The length of this post is intentionally long so that only those who are seriously interested in the subject may read it.
LONDON (Reuters) - A Chinese herbal remedy called horny goat weed is a promising alternative to Viagra for impotent men, Italian researchers said on Monday.
The herb has long held a reputation as a natural aphrodisiac. The lab experiments, which did not look at whether the plant actually increases desire, could lead to new drugs to help men get erections, said Mario Dell'Agli, a researcher at the University of Milan, who led the study.
"This could be the natural Viagra," he said in a telephone interview. "The novelty is that we have synthesized a new molecule that one day may be able to replace Viagra."
Erectile dysfunction is a common condition worldwide, and drugs like Pfizer Inc's Viagra, Eli Lilly and Co's Cialis or tadalafil, and Bayer AG's Levitra or vardenafil, work by increasing blood flow to the genitals.
But the medicines, which inhibit an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5 that restricts blood flow around the body, including to the penis, can have side effects ranging from headaches, upset stomach and visual problems including blindness.
The Italian team looked for alternatives by studying a number of plants reputed to boost sexual performance.
After homing in on horny goat weed, the researchers modified a compound in the plant called icariin and found it blocked the erection-inhibiting enzyme as well as Viagra did.
Because the compound targets the enzyme more precisely, it may have fewer side effects than Viagra, known generically as sildenafil, Dell'Agli said.
Further tests in animals and humans are needed but the extract from the herb represents a potential new erectile dysfunction treatment with fewer side effects, Dell'Agli said.
"The compound icariin is present in the horny goat weed in large amounts and its activity against (the enzyme) is lower compared to Viagra," he said. "But the new molecule we synthesized from icariin is as good as Viagra against (the enzyme)." (Reporting by Michael Kahn; Editing by Maggie Fox and Elizabeth Piper)
Sharon Kirkey, Canwest News Service Published: Monday, September 29, 2008Italian researchers are testing a promising alternative to Viagra that they're calling 3,7-bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-icaritin -- or more simply put, "horny goat weed."
In lab experiments, a semi-synthetic derivative of the active compound in Epimedium brevicornum, an ancient Chinese herbal remedy for impotence, performed as well as Viagra but with the potential for fewer side effects, the researchers say.
It's an ironic finding: Health Canada has issued a string of warnings on Chinese herbal products for erectile dysfunction because they contain undeclared sildenafil -- the active ingredient in Viagra.
Now, a Chinese aphrodisiac may outperform the blockbuster drug.
The study is scheduled for the Oct. 24 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Natural Products.
"The inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual function is an increasing problem with a considerable impact on interpersonal relationships and quality of life for men," the researchers write.
During sexual arousal, a chemical called cyclic GMP causes smooth muscle to relax, increasing blood flow to the penis. Viagra works by blocking an enzyme that normally breaks down this chemical. This allows more blood to flow to and be trapped in the penis, resulting in an erection.
But, "sildenafil (Viagra) shows a lot of side effects including headache, facial flushing and visual disturbances," says lead author Mario Dell-Agli, from the department of pharmacological sciences at Milan University. "So it is important to search for new alternatives to Viagra."
His group studied medicinal plants that had a reputation in the literature for their aphrodisiac effects. They tested four. Only one, "horny goat weed," was strongly active against the enzyme that inhibits blood flow to the penis. But it needed improvement to match Viagra's potency.
When the researchers chemically modified the active compound, they came up with something "as potent as sildenafil on the enzyme," Dell-Agli says. And because it targeted the enzyme more precisely, it could have fewer side effects, he says.
It hasn't been tested in humans. But, "this molecule, in my opinion, can be considered a candidate worthy of further studies," Dell-Agli says.
The study is scheduled for the Oct. 24 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Natural Products.
"The inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual function is an increasing problem with a considerable impact on interpersonal relationships and quality of life for men," the researchers write.
During sexual arousal, a chemical called cyclic GMP causes smooth muscle to relax, increasing blood flow to the penis. Viagra works by blocking an enzyme that normally breaks down this chemical. This allows more blood to flow to and be trapped in the penis, resulting in an erection.
But, "sildenafil (Viagra) shows a lot of side effects including headache, facial flushing and visual disturbances," says lead author Mario Dell-Agli, from the department of pharmacological sciences at Milan University. "So it is important to search for new alternatives to Viagra."
His group studied medicinal plants that had a reputation in the literature for their aphrodisiac effects. They tested four. Only one, "horny goat weed," was strongly active against the enzyme that inhibits blood flow to the penis.
Children can answer this better than most adults when it comes to love.
The question in school was "What is love" ?
The answers they gave were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
See what you think:
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." > > Billy- age 7
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." > > Karl - age 5
"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." > > Chrissy - age 6
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired. > > Terri - age 4
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip >before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." (sweet) > > Danny - age 7
"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" > > Emily - age 8
"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." > > Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate," > > Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." > > Noelle - age 7
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." > > Tommy - age 6
"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." > > Cindy - age 8
"My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." > > Clare - age 6
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." > > Elaine-age 5
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." > > Chris - age 7
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." > > Mary Ann - age 4
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." > > Lauren - age 4
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an image) > > Karen - age 7
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." > > Mark - age 6
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." > > Jessica - age 8
And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbour was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry" Children are the most wonderful beings God created. It's a shame that they grow up so fast.
While loving and being loved one must be ready for words of reprove.
When two people are close they may point the things one wish to either change or mend, assuming this is a right step en-route better communication.
Unwillingness to accept words of criticism is only natural. These words can hurt or generate fear of reduction in the love due to the flaws at stake. But words that originate from the heart engulf a blessing within - if indeed are meant to improve and not merely heralding one's ego. If we choose to accept and internalize them the path and the strength for a closer and better relationship will be discovered.
The process of internalizing words of reprove should be done without leaving one's own personality behind but by metamorphosing old behavioral patterns with new and improved ones.
Unlike the human power of choice animals have been gifted merely with instincts. Some of their characteristics, such as biting and devouring, are parts of their natural condition, hence they cannot be blamed for it - one should only be aware and restrain them appropriately.
On the other hand a human being, when stating "I did it by accident", or "I hurt you without noticing", or "I insulted you because I cannot control my temper", or "I was just joking while I insulted you" is negating having the power of choice.
Since we are different from animals one should learn how to take full responsibility over his words and actions resulting in proper language and behaviour.
Developing awareness to the power of choice will eventually result in becoming a human being in the full sense of the word.
Number 9 Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
Number 8 Men have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an erection, make him a sandwich.
Number 7 Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
Number 6 Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
Number 5 Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
Number 4 All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
Number 3 Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200.00 and a substantial tax cut saves you $0.30?
Number 2 In the '60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
AND THE NUMBER 1 THOUGHT FOR 2008: We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located among the millions and millions of cows in America , but we haven't got a clue as to where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located. Maybe we should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of immigration.
And the BONUS thought for today
"Life is like a jar of jalapeņos . What you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow".
