Green Oats as an Aphrodisiac

Green Oats (Avena Sativa) is a botanical extract that has traditionally been used to increase strength, mind, spirit and body. It is an extract from wild oats straw which are harvested during their milky stage. References to the sexually stimulating effects of oats have been found up to 200 years ago in the German Pharmacopoeia. Modern studies at the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality have shown that the extract helps improve interest in sex.

Oats have been a traditional food for people recovering from illnesses. It’s primarily used to supplement fiber in the diet. In the 12th century, it has been reported that wild green oats are used as mood enhancers and contribute to a clear, sharp mind. It also builds strength which benefits those suffering chronic fatigue.

Currently though, oats are more commonly associated with heart health and considered a slow release carbohydrate that can help keep sugar levels at a steady. The extract from its wild counterpart (green oats - avena sativa) is also becoming a popular natural alternative to pharmaceutical erection enhancers without the dangerous side effects. In men it is effective for treating impotence and premature ejaculation. In women it reportedly increases sexual desire.

A research conducted by an Israeli company, Frutarom, which was announced in 2006, helped support the efficacy of green oats use in the middle ages. They discovered that green oats can provide positioning opportunities in the areas of cognitive support, concentration enhancement, stress and burnout, chronic fatigue, mood balance and nerve strengthening.

In 1986, the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, a graduate school specializing in Sexology, conducted a pilot study of green oats. The volunteers in the study expressed interest in improving their sexual response. Their dysfunction/dissatisfaction ranged from male impotence and female lack of desire to inability to respond sexually. The volunteers, ages 22-64, consisted of 20 men and 20 women who were given a 300 mg capsule of Avena Sativa extract; which they took three days a week for six weeks. Men experienced a 22% increase in genital sensation and women experienced a 15% increase in genital sensation. Men experienced a 36% increase in the frequency of orgasms and women experienced a 29% increase in the frequency of orgasms.

According to the study, green oats helps boost the sex drive. Researchers discovered that the extract work by freeing up testosterone, which becomes increasingly bound to various compounds within the body with advancing age. Bound testosterone is not nearly as effective as free testosterone in stimulating the sex centers in the brain that generate the sex drive that leads us to seek out and engage in sexual activity. Bound testosterone, by the way, is mainly attributed with enlarged prostates.

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Damiana an Aphrodisiac

Damiana, of the Turneraceae plant family, is a small aromatic shrub that reaches a height of 4 to 6 feet with small yellow flowers that bloom in summer and are followed by small fruits with a fig-like taste. It grows on dry, sunny, rocky hillsides in south Texas, Southern California, Mexico, and Central America. The two species used in herbal healing, both of which are referred to as damiana, are Turnera aphrodisiaca and Turnera diffusa. Its pale green leaves, which turn yellow-brown when dried, are 0.5–1 in (15–25 mm) long and quite narrow. They have serrated (jagged) edges. The leaves and sometimes the stems of the plant have traditionally been made into a tea which was used by native people of Central and South America for its reputed aphrodisiac effects. Other names for damiana include old woman's broom, Mexican damiana, pastorata, hierba del venado, oreganello, and the bourrique.

In herbal medicine, damiana is used to treat conditions ranging from coughs, to constipation, to depression. The herbal supplement is reputed to help with energy, emphysema, low estrogen, frigidity, hot flashes, impotence, infertility, menopause, Parkinson's disease, PMS, inflammation of prostate, Lou Gehrig's disease, and more dealing with reproductive organs in both males and females.

As an aphrodisiac the Mayas used it more specifically as a remedy for "giddy" love, as an herbal medecine for focusing sexual energies than for creating them. Damiana seems to have a positive toning effect on both the nervous system and sexual organs, especially when combined in equal parts with saw palmetto berries. Some users of the combination tea (damiana and saw palmetto) report that, when taken an hour or so before sexual activity, it helps produce a more satisfactory experience. The best results seem to be obtained when damiana is taken in moderation over a period of time. Using the tea one cup per day for two weeks seems to have stimulating effects on sexual performance.

Also classified as a nerve tonic, damiana benefits the genitourinary, gastro-intestinal and renal tracts by helping tone the mucous surfaces to provide increased sensitivity in the genitals which helps improve the reproductive activities.

