Clavo Huasca

Clavo Huasca has also been used for other conditions, including as a febrifuge, digestive and stimulant. The sap from the root contains eugenol, and the Peruvians have used it as a topical pain reliever for toothache. [1]

Clavo Huasca has something of a mischievous reputation in the Amazon. It is an ingredient in two famous South American herbal tonic formulas, both of which are traditionally considered aphrodisiac: Siete Raices (which means "seven roots") and the amusingly named Rompe Calzon ("burst your underwear"). The exact recipe for Siete Raices is varied in different regions, and although the name means "seven roots", Siete Raices may also contain bark or leaves. A typical formulation might consist of Clavo Huasca (Tynanthus panurensis), Iporuro (Alchornea castaneifolia), Piri Piri (aka Para Para - Eustephia Coccinea), Chiric Sanango (Brunfelsia grandiflora), Maca (Lepidium meyenii),  Cascarilla (Croton eluteria) and Chuchuhuasi (Maytenus krukovii). [3] Clavo Huasca is also part of another herbal tonic Veinti Uno Raices ("twenty-one roots"). [2] [4]

Clavo Huasca - Confusion over Identity

Not for the first time, we find some confusion over the true identity of an Amazon herb. More than one plant has been marketed as Clavo Huasca; one being Tynanthus (panurensis), the other being vines of the Mandevilla genus. The Tynanthus vine has now been stated to be the "true" Clavo Huasca - yet digging into history, we find this not to have always been the case: In old times vines of the Mandevilla genus were known as Clavo Huasca.

Clavo Huasca - History

It appears that Clavo Huasca has been hardly known outside of its place of origin until very recently: The earliest mention of it I can find in literature is from a work from 1939 - Catálogo alfabético de los nombres vulgares y científicos de plantas que existen en el Perú - a catalog of plants from Peru, which mentions Mandevilla scabra as Clavo Huasca. [5] Similarly, Vitold de Szyszlo's 1955 "La naturaleza en la América ecuatorial" mentions Clavo Huasca as Mandevilla (p.439), [6] as do all of the (around ten) texts I found dated prior to 1980.

Information on Clavo Huasca is sparse until the 1990s, and it is around this time that we begin to see it referenced as Tynanthus.

Is Clavo Huasca an Aphrodisiac?

Clavo Huasca has a wide tradition of use among Peruvian herbalists as an aphrodisiac, and yet there is very little indeed in the way of modern scientific study. Although some writers have stated that science is entirely mute on the subject of Clavo Huasca, there has been a little research: I was able to find a human trial that had been conducted in 2002-2003 on 38 women over 50 who had no known hormonal imbalance. This appears not to have been a double-blind placebo-controlled trial, merely a simple "try the tincture and fill in the report" type study. The results? 19 of the 38 women reported benefits, and 13 of these reported "significant improvement" in their sexual relations. Some believed that it had "worked wonders" for them. A number of the women reported other benefits from taking the herb, such as better sleep, more energy and mood improvement. None reported any negative side effects. While obviously not a scientific proof, these results would appear significant enough to warrant further study. [7]

I found just two studies of Tynanthus panurensis listed on Pubmed in 2011: A 2005 phytochemical analysis, performed at the Universitá degli Studi di Salerno, Fisciano, Italy, led to the isolation of a new phenylpropanoid glycoside, as well as known flavonoids and other compounds. Free radical scavenging ability was also noted in the hydroalcoholic extract. [8] A 2011 study at the Universidad CEU-San Pablo , Madrid, Spain, showed T. panurensis bark extract to have potent anti-inflammatory properties. [9] However, none of these studies investigated any aphrodisiac quality of the plant. Mandevilla scabra does not appear in any searches on Pubmed. Other Mandevilla species have been investigated for other properties, however, nothing aphrodisiac-related appears.

Given the size of the global marketplace for such products and the strength of the anecdotal evidence surrounding Clavo Huasca, it seems surprising that there has not been further investigation - however given the historical confusion and possible interchangeability between Tynanthus panurensis and Mandevilla scabra, it would make sense to do the research on both plants!

Clavo Huasca Availability

Tynanthus is listed in the AHPA's "Herbs of Commerce", however the names Tynanthus panurensis, Clavo Huasca and Mandevilla do not appear. [10] Clavo Huasca (July 2011) can be seen available for sale online, and a Clavo Huasca Powdered Extract for sale from Barlowe's Elixirs via eBay [11] (no affiliation) is listed as being Tynanthus panurensis originaing from Ecuador. Barlowe's offers a Certificate of Analysis which can be seen online - a very nice and professional touch [12] - and states that Clavo Huasca is especially regarded as an aphrodisiac for women.

A certified organic Clavo Huasca extract listed (July 2011) as available from several suppliers via amazon.com [13] (no affiliation) is certified organic (and I can just about make out the "USDA organic" circular logo on the label) - however it is not readily visible whether the product is Tynanthus panurensis or Mandevilla.

Tweet