Clavo huasca is a large, woody vine that grows up to 80 m in length and is indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and other parts of tropical South America. It produces very small, white flowers (which are pollinated by bees and butterflies) and elongated, flat, bean-like fruits. The vine bark and root has a distinctive, clove-like aroma (as do the leaves, somewhat), earning its common name clove vine or white clove. The vine, when cross-sectioned, has a distinctive "Maltese cross" design in the wood (with a darker, reddish color as the background and a golden color in the heartwood). Two species of plants are sold in herbal commerce as "clavo huasca" - the true Tynanthus vine, and another, completely different, Mandevilla genus vine.

TRIBAL AND HERBAL MEDICINE USES

The Shipibo-Conibo, Kayapó, and Assurini Indian tribes in the Amazon rainforest regard clavo huasca highly as an impotency remedy, for weak erections, and as an effective aphrodisiac for both men and women. It is also used as an adjunctive ingredient in various ayahuasca recipes (or taken shortly after taking the concoction) to settle the stomach. Ayahuasca is a phytochemically-rich combination of plants brewed by Indian shamans to connect to the spirit world. Through a series of reactions among chemicals from several plants working together, a hallucinogenic plant extract is created. While clavo huasca is not itself a hallucinogen, the ayahuasca brew also can be quite purgative-causing vomiting and diarrhea. Clavo huasca is sometimes added to the brew or taken simultaneously to help reduce these effects.

Cavo huasca is also widely regarded as an aphrodisiac for both men and women in Peruvian herbal medicine today. It is an ingredient in two famous herbal formulas for impotency and frigidity which are sold widely in the herbal markets and stores in Peru as aphrodisiacs and for sexual potency. One is called Siete Raices ("seven roots") and the other is Rompe Calzon ("bust your britches"). In addition, this vine tincture is also employed for fever, aching muscles and arthritis pain in Peruvian herbal medicine. The fresh sap or resin from the root of the plant is used as a toothache remedy-containing a chemical called eugenol which acts as a topical pain-reliever. As an aphrodisiac, clavo huasca is traditionally prepared by macerating the vine bark and wood in alcohol, or most commonly, the local sugar cane rum called aguardiente. In Brazilian herbal medicine, the plant is called cipó cravo; it is considered an excellent remedy for dyspepsia, difficult digestion, and intestinal gas (when brewed as a water decoction) and an aphrodisiac (when macerated in alcohol into a tincture).

PLANT CHEMICALS

Preliminary phytochemical analysis by Brazilian scientists have discovered an alkaloid they named tinantina as well as tannic acids, eugenol, and other essential oils.

BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES AND CLINICAL RESEARCH

Despite its long and popular use in South America, there are no published clinical studies as yet on clavo huasca.

CURRENT PRACTICAL USES

CLAVO HUASCA PLANT SUMMARY

Main Preparation Method: tincture Main Actions (in order): aphrodisiac, analgesic (pain-reliever), digestive stimulant, febrifuge (reduces fever), stimulant Main Uses: as a female aphrodisiac for pre-menopausal women for muscle pain and aches as a digestive aid to calm the stomach, increase appetite, and expel intestinal gas as a male aphrodisiac and for erectile function as a general tonic (tones, balances, strengthens overall body functions) Properties/Actions Documented by Research: none Other Properties/Actions Documented by Traditional Use: analgesic (pain-reliever), aphrodisiac, anti-rheumatic, carminative (expels gas), digestive stimulant, muscle relaxant, tonic (tones, balances, strengthens overall body functions) Cautions: none

Clavo huasca is still widely employed as a natural aphrodisiac for both men and women in South America today. It's reported to be highly effective, especially for pre-menopausal women (but not as effective for libido loss after menopause). This use has caught on here in the U.S., and more clavo huasca products are now available in natural product stores. It is also showing up as an ingredient in various herbal libido formulas for men and women as well. For its aphrodisiