YOHIMBE OR AFRICAN GOLD

COMMON NAME: Yohimbe

LATIN NAME: Pausinystalia Yohimbe

ORIGIN: Africa

HABITAT: The distribution area of Yohimbe is West Africa, in particular Gabon, Cameroon, Zaire and Congo. The plant prefers partial shade and rich soils. It is sensitive to cold and drought, therefore it usually grows in tropical forests.

BOTANICAL INFORMATION:

Yohimbe (lat. Pausinystalia Yohimbe) is a species of the genus Pausinystalia of the family Rubiaceae, which grows mainly in Africa (one species is in North America). Yohimbe is the only species of the genus that contains the alkalioid yohimbine, which is used as a component of some biologically active additives.

Yohimbe is an evergreen large tree up to 30 meters high. The trunk is straight. The bark is light, sometimes gray-brown, up to 1 cm thick, often overgrown with lichens. The leaves are simple,oval, with stipules. They are up to 30-40 cm long, with pointed ends. The flowers are bisexual (rarely unisexual), pink, yellow or green in the bud, white and yellowish during flowering, and later reddish, fragrant, in upright inflorescences.

The fruit is a boat-shaped flattened polyspermous box. The seeds are small, numerous, very thin, and winged.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION:

The main components of Yohimbe are alkaloids, mainly indole derivatives, the main of which are yohimbine, yohimbiline, yamaline. The plant also contains tannins and dyes. Yohimbe trunk bark contains approximately 6% of yohimbine. In addition to yohimbine, a number of its isomers are present in the cortex, as well as dihydrocorinanthein, aimalicin, alloyohimbine, andcorinanthein. Pausinystalia Yohimbe is able to accumulate aluminum,and needle crystals of calcium oxalate.

INTERESTING FACTS:

For many years, yohimbine has been the subject of modern scientific researches, starting from the 30s of the XX century.

Soldiers drank Yohimbe tea before the battle to get rid of a sense of fear, and to set of strength and energy.

Dr. L. Spiegel was the first to know about the plant's unique properties in 1892. The same person was the first to determine the main action of Yohimbe.

*Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult with your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.