Supplement
Caesalpinia benthamiana is a plant whose root has long been used in traditional medicine, and lab work suggests it may influence nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes blood vessels. People mostly look at it for sexual function, and in rats the root extract increased mounting and intromission and delayed ejaculation. The evidence is very limited, though: no human trials exist, and cell studies showing more nitric oxide synthase are only a possible explanation.
- Updated
- How we grade
- Best evidence
- Grade D
- Conditions studied
- 0
- Outcomes
- 3
- Graded outcomes
- 0003
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
General
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sexual Function In rodent models, Caesalpinia benthamiana root extract dose-dependently increased mounting frequency, intromission frequency, and ejaculation latency, suggesting potent aphrodisiac activity comparable to or exceeding some reference compounds. No human trials exist. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | ||||
| Nitric Oxide Production In vitro studies on human endothelial cell cultures showed that root extracts increased nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression, supporting a vasodilation mechanism consistent with the traditional use for erectile dysfunction. No in vivo human data available. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | ||||
| Wound Healing Traditionally prepared as a topical paste for wound treatment. Preliminary in vitro studies suggest antimicrobial activity, but the wound healing effect has not been rigorously characterized in controlled studies. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect |
Key findings
- Sexual FunctionImproves (the measure goes up)
- Nitric Oxide ProductionImproves (the measure goes up)
- Wound HealingImproves (the measure goes up)