Ptychopetalum

Ptychopetalum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Santalales
Family:	Olacaceae
Genus:	Ptychopetalum Benth.
Species
See text

Ptychopetalum is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the family Olacaceae, native to the Amazon rainforest. The indigenous name for the genus is muira puama, "potency wood".^[1] The species are shrubs or small trees growing to about 14 feet (4.3 m) in height. Its leaves are short-petioled, up to 3 inches (7.6 cm) in length and 2 inches (5.1 cm) in breadth light green on upper surface, dark brown on lower surface. The inflorescences consist of short axillary racemes of four to six flowers each. The root is strongly tough and fibrous, internally light brown with thin bark and broad wood, has a faint odor, and tastes slightly saline and acrid.^[2]

Species

• Ptychopetalum olacoides Benth.
• Ptychopetalum uncinatum Anselmino

Uses

Historically all parts of muira puama have been used medicinally, but typically it is the bark and root of Ptychopetalum olacoides which is harvested and used both traditionally and in herbal products. It contains long-chain fatty acids, plant sterols, coumarin, lupeol, and the alkaloid muirapuamine. There is a second almost identical species, Ptychopetalum uncinatum, which is sometimes used as a substitute with the only noticeable difference being a lower concentration of the chemical lupeol.

The root and bark are used for a variety of ailments by indigenous peoples in the Rio Negro area of South America, but the effectiveness of muira puama preparations are unproven.^[3]

References