A popular aphrodisiac for men, it has also been used by numerous people for the purpose of enhancing orgasms in women because of the claims that it is more effective in women than in men.

Damiana contains estrogenic substances which can be beneficial to the health of men as well as women. In some scientific studies, it has been shown that regardless of the age of adult men, higher estrogen levels mean protection against heart disease and stroke.

In women, the consumption of phytoestrogens can even result in more sexual appetite. This is thought to happen because phytoestrogens are weaker than the estrogens produced by a woman's ovaries. When phytoestrogens attach themselves to estrogen binding sites, they block, to a certain extent, a woman's own estrogens thus tilting a woman’s estrogen / testosterone balance slightly in favor of testosterone.

It has been known for decades that both sexes produce both so-called sex hormones, estrogens and testosterone (with the main estrogen, estradiol, actually metabolized from testosterone by the enzyme aromatase). However, men's testosterone levels are about ten times as high as those of women.

In both sexes, testosterone is essential for sex drive. Men lacking in testosterone usually are sexually sluggish or impotent, while raising the testosterone levels in women just slightly can make a very, very big difference for sexual appetite.

You should not expect a dramatic reaction when using damiana as an aphrodisiac. Its effects are more subtle and cumulative. Whether taken as a tea or liqueur, damiana is an easy, inexpensive way to spice up your love life.

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Dodders for Increased Fertility

In traditional Chinese medicine, Dodder or Cuscuta seeds were generally used as an aphrodisiac and as treatment to most uro-genital disorders. Similarly, in western herbalism, the species Cuscuta epithymum is most commonly used in healing.

Cuscuta is the name of a group of plants in the morning glory family. Cuscuta is more often called "dodder" in English-speaking countries; and its species are found almost everywhere in the world. Other names include hellweed, devil's gut, beggarweed, strangle tare, scaldweed, dodder of thyme, greater dodder, and lesser dodder. Cuscuta seeds are called Tu Si Zi in Chinese. These seeds are from the species Cuscuta Japonica (although some refer to it more as Cuscuta Chinensis).

Despite being considered as a destructive weed by western agriculturists, some western herbalists use the C. epithymum (the one that grows in thyme) to treat and support liver function, spleen, and gallbladder disorders such as jaundice. It is also considered as a mild laxative and diuretic and can be used to treat pains in the hip, buttocks, lower back, and other adjacent parts, and scurvy. It can be gathered fresh and applied externally to the skin to treat scrofuladerma (tuberculosis of the skin).

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cuscuta seeds are often used in a long term medication, wherein constant use improves and strengthens the sexual functions of both male and female users. It has been known to balance and tonify the kidney yin and yang, and helps nourish and consolidate chi in the kidney. Its constant use nourishes the sperm production thereby reducing the possibility of impotence. It also strengthens sexual functions, eliminating premature ejaculation, frequent urination, and leucorrhea or leukorrhagia which is an unusual white or yellowish discharge (usually foul smelling) from the vagina or cervical canal.

Chinese herbalists describe Tu Si Zi or Cuscuta seeds as neutral in nature with a sweet pungent taste which can also be used to treat diarrhea, and constipation. Since it strengthens the liver and kidney meridians it also helps remove ringing in the ears, aching lower back areas, dizziness, and weak eyesight which, according to traditional Chinese belief, are indications of a weak kidney yin.

Cuscuta also helps in nourishing the marrows and strengthening of the bone and sinews which clears away back, knee, and other joint pains. It also helps build the overall Yin essence and thus it is considered to be an anti-aging herb and prevents loss of bodily fluids. Other applications include the treatment of sore heads and inflamed eyes which involve a lotion made from the herb’s stems.

Cuscuta are often used with either Yin or Yang tonic herbs depending on the specifics of the person's condition. Cuscuta is almost always combined with Cnidium seed because they enhance one another.

Cuscuta is one of nine herbs included in the manufacture of Equiguard, a Chinese herbal medicine recommended for kidney and prostate disorders. Research performed at New York Medical College indicates that the combination of ingredients in Equiguard may well be effective in the treatment of prostate cancer. The preparation inhibited the growth of cancer cells, increased the rate of self-destruction (apoptosis) of cancer cells, and prevented the surviving cells from forming colonies.

Cuscuta is also used in the Indian system of Ayurvedic healing to treat jaundice, muscle pain, coughs, and problems with urination.

Little scientific research has been done in the West on cuscuta. A purgative compound has been isolated from the herb; however, that supports its traditional use as a liver and gallbladder tonic. Other research done at Asian universities indicates that cuscuta seeds contain a complex carbohydrate that stimulates the immune system and has some antioxidant properties as well.

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Horny Goat Weed, the New Viagra

Literally a former food for the “goats” since according to legend a farmer discovered its potency through his herd of goats that constantly feed on this herb. Horny Goat Weed, according to an Italian research, may in fact replace Viagra. It gets you horny like that of Viagra minus the side effects such as headaches and blindness because it’s natural. The key to the herb's effects is the compound icariin which targets impotence more effectively than Viagra.

Viagra prevents erectile dysfunction by stopping an enzyme known for restricting blood flow to the area. Scientists altered the compound icariin in the Chinese wonder herb and discovered that it stopped the enzyme in the same way that Viagra does. There are fewer or zero side effects because the compound targets the enzyme more precisely.

Lead researcher of the lab experiments at the University in Milan, Mario Dell'Agli, said: "This could be the natural Viagra. We have synthesized a new molecule that one day may be able to replace Viagra."

"The novelty of this work is the new molecule we have synthesized by icariin," Dell'Agli said. "It is derived by chemical modifications of the structure of icariin, which is the active ingredient purified from E. brevicornum (horny goat weed). The mechanism by which the molecule we have found might work in humans is the inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE 5) in the corpus cavernosum [erectile tissue in the penis], which is the mechanism by which Viagra works. This is an in vitro study. It can be considered a pre-clinical study."

Horny goat weed, hailing primarily from southern China, has a long history as an aphrodisiac. It is known by the Chinese as Yin Yang Huo and was discovered sometime around 200 B.C. The Chinese consider it as the premier libido lifter for men and women, a super tonic to supercharge a dead sex drive. Besides sexual dysfunction, it is also widely used as a traditional botanical medicine in China and Japan for disorders of the kidney, joints, liver, back, and knees. In the west, it’s usually marketed as an aphrodisiac for women. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is also used for promoting heath and longevity.

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Aloe Vera for Healthy Sex

Aloe Vera is a succulent plant of the lily family native to the Cape of Good Hope and growing wild in much of Africa and Madagascar. It produces a ring of dagger shaped fleshy leaves that grow up from the base of the plant. Each leaf can grow up to nearly 2kg in weight. It is from the leaf that the soothing Aloe Vera juice is extracted. The Aloe Vera plant is drought resistant and grows mainly in subtropical desert-like savannas. Aloe Vera can grow to 20 meters in height but usually grows only to about 1.5 meters. Each plant has about 15 leaves and blooms intermittently. It produces erect spikes of drooping yellow, orange or red tubular flowers on a woody stem.

Dr. Morton Walker and Joan Walker, authors of the book Sexual Nutrition, suggest Aloe Vera as an "excellent aphrodisiac drink." Dr. Robert Picker of the Berkeley Holistic Clinic in Berkeley, California claims to have used it with over three hundred people, with phenomenal results.

Medicinal Use of Aloe Vera

In addition to its aphrodisiac properties, Aloe Vera is considered to have many other health benefits. Whole leaf aloe contains components that possess significant immune enhancing and antiviral properties. Doctors are using it as part of the treatment to fight AIDS, arthritis, Epstein-Barr, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, because it stimulates antibodies and T-cells, thus it hastens the regenerative phase of healing.

Russian research has shown benefits to conditions other than those for which Aloe Vera is most well known. These include improvements in bone tuberculosis and broken bones, inflammatory gynecological conditions, paralysis caused by polio; ear, nose and throat conditions, and bronchial asthma. They have also found that Aloe Vera can help slow the aging process. Both Russia and the United States have carried out extensive research into the use of Aloe Vera for all types of burns. They found that compounds within Aloe Vera can help the burn heal, and can also have a cleansing and antibacterial effect.

Research has also been carried out into whether Aloe Vera can play a role in the treatment of cancer. Aloe Vera appears to cause the release of tumor necrosis factor Alpha that blocks the blood supply to cancerous growths.

A study in Japan showed that drinking Aloe Vera juice regularly may be effective in preventing the onset of lung cancer in smokers.

Aloe Vera has been used medicinally for 5,000 years. It has been called the "miracle plant", the "medicine plant" and the "wand of heaven". Aloe Vera is a natural detoxifier, it boosts the immune system, increases beneficial intestinal flora, soothes and repairs damaged and inflamed tissue both internally and externally. It has often been seen as a "cure-all" because it has so many uses.

The first recorded evidence of the healing properties of Aloe Vera is found on ancient Egyptian texts dating from around 1500 BC. The Egyptians referred to Aloe Vera as the “Plant of Immortality".

Aristotle was reputed to have persuaded his student Alexander the Great to seize the island if Socorra for the Aloe Vera that grew there. The Aloe could survive unplanted for many years so could be carried as an emergency treatment for wounds suffered by Alexander's troops.

In the first century AD the Greek physician Dioscorides wrote in his Materia Medica that Aloe Vera extract could be used to treat wounds, stomach complaints, constipation, hemorrhoids, headaches, all mouth problems, hair loss, insect bites, kidney ailments and skin irritations.

In Africa Aloe Vera was used for stomach aches and to prevent infection from insect bites.

The Chinese used Aloe Vera for treating eczema during the Sung dynasty.

In India during the fourth century Aloe Vera is called "the silent healer" and used it to heal skin conditions and inflammation.

In the early Christian era Aloe Vera could be found in all advanced medical texts.

Eventually Aloe Vera was introduced into the Americas. In Mexico the juice was used to treat skin complaints and wounds. In Central and South America people used the juice as an insect repellant. Aloe Vera was sold in the street markets of Latin America as an aphrodisiac.

Jesuit priests were encouraged to take Aloe Vera with them when going to the New World to spread the bible. Settlers in North America were using Aloe Vera to heal wounds and burns. The indigenous Seminole people believed that the plant had powerful rejuvenating properties and that a "Fountain of Youth" sprang from a pool within a cluster of Aloes. As the popularity of Aloe Vera increased during the 18th century so trade wars occurred between the British, Spanish and Dutch to establish Aloe plantations in the New World.

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries many wealthy collectors of exotic plants added Aloe Vera to their collections and many discoveries about its properties were made during this period. At one time Chatsworth House in Derbyshire housed the finest collection of Aloes in England.

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Oregano Aphrodisiac

Oregano is an important culinary and medicinal herb that has been used in medicine and cooking for thousands of years, with a number of potential health benefits. It is a species of Origanum, belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Its name comes from the Greek words oros (mountain) and ganos (joy). 

This great herb is an effective natural aphrodisiac for women and men. It stimulates the heart and increases sexual energy. Oregano is easy to find, inexpensive and tastes great with Italian food. Buy some fresh oregano from the local store, and look up some good recipes where this herb can be used.

The herb is used to treat respiratory tract disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, menstrual cramps, and urinary tract disorders. It is also applied to help treat a number of skin conditions, such as acne and dandruff.

Oregano contains: fiber, iron, manganese, vitamin E, iron, calcium, omega fatty acids, manganese, typtophan, vitamin K (vitamin involved in bone growth and density, and the production of blood clotting proteins), and dietary antioxidants.

Oregano has shown antimicrobial activity against 41 strains of the food pathogen listeria monocytogenes and it can even kill the hospital superbug MRSA.

Scientists at Bonn University, Germany, and the ETH Zurich, Switzerland, identified an active ingredient in oregano - known as beta-caryophyllin (E-BCP) - which may possibly be of use against disorders such as osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis.

Biologists at the United Arab Emirates University reported in the journal PLoS ONE that oregano exhibits anticancer activity by encouraging cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (cancer cells commit suicide) of the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer line. Put simply, they believe components in oregano may help slow down or prevent the progression of breast cancer.

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Fennel as an Aphrodisiac

Fennel’s botanical name is Foeniculum vulgare and it belongs to the Apiaceae family which also includes plants like parsley and carrot. Fennel is native to southern Europe though it is now naturalized in northern Europe, North America and Australia besides being cultivated almost all over the world. Fennel is related to plants like cumin, dill, anise and caraway in that all these herbs bear small, aromatic fruits which are popularly called seeds.

Fennel has a long history of magical, medicinal and culinary uses. The first known use of the herb was made by the ancient Egyptians who regarded fennel as a potent nutritional supplement and libido booster and employed the herb in various medicinal and culinary recipes. In ancient China, fennel was believed to treat cases of snake bite too. In Ancient Greece, fennel was called marathon for its association with strength, longevity and courage. Pliny the Elder, the legendary Roman scientist and scholar, promoted fennel’s medicinal properties and recommended approximately two-dozen remedies using fennel.

From the medicinal, it was a small step to the magical when fennel was started to be used in the Middle Ages as protection against witches and evil spirits and accordingly hung over the doorway of houses on Midsummer Eve. Eventually fennel came to be used as an important ingredient in love potions, a tradition which continued with modifications till recent times as evidenced by fennel’s presence in modern stimulants like absinthe.

The key to fennel’s reputation as an aphrodisiac lies in the fact that the plant contains certain compounds that are similar to the female hormone estrogen. These plant-based estrogen-like compounds are known as phytoestrogen and are believed to stimulate sexual desire among women. Probably for this reason too, fennel was used as a breast enlarger in folk medicine. In fact, so rich is fennel in phytoestrogens that in the 1930s, the herb was considered as a source for producing synthetic estrogens.

Besides working directly to enhance the libido, fennel is packed with valuable nutrients essential for building up immunity and the proper functioning of all systems of the body including the sex organs. The herb is rich in fiber, vitamin C and minerals like calcium, magnesium, manganese and iron, all of which are essential for a healthy sex life. Being stocked with essential vitamins and minerals, fennel has powerful antioxidant properties which prevents signs of aging and helps to boost immunity, longevity and sexual vigor.

Fennel has been known to alleviate several types of gynecological disorders. One example is its ability to encourage menstruation among women suffering from absence of or scanty periods. According to traditional medicine, the herb is also an effective means of reducing distressing symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings related to pre-menstrual syndrome and menopause.

Fennel oil is sweet and aromatic which has been traditionally used to stimulate sexual desire in women by appealing to the olfactory senses. In fact, fennel seeds were chewed to obtain sweet-smelling breath in the past when artificial mints and breath fresheners were not available. And everyone knows how conducive a fresh, sweet smelling breath is to amorous encounters! This is also one reason why the essential oil made from fennel seeds has emerged as a significant ingredient in the manufacture of perfumes, soaps, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals in modern times.

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Thyme an aphrodisiac

Thyme is used most widely in cooking. Thyme is a basic ingredient in French and Italian cuisines, and in those derived from them. It is also widely used in Lebanese and Caribbean cuisines. Thyme is often used to flavour meats, soups and stews. It has a particular affinity to and is often used as a primary flavour with lamb, tomatoes and eggs.

Traditionally, thyme has been associated with the occult. Ancient Egyptians used thyme in embalming. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing that thyme was a source of courage. For them, thyme came to denote elegance, and the phrase "to smell of thyme" became an expression of stylish praise. Thyme was widely used: medically, in massage and bath oils, as incense in the temples and as an aphrodisiac. It was thought that the spread of thyme throughout Europe was thanks to the Romans, as they used it to purify their rooms. In the European Middle Ages, the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares. In this period, women would also often give knights and warriors gifts that included thyme leaves as it was believed to bring courage to the bearer. Thyme was also used as incense and placed on coffins during funerals as it was supposed to assure passage into the next life.

In literature, thyme is often associated with the activities of fairies. Shakespeare's Oberon, king of the fairies, speaks of knowing "...where the wild thyme grows." The English variety of wild thyme referred to has the highest concentration of volatile oils. Perhaps this accounts for its use as one of the main ingredients in a 17th century recipe which "enables one to see the Faeries."

The flowering thyme tops contain an essential oil consisting primarily of thymol (20-55%) and carvacrol, along with tannins, bitter compounds, saponins, and organic acids. Thymol, an antiseptic, is the main active ingredient in Listerine mouthwash. Before the advent of modern antibiotics, it was used to medicate bandages. It has also been shown to be effective against the fungus that commonly infects toenails. The antiseptic property of thyme has been recorded as far back as 3000 BC when it was used by the Sumerians.

A tea made by infusing the herb in water can be used for cough and bronchitis. Medicinally thyme is used for respiratory infections in the form of a tincture, tisane, salve, syrup or by steam inhalation. Because it is antiseptic, thyme boiled in water and cooled is very effective against inflammation of the throat when gargled 3 times a day. The inflammation will normally disappear in 2 - 5 days. Other infections and wounds can be dripped with thyme that has been boiled in water and cooled. Besides being an effective antiseptic, it also has expectorant, antispasmodic, and deodorant properties. It aids in digestion, and as such, is excellent when combined with fatty meats that often cause gastrointestinal problems such as duck, lamb, and pork. Herbalists use thyme in infusions, extracts, teas, compresses, bath preparations and gargles. Recent studies indicate that thyme strengthens the immune system.

With its elfin leaves, delicate blossoms, subtle woodsy flavor, and medicinal properties, it is easy to see why thyme might be associated with things elusive and magical, even as an aphrodisiac.

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Rosemary an aphrodisiac

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs. Forms range from upright to trailing; the upright forms can reach 1.5 m tall, rarely 2 m. The leaves are evergreen, 2-4 cm long and 2-5 mm broad, green above, and white below with dense short woolly hairs. The flowers are variable in color, being white, pink, purple, or blue.

The fresh and dried leaves are used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine as an herb; they have a bitter, astringent taste, which complements oily foods, such as lamb and oily fish. A tisane can also be made from them. They are extensively used in cooking, and when burned give off a distinct mustard smell, as well as a smell similar to that of burning which can be used to flavor foods while barbecuing. Rosemary, in the dried form, is extremely high in iron, calcium, and Vitamin B6. It is in fact more nutrient rich in its dry form than fresh rosemary across the board.

The Ancients were well acquainted with the shrub, which had a reputation for strengthening the memory and has been used as a symbol for remembrance. On this account it became the emblem of fidelity for lovers. It holds a special position among herbs from the symbolism attached to it. Not only was it used at weddings, but also at funerals, for decking churches and banqueting halls at festivals, as incense in religious ceremonies, and in magical spells. Mourners would throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead.

Tonic, astringent, diaphoretic, stimulant; oil of Rosemary has the carminative properties of other volatile oils and is an excellent stomachic and nervine, curing many cases of headache. It is employed principally, externally, as spiritus Rosmarini, in hair-lotions, for its odor and effect in stimulating the hair-bulbs to renewed activity and preventing premature baldness. An infusion of the dried plant (both leaves and flowers), combined with borax and used when cold, makes one of the best hair washes known. It forms an effectual remedy for the prevention of scurf and dandruff.

Rosemary oil helps to clear the mind and strengthen the memory. The penetrating actions of Rosemary oil are beneficial in the treatment of muscular pain and arthritic conditions. It has a very intoxicating aroma. According to Cynthia Mervis Watson, author of “Love Potions: A Guide to Aphrodisiacs and Sexual Pleasures,” rosemary plays on our scent memory – our strongest tie to emotional experiences. Therefore, if the scent of rosemary is present during an amorous event the smell of the herb will act as a Pavlovian “call to love” in the future.

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Coriander as an aphrodisiac

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), also commonly called cilantro in North America, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Coriander is native to southwestern Asia west to north Africa. It is a soft, hairless, fetid plant growing to 50 cm tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems. The flowers are borne in small umbels, white or very pale pink, asymmetrical, with the petals pointing away from the centre of the umbel longer (5-6 mm) than those pointing to the middle of the umbel (only 1-3 mm long). The fruit is a globular dry schizocarp 3-5 mm diameter.

Also referred to as “cilantro” and “Chinese parsley”, it is a fast growing annual reaching 12 - 24 inches tall. The entire plant including the leaves, the seeds and roots are all edible. It has a very pungent odor and is widely used in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian cooking.

Coriander has been cultivated for thousands of years with some evidences pointing back to as early as the Neolithic age. The word "coriander" came from the Greek "koris", which means bug — an allusion to the fetid smell of crushed coriander leaves.

The distinctive smell of fresh coriander leaves is due to the aldehyde in the volatile oil. The leaves are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, the B vitamin riboflavin and dietary fibre. Coriander's use as a medicine is as old as its use as a spice. The ancient Egyptians were among the first to use it as such. The Greeks and Romans used crushed coriander leaves to treat ulcers and rheumatism.

Today coriander is considered an aid to the digestive system. It is an appetite stimulant and aids in the secretion of gastric juices. The essential oils of the cilantro leaves contain antibacterial properties and can be used as a fungicide. Coriander seeds are also considered to have cholesterol lowering properties.

History also attests to its mystical aphrodisiac potency. The Chinese used the herb in love potions believing it provided immortality. The book of The Arabian nights tells a tale of a merchant who had been childless for 40 years and but was cured by a concoction that included coriander. That book is over 1000 years old so the history of coriander as an aphrodisiac dates back far into history. In Ayurveda, coriander is an aphrodisiac, digestive, anti-flatulent, tonic, coolant, and diuretic. In the Middle Ages, several herbs such as the coriander, the cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), the clove (Syzygium aromaticum), the ginger (Zingiber officinale) and the cinnamon (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum) were all mixed to make a drink, called “Hipocras” that was commonly used during weddings. This same drink was imported to Europe by the members of the crusades and later on exported to many nations of South America, but it was banned because it stimulated the libido too much.

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Basil as an aphrodisiac

The generic name, ocimum, derives from the ancient Greek word, okimon, meaning smell, which suggests the impressive nature of basil's fragrance. The specific epithet, basilicum, is Latin for basilikon, which means kingly/royal in Greek. Similarly, the word basil comes from the Greek βασιλευς (basileus), meaning "king", as it is believed to have grown above the spot where St. Constantine and Helen discovered the Holy Cross. Henry Beston suggests that basil was so named for the regal "Tyrian" purple color of its flowers. According to Parkinson, basil's scent was "fit for a king's house". The Oxford English Dictionary quotes speculations that basil may have been used in "some royal unguent, bath, or medicine". Many authors suggest that basil's negative associations stem from the similarity of its Latin specific epithet, basilicum, to the name of the basilisk (or basilicus), the mythical serpent with the lethal gaze.

Basil has been associated with many legends and folklore, several of which have something to do with love and sex, the ones we are interested about.

For centuries, people said that basil stimulated the sex drive and boosted fertility as well as producing a general sense of well being for the body and mind. The scent of basil was said to drive men wild -- so much so that women would dust their breasts with dried and powdered basil. Basil is one of the many reported aphrodisiacs that may have the property of promoting circulation.

Basil's love symbolism isn't limited to India. It has been considered an aphrodisiac by some, is associated with the pagan love goddess, Erzuli, and is used in love spells. In Italy, where sweet basil is called "kiss me Nicholas," "bacia-nicola," it is thought to attract husbands to wives, and a pot of basil on a windowsill is meant to signal a lover. In Moldavian folklore, if a man accepts a sprig of basil from a woman, he will fall in love with her. As is typical for its folklore, while being linked to love and attraction, basil has also conversely been associated with chastity. In Sicilian folklore, basil is associated with both love and death when basil sprouts from the head of [L]isabetta of Messina's slain lover.

Basil has a long history as a medicinal and poisonous herb, some of which have been totally farfetched. The first mention of basil was by Chrysippus (pre-206 B.C.E.) who said: "Ocimum exists only to drive men insane". Parkinson, a seventeenth century author, claimed basil could be used "to procure a cheerful and merry heart". Other classic herbalists such as Gerard praised basil as a remedy for melancholy but also warned that too much basil dulls the sight and causes indigestion. Along with him, Culpeper claimed basil would cure scorpion and bee stings, and Gerard mentioned that basil could spontaneously generate worms if chewed and left in the sun. Basil was also reputed to cause the spontaneous generation of scorpions and to cause scorpions to grow in the brain. This connection with scorpions persists to this day in basil's association with the astrological sign, Scorpio.

The Greek physician Dioscorides prescribed basil for headache. Pliny thought it was an aphrodisiac; his contemporaries fed it to horses during the breeding season.

Today basil has been used as a sedative, an expectorant, and a laxative but it is not used much in herbal preparations today. Still, adding basil leaves to food is an aid to digestion. The essential oil of basil is used to treat skin conditions such as acne. In modern aromatherapy, basil is used to cheer the heart and mind. The sweet, energizing aroma seems to help relieve sorrow and melancholy.

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