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HERBAL VIAGRAS

Viagra is the name of a prescription drug developed by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. Its active ingredient is sildenafil citrate. It aims at curing erectile dysfunction by directing more blood to flow into the spongy tissues of the corpus cavernosa of the male organ. This can help it to get a better erection and sustain it for a longer time.

The real Viagra is a blue diamond-shaped pill. It has the word Pfizer written on one side, and Viagra written on the other along with the quantity of sildenafil citrate present in it mentioned in milligrams. It is also sold under the brand name Revatio.

Since its development in the early nineties, It has become the number one drug for treating impotence. The main success of it is in the fact that it is a specific drug – i.e. it acts only on the spongy tissues of the penis and on no other tissues. For this reason, it has very few known and proven side-effects. For best results, it must be taken at least an hour before lovemaking.

Herbal Supplements

Its grand success has caused a boom in the market of impotence treatment. Several drugs have been developed in the recent years, which claim to work as well as it does. In general parlance, these drugs are called as herbal Viagras, though it is a brand name of the Pfizer Company.

The ingredients used in them have been used since several generations, but general awareness about them has increased only in the years following the launch of it. The names given below are those of some common ingredients in these herbal Viagras.

*Natural Herb*	*Common name*	*Action on the male reproductive system*
Panax ginseng	Ginseng	Improves levels of testosterone and also the circulation of blood within the spongy tissues of the corpus cavernosa of the male organ.
Rosemarinus officinalis	Rosemary	Improves circulation of blood and acts as an antidepressant.
Avena sativa	Oats	Releases testosterone which increases the sex drive.
Muira puama	Potency wood	It has powerful aphrodisiacal properties; it can create strong libidos.
Lepidium meyenii	Maca	Increases libido and energy.
Ginkgo biloba	Maidenhair tree	It can increase the blood flow in small tissues and capillaries.
Tribulus terrestris	Caltrop, Yellow vine, Goshkura (Ayurveda)	It increases the testosterone levels and thus enhances libido.

Apart from these above herbs, several others are used in varying amounts. Some of them are black cohosh, dong quai, kava, blessed thistle, golden seal, etc.

In addition to the above herbs, the chemical substance yohimbe is also used. Yohimbe is used in compound form such as yohimbine hydrochloride. Yohimbe also has specific properties regarding the enhancement of male libido and causing better erections.

How do they work?

They have been used for centuries to cure the following problems in males:-

Erectile Dysfunction
Impotence
Penis Curves
Premature Ejaculation

Each of the ingredients of it has specific properties relating to the male sexual health. A combination of them is generally used in herbal supplement so as to address different issues at once.

Precautions

Herbal Viagras are touted as natural supplements and manufacturers would want the users to believe that they are absolutely safe to use. However this is not always the case. When buying herbal Viagras, there are some things to be borne in mind:-

(i) They function by altering the level of hormones within the male body, especially testosterone. It is a known fact that the hormonal constitution of the human body is always a constant. Hence, if the level of one hormone increases, there will be a decrease in the level of some other hormone.

(ii) Men usually become addictive to them. In most cases it has been found that users become totally dependent on these supplements and lose whatever natural potency they had before beginning the use of them.

(iii) The safety of the ingredients used in it is dubious. Though these ingredients have been used since centuries, they have not been taken together. In these herbal supplements, several ingredients are composed together to form a pill. The activity of all of them together may pose problems in some men.

(iv) Almost all of the ingredients used in them have their own side-effects. For example, ginkgo biloba can cause gastrointestinal problems if taken in excess. Apart from that, it can produce headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, restlessness and even bleeding in severe cases. Tribulus terrestris can also cause stomach upsets if taken on an empty stomach. Hence, the dosage should be properly followed if a person is using them.

(v) Some of the ingredients used in them can interfere with other medication. Herbs like kava, thistle, ginseng and ginkgo can cause loss of effectiveness of medicines like antihistamines, antidepressants and medicines used for the cure of diabetes.

The use of it has always been controversial. There have been diehard critics as well as diehard loyalists of them. Before deciding to use the drug, you are advised to consult your doctor and show him or her the detailed list of the ingredients in the supplement.