Muira Puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides)

Muira Puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides), often called “potency wood,” is a woody shrub native to the Amazon basin. Its bark, root, and stem are used to produce standardized extracts that are most commonly marketed as a natural adaptogen and aphrodisiac, aimed at supporting sexual health, cognitive function, and overall vitality.

• Phytochemical Matrix: Muira Puama is not a single molecule but a phytochemical matrix.
• Primary Alkaloid: ptychopetaline (C₁₈H₂₅NO₃; IUPAC: (2S,3R)-2‑(4‑hydroxy‑3‑methoxy‑phenyl)‑3‑(2‑hydroxy‑2‑phenylethyl)‑pyrrolidine‑1‑carboxamide) is a 1‑phenyl‑2‑pyrrolidine alkaloid.
• Other Notable Constituents:
  • muira‑pinin (C₁₈H₂₁NO₃)
  • β‑caryophyllene (C₁₅H₂₄, a sesquiterpene)
  • Flavonoid quercetin‑3‑O‑glucoside (C₂₁H₂₀O₁₁)
• Extract Characteristics: The extracts are typically characterized by HPLC‑UV/FLD, revealing a profile of 5–10 % total alkaloids, 0.5–2 % flavonoids, and 1–3 % terpenes.
• Lipophilicity and Stability: The extracts are lipophilic (logP ≈ 3.2) and moderately stable under acidic conditions, but oxidative degradation can occur if not stored in airtight, amber‑colored containers.

• Harvesting: Muira Puama is harvested from mature P. olacoides trees in the Amazonian regions of Brazil, Peru, and Colombia, with sustainable practices favoring selective bark and root harvesting to protect the forest.
• Extraction Method: The most common extraction method is ethanol‑water (70:30) maceration followed by spray‑drying to produce a powdered extract; supercritical CO₂ extraction is increasingly used for higher terpene retention.
• Quality Control: Quality control relies on standardization to total alkaloid content (≥3 % w/w) and verification of heavy‑metal (Pb, Cd, Hg) < 5 ppm and microbial (<10³ CFU/g) limits per USP.
• Product Recommendations: Look for third‑party tested, GMP‑certified products that provide batch‑specific chromatograms to ensure consistent phytochemical profiles.