on aphrodisiacs

In the past, the mandrake was believed to be a particularly powerful aphrodisiac. This belief stemmed from the plant's historical connection to religious visions and the strange dynamism of the cults of death and resurrection that arrived in Greece from the Near East, around the fourth century BC, shortly before Plato's time.

These cults, described at length in Sir James Fraser's anthropological classic The Golden Bough, worshiped a series of gods who were believed to have died and resurrected. These gods included Dionysus, Attis and Tammuz from the East and Osiris from Egypt. Like Christianity that appeared a few centuries later, these cults promised their believers that they could repeat the miraculous miracle of the gods. Unlike Christianity, they offered a kind of "proof" of this - an experience that was supposed to convince the believer that he died and came back to life, or that he entered a place where life and death are not opposites, but parts of the same continuum. This experience included the use of mandrake and sometimes also plants such as thorn apple (datura) and belladonna.

These three plants have two things in common: they belong to the Solanaceae family and are considered aphrodisiacs. Solanaceae plants, like psychedelics, but unlike true sedative drugs, produce excitement rather than fatigue and drowsiness; They also produce hallucinations that look completely realistic, causing the user to believe in them, even if they are improbable phenomena. Unlike psychedelics such as LSD, where misconceptions change rapidly and are never taken seriously, Mandragora causes what appears to remain constant, and one even tends to believe this constant while using it, such as seeing a polar bear in a black turtleneck sweater lying in the corner of the room.

Drugs from the Solanaceae family, unlike psychedelics, are also very poisonous, and it is easy to take an overdose that will lead to death. Because of this, our information about them is much lesser than what we have about psychedelics. There were fewer experimenters, or at least fewer who survived to tell the tale. This explains the very careful remark that such drugs are "regarded as aphrodisiacs." Current medical opinion states that there are no true aphrodisiacs. (Apologies for that). However, it seems that certain chemicals sometimes function in a way that is very similar to that of a real aphrodisiac.

(The text above was edited from the book 'Sex, Drugs and Magic' by Robert Anton Wilson).

An aphrodisiac is a substance believed to increase libido, sexual pleasure, sexual attraction or sexual behavior.
Aphrodisiacs range from plants, spices, foods to synthetic substances such as MDMA and amphetamine.
They can be classified according to the type of their effects: psychological or physiological.

Aphrodisiacs with hallucinogenic properties, such as bufotenin, can increase libido and sexual pleasure through a psychological effect, while aphrodisiacs with muscle relaxant properties, such as yohimbine, affect hormone concentrations and increase blood flow, such as Viagra.

- Aphrodisiac effects may also be due to the placebo effect.
-Substances that inhibit the effects of aphrodisiacs are called anaphrodisiacs, and they have the opposite effect on libido.

Although both sexes can benefit from the use of aphrodisiacs, history and research tend to focus more on males. This is due to the historical association of aphrodisiacs which focused mainly on men. Only in recent years attention has been paid to understanding their impact on women. In addition, cultural influences on appropriate sexual behavior have also contributed to this gap.

The word "aphrodisiac" comes from the Greek (ἀφροδισιακον - aphrodisiakón), which means "sexual" or "pertaining to Aphrodite", the Greek goddess of love, beauty and fertility. Throughout human history, there has been a belief that certain foods, drinks and behaviors have the power to make sex more pleasurable. However, from a historical and scientific point of view, these results may have been mainly due to the belief of the users (placebo effect).

-Many medications affect libido in inconsistent and sometimes contradictory ways.

Ancient cultures such as Chinese, Indian, Egyptian, Roman and Greek believed that certain substances could enhance libido and sexual pleasure. Men who suffered from erectile problems were considered inferior, so the search for stimulants was of great importance. At the same time, there were also those who did not suffer from problems but were looking for performance improvements and increased enjoyment.

The information about these substances has been passed down from generation to generation, and includes Hindi songs that talked about performance enhancers and Chinese texts that describe substances with aphrodisiac properties. Egyptians wrote advice on treating erectile dysfunction, and West African manuscripts dealt with aphrodisiacs and infertility remedies.




An overview of the plants found in the 'Razei Ha'chesheck' liqueur:

Damiana (Turnera diffusa):
Damiana leaves are harvested from the plant Turnera diffusa, a shrub native to Mexico.
Besides being used in the production of a popular Mexican liqueur called Damiana, this fragrant herb enjoys a long and unjustified history of use as an aphrodisiac, supposedly capable of stimulating the libido of both men and women.
It is produced on the outskirts of Todos Santos, the origin of the alcoholic drink 'Damiana', which is a mixture of sugar cane liqueur or vodka, with the exquisite Damiana plant, which has a soft taste and an aroma that is hard to forget.
Have you tried it? This drink is typical of the area and is attributed to soothing digestive properties and especially an aphrodisiac.

Damiana has been used since prehistoric times in northern Mexico and the Mayan regions for medicinal and aphrodisiac purposes.
The plant was introduced to Europe in 1880 and was included in pharmacopoeias as a tonic and aphrodisiac. It was used in products such as "French coca wine" before the prohibition period in the US.

Traditional preparation: infusion, smoking, tincture, decoction or in a liqueur.



