Tinkturenpresse

Fabaceae - syn. Rhynchosia phaseoloides (Sw.) DC.; Dolicholus phaseoloides (Sw.) Kuntze; Dolichos pyramidalis Lam.;
pega palo, virility vine, crabseye, Krebsaugenbohne

Woody climber, native to Central and South America, up to 5m long; seeds bright red and black, similar to crab eyes.

„Pega palo is a plant that has received recent and widespread publicity as an alleged aphrodisiac and androgenic agent. One literature report claims clinical efficacy for these effects; however, other investigators could not confirm these activities in laboratory animals. In the present investigation, using a variety of biological test procedures, neither androgenic activity nor an aphrodisiac effect could be demonstrated in laboratory animals.“
[Medicinal folklore evaluation I. Alleged androgenic and aphrodisiac action of pega palo (Rhynchosia pyramidalis). Farnsworth, N. R., Hess, M., Fisher, A. E., Martello, R. E., & Cammarato, L. V., Journal of pharmaceutical sciences, Vol.56(8), 1967, 967-970]

„By means of feeding trials with guineapigs, goats and cows, Rhynchosia phaseoloides DC. (Leguminosae), Hamelia patens Jacq., and Pali-courea nicotianaefolia Cham. et Schltd. (Rub-iaceae), all hitherto reputed to be toxic, have been proved to be harmless. In the case of the first-named plant, confusion possibly exists between the seeds and those of Abrus precatorius L., which are very similar in appearance, but extremely poisonous.“ [Contributions to the study of the poisonous plants of Brazil. de Moraes Mello, E. M., and S. J. Fernandes. Ministerio da Agricultura, Departamento Nacional de Producao Animal. 1941.]