkaloids from the bark of Erythroxylum vacciniifolium.. Journal of Natural Products. 2003. PMID 12713400. DOI 10.1021/np020512m. (abstract)

Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.