Ethnobotanical profile of Muira Puama:

Scientific name: Ptychopetalum olacoides
Common Names: Muira Puama, Potency Tree, "Viagra of the Amazon"
Geographical origin: the Amazon rainforest in South America
Traditional uses:
Muira Puama was traditionally used by indigenous tribes in the Amazon such as Shaninko, Kaxinawá, and Matis.
In the indigenous tribes of the Amazon, Muira Puema was used as a medicine for sexual devotion and to improve sexual function. It is taken as a natural supplement for general health and to support the various body systems.
In modern medicine, in Europe and America, Muira Puema is also used as an anti-rheumatic drug, an aphrodisiac, and a tonic for general health, energy, and memory.


Ethnobotanical profile of Catuaba:

Plant origin and history
Catuaba, or by its scientific name Trichilia catigua, is a flowering tree that originates from the Amazon rainforest in South America. This plant has a long history of use among indigenous communities in South America, especially in Brazil, where it is known for its healing and magical properties.

Among the Brazilian natives, such as the Tupi and the Guarani, the catuaba was an integral part of the local culture. It was used as a natural stimulant, to improve memory, to increase energy, and to strengthen the body and mind. The plant was also used as a powerful aphrodisiac, as part of fertility and transition rituals, and sometimes also in healing rituals.

In Brazil, the plant is considered a part of folk medicine, where it was used to strengthen the central nervous system, calm tensions and relieve mental and physical fatigue.
Today, catuaba is also used in modern alternative medicine, both in Brazil and in the West.

In the bark of the tree there is a group of three alkaloids known as catuabine A, B and C, which are responsible for the aphrodisiac and relaxing properties of the plant. Studies have found that catuaba has dopaminergic actions, which regulate the receptors in the brain associated with the neurotransmitter dopamine, so the plant may prove to be an ally.



Ethnobotanical profile of Kaempferia galanga – galangal:

Family: Zingiberaceae
Genus: Kaempferia
Species: Galanga
Common names: Galanga, Resurrection lily, Hingoro-piali, Marba, Sidhol, Camphor root.

This short-stemmed herb has flat, green, long leaves that are 3-6 cm across. The white flowers (with a purple spot on the rim) are ephemeral and grow from the center of the plant. Kaempferia galanga is found in tropical areas of Africa, and in Southeast Asia and also gets along with the climate in the israel.

Galangal is used as an entheogen and aphrodisiac plant in New Guinea.
There, it is taken as part of the last three stages of initiation rites along with species of mushrooms such as Boletus, Heimiella, Russula, and psilocybe mushrooms (Voogelbreinder 2009).

Each species in the genus is valued for its highly aromatic rhizome, which is sometimes used to season rice and as a medicine. In Malaysia, the plant was added to arrow poison prepared from Antiaris toxicaria. Galangal is used to make incense in Japan and in Thailand, the root and leaves are put into curry as a flavoring agent.



Ethnobotanical profile of yohimbe:

Scientific name: Pausinystalia yohimbe
Common names: Yohimbe, potential tree, Yohimbé Tree
Geographical origin: tropical forests in Nigeria, Cameroon and Congo

An evergreen plant that can grow nearly a hundred feet tall. It reminds me a little of the the coffee plant. It has oval leaves with thick inflorescences that produce white flowers and winged seeds. The bark of this tree is the source of the psychoactive alkaloid yohimbine.

Since ancient times, the bark of yohimbe tree has been used in Africa as an aphrodisiac, especially among the Bantu people. The yohimbe tree has been highly regarded as an aphrodisiac and stimulant in Cameroon, where the bark of yohimbe tree was used in folk medicine to treat impotence resulting from black magic and witchcraft (Dalziel 1937).

It is likely that yohimbe was once used in West Africa as an initiation drink. An initiation ceremony was described by a West African explorer who traveled to the region in the late 19th century.

"Black magic sorcerers gave initiates a yohimbe drink to prepare them for initiation. After taking the potion, the apprentice's nerves would become extremely stretched and an epileptic fit would overcome them. During this attack, sorcerers began unconsciously uttering words that, when heard by the initiate, had a prophetic meaning and proved that the spirits had successfully resided within the initiate" (Rouhier 1927).

Yohimbe bark has been used as a topical pain reliever, similar to coca leaves, but without the extended effects on the pupils.

It was also used to improve the clarity of the voice in singers, indicating a traditional use to improve laryngitis. It was also used to increase libido in animals.

Yohimbe is a mild MAO inhibitor, meaning it inhibits the monoamine oxidase enzyme that destroys amines that can be toxic to the body. In order to avoid physical consequences, you may want to avoid certain foods before working with yohimbe and the liqueur, such as cheese, fermented foods and beverages, chocolate, and bananas, as well as certain other visionary plants, such as cacti that contain mescaline. It should not be taken with amphetamines or by anyone with kidney, liver or heart problems. Yohimbe may also be dangerous in combination with SSRI antidepressants.


+ When working with any herbal product or unfamiliar entheogen, always start with a low dose, and pay close attention to any reactions you experience.

It is better to feel nothing, than to find yourself in an unpleasant, or worse, dangerous situation.