Alcoholic beverages have been used to stimulate the libido since ancient times, although it should be obvious that excessive use will seriously hamper any attempt at love-making. Ovid, in “Ars amatoria” notes that “A real intoxication is ugly, but to pretend being drunk can often be helpful, then any (unintentional) bad manner will be attributed to the wine you pretend to have consumed”.

A moderate quantity of alcohol will reduce anxiety and release inhibitions, especially for strongly inhibited persons, however the sedative effects will soon become overpowering. It is generally recommended that in excess of half a gram of pure alcohol per kilo bodyweight should be avoided by anyone wanting to retain full amorous capabilities. Thus, at a bodyweight of 75kg, this would correspond to about half a bottle of wine.

There might also be other physiological effects. A 1994 study published in the scientific journal Nature claimed that consuming alcohol raised the testosterone level of women (normally, women produce about a tenth as much testosterone as men). According to Dr. Weil “additional small amounts can dramatically increase the libido. For women who lack sexual interest and desire, the treatment can be life-changing.”

Absinthe: is mainly an alcoholic extract of wormwood (Arthemisia absinthium), a plant that is rich in toxic compounds, such as the essential oils thujon and thujol.

Absinthe was used extensively at the end of the nineteenth century, as an aphrodisiac by many Europeans, especially French artists and intellectuals, of which, a notable character behind this Bohemian absinthe culture was the French poet Paul Verlaine.

Thujon has been used on a moderate scale as a remedy against intestinal worms, but habitual use on a large scale can result in blindness, cramps and damage to the nervous system. Thus, Absinthe was prohibited in France on 16th March 1915, and is now banned in most European countries because of its toxicity and habit-forming properties.

Beer: One might expect that beer, being a nourishing drink with fairly low alcohol content would be a good aphrodisiac. However, the only notable instance seems to be stout, which, according to Michel Jackson’s Beer Companion is seen as an aphrodisiac in some countries.

One possible explanation might be that beer (like all alcoholic beverages) lowers the production of the hormone Vasopressin in the body. This hormone controls, amongst other things, the reabsorption of primary urine – less vasopressin results in less reabsorption – and thus in more frequent trips to the toilet, especially after large quantities of liquid have been consumed.

Liqueurs: Several liqueurs developed in old monasteries have been attributed aphrodisiac effects. These liqueurs include chartreuse (especially the green variety) and Benedictine (although why monks should be so interested in aphrodisiacal liqueurs is anyone’s guess).

In Guadalajara, Mexico, a liqueur is produced from the allegedly aphrodisiacal plant Turnera diffusa, under the name Crème de Damiana. This liqueur is supposed to increase libido and counteract impotence.

White port: is held to be a far more powerful aphrodisiac than could be explained by its alcohol contents alone, especially when consumed together with wild strawberries. In contrast, red port appears to act as any other ordinary alcoholic beverage.

Wine: Suitably spiced, wine can be a potent aphrodisiac. Red Burgundy mixed with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and sugar is known as Hippocras aphrodisiac, and was recommended by the French author Rabelais in Gargantua and Pantagruel.

Aqua Mirabilis was used during the 17th century as a strengthening tonic and also as an aphrodisiac. It is prepared by letting finely ground cinnamon, galingale root, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary and thyme steep in claret for one week, and then straining the wine. The recommended dose is 1/4 bottle (180 ml) a day.

Aphrodisiacal Drugs

The search for drugs which could act as sexual stimulants is probably almost as old as the human sex drive. Originally, interest focussed on plant and animal preparations. Here are reviews of some pure chemicals, synthetic or isolated from plants:

Alkyl nitrites: Volatile alkyl-nitrites have been used during the past decades for “recreational purposes”, including intensify sexual experience. Alkyl nitrites are normally distributed in ampoules, which are opened and the vapours inhaled (“popping” and “snorting”). However, because of the route of administration it is extremely difficult to control the dosage, and consequently to ascertain whether dangerous quantities have been inhaled.

The first alkyl nitrite to be used in this way was amyl nitrite, originally made available as an antidote to Hydrogen Cyanide poisoning. When this became a prescription drug in the United States, various homologs and isomers began to appear on the market for “recreational purposes” as legal substitutes. Amongst the analogs were n-butyl nitrite, iso-butyl nitrite, iso-amyl nitrite, sec-butyl nitrite and n-propyl nitrite.

Their use has been associated with methemoglobinemia (blood haemoglobin is converted into a chemical which cannot transport oxygen) and haemolysis (destruction of platelets). It has even been suggested that there could be a link between the inhalation of alkyl nitrites and the development of Kaposi’s sarcoma, a disease normally associated with AIDS. Many references on the use of alkyl nitrites as aphrodisiacs are available – please consult these before even thinking about trying alkyl nitrites

Yohimbine: is the main active constituent of the bark of Yohimbe, Corynanthe Yohimbe (Rubiaceae), a tree growing in Nigeria and Cameroon. Yohimbe has long been used by the local population for its perceived high sexual potency. The same alkaloid also occurs in the South American tree White Quebracho, Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco (Apocynaceae).

Yohimbine has been used extensively in veterinary medicine, for example, in treatment of impotent breeding stallions. In both animal and man, it produces a complex pattern of responses, such as anti-diuresis and central excitation, including elevation of blood pressure and heart rate, increased motor activity and irritability. Sweating, nausea and vomiting are also common after parenteral administration in humans.

p-Chlorophenylalanine: High levels of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) are believed to lower or inhibit human sexual activity; thus, a chemical inhibiting serotonin production might be expected to have potential as an aphrodisiac. The amino acid p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) is a known serotonin inhibitor, and in 1969 it was shown by Tagliamonte and colleagues that PCPA has a sexual stimulating effect upon normally sluggish male rats. Out of 80 rats treated with PCPA and pargyline, 54 tried to mount at least 6 times during 12 hours.

However, it was pointed out by other researchers that the mounting frequency only referred to homosexual mountings. When PCPA was used in a heterosexual situation the copulation frequency of the treated male rats did not increase.

To this it was objected that the treated rats were known to be vigorous copulators, being able to achieve 6-8 ejaculations before satiation. Therefore, it might be difficult to raise this number, even by using a powerful aphrodisiac.

On the other hand, it was also suggested that PCPA works not by enhancing sexual motivation, but rather by altering the male’s ability to adequately distinguish appropriate sexual partners. However, rabbits injected with PCPA displayed a compulsive sexual behaviour that lasted up to 3 days (further details were not supplied).

Clomipramine: A paper in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry entitled “Unusual Side-Effects of Clomipramine Associated with Yawning” described four patients who, while taking the anti-depressant drug Anafranil (Clomipramine) reported side-effects of spontaneous orgasm, every time they yawned.

This was first exhibited by a female patient who had been depressed for three months, but under treatment “Complete symptom remission occurred within ten days”. She then asked how long she would be allowed to go on using the drug, as she had found that every time she yawned, she had an orgasm, and was now able to experience orgasm by deliberate yawning.

One male patient said that whilst he found the repeated climaxes “awkward and embarrassing”, he chose to continue the medication because of the therapeutic benefit he obtained. The awkwardness and embarrassment were overcome by continuously wearing a condom.

Around five percent of clomipramine users report this side effect, although for most people the drug inhibits the ability to reach orgasm. New Scientist magazine comments that patients have been comparing notes, and speculating on the unusual consequences. People who experience this side effect would presumably seek out the most boring person they could find at parties.

Anti-Parkinson’s drugs: A side effect of some anti-Parkinson drugs, including L-Dopa, is to increase the sexual interest mainly by restoring the balance to earlier (higher) levels.

Nitric oxide: Nitric oxide was discovered to be a transmitter of nerve impulses only a few years ago. It is now known to be a key substance in the process that leads to erections. However, since it is a gas, which is only required at a very specific location it has turned out to be extremely difficult to use it for amorous purposes.

Viagra: (Sildenafil Citrate), marketed by Pfizer, was originally tested as a heart medicine (but with poor results) however; the drug seemed to have potential as a male aphrodisiac. It was released in the U.S. on 27 March 1998, and within two months over one million prescriptions for it had been written.

Sildenafil Citrate inhibits cyclic GMP-specific phosphodiesterase, and thus by preventing the breakdown of GMP it promotes the availability of nitric oxide, a signalling substance that causes relaxation of smooth muscle in the penis and subsequent erection. In other words, the drug works by inhibiting an unhelpful enzyme, which could prevent erection when a man is subjected to sexual stimuli.

Taken one or two hours beforehand, it will usually stimulate an erection, if the right circumstances arise, but without giving rise to a potentially useless erection, as might be the case with direct drug injections into the penis.

In one study of 351 impotent men a success rate of 89% was achieved for those receiving the highest dose (50 milligrams). And, amongst clinical studies, the average success rate is around 70%. However, it should be emphasised that it is not sufficient just to take the pill to get an enduring erection; a combination with some kind of erotic stimulus is also required.

It is likely that Viagra could also work for women, and studies to test this theory are underway. Viagra increases blood flow, and so an increased blood flow through the clitoris should enhance its sensitivity, and thus help women to reach orgasm too.

One French restaurant serving a Viagra sauce to eager couples had to stop offering this dish. The restaurant, in the Hotel Renovation in Thonon-les-Bains served beef in a sauce of caramel, figs, spices and Viagra.

You might also enjoy reading:-

• Viagra works for women
• Animal Products & Genitalia as Aphrodisiacs
• The sexual rat race
• Science confirms strangers look sexier after boozing
• Ten strange sex facts

Posted by Jonathan in Biochemistry, Biology

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