Studies on Yohimbe

(the active ingredient in Testicor)

Yohimbe (also know as Pausinystalia yohimbe), the active ingredient in Testicor, comes from the bark of a West African tree that grows in Cameroon, Congo and Gabon. Discovered in 1896, researchers performed the first study in 1900 and discovered that Yohimbe was an active excitant to sexual organs in both animal and human studies.

A report in a letter to the American Medical Association in 1981, that 4 out of 6 diabetic patients were successfully treated with yohimbe for impotence, stimulated new interest.

In 1984, an animal study on rats concluded that yohimbe did increase the sexual arousal of animals.

In 1987 an experimental double blind study of 100 men with organic erectile dysfunction resulted in 43.5% of the men showing a positive response as reported in Botanical Influences on Illness.

A more recent review of 16 different studies, as documented in the March 1999 issue of Herbs for Health, demonstrates that yohimbe is effective for treatment of erection impairment by affecting the autonomic nervous system and increasing blood flow to the penis.

Another recent study in Ontario, Canada also found yohimbe effective in restoring erectile function in cases of psychogenic impotence (deriving from psychological condition). Researchers at the department of Psychology, Psychiatry, Urology and Pharmacy at the Kingston General Hospital conducted a study of 48 patients. In a 10 week placebo-controlled, double blind study, 46% reported a positive response.

In a 1994 paper on "Yohimbine and the Treatment of Erectile Disorder" in the May/June issue of BJCP, It was noted that in America 52% of men aged 40-70 years old have some degree of erectile difficulty. The paper noted that it is now possible to restore useable erection in 95% of men with erectile difficulties. The paper also noted interestingly, that originally yohimbine was administered intravenously in a cardiovascular study and that volunteers taking part in this study reported erections as a side effect.