Herb & supplement monograph

Muira Puama Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated June 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Muira Puama interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Muira Puama is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Muira Puama is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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On this page

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Muira Puama

0 medications have a known interaction with Muira Puama, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Muira Puama. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Muira Puama combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Monograph

Muira Puama: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed June 2026 ·

The bottom line

Muira puama is a Brazilian plant traditionally used as an aphrodisiac and general tonic, often nicknamed 'potency wood.' Human research is very limited, so its benefits are not well proven, and there is little information on its long-term safety. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, especially if you have a health condition or take other medicines.

Scientific name: Ptychopetalum olacoides
Family: Olacaceae
Part used: Roots and bark (sometimes wood)
Common forms: Capsules, tinctures, liquid extracts, teas, and powders

People commonly use it for

Low libido
Erectile difficulty
Sexual performance
Fatigue and low energy
General tonic for stress

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Generally used in small amounts traditionally, but human safety data are limited.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Muira puama is a small tree or shrub that grows in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil and nearby parts of South America. Its roots and bark have a long history of use in traditional Amazonian medicine, where it is sometimes called "potency wood."

People have traditionally used muira puama as an aphrodisiac and as a general tonic to boost energy and help with feeling run down. Today it is sold as a dietary supplement, often in capsules, tinctures, or teas, and is sometimes combined with other herbs in products marketed for sexual health or stress.

How it works

Scientists are not certain how muira puama might work. The plant contains a mix of natural compounds, including plant sterols, fatty acids, and aromatic substances, but no single "active ingredient" has been clearly identified as responsible for its effects.

Proposed ideas suggest it may affect nerve signaling or blood flow, which is how some explain its traditional use for sexual function. These ideas come mainly from laboratory and animal research, not from solid human studies, so they remain unproven.

Effectiveness

Does Muira Puama work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 5 uses evaluated

5 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

For Muira Puama, current evidence isn’t strong enough to rate any specific use. The conditions it has been studied for are listed below.

Also studied for 5 conditions — evidence insufficient to rate

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Athletic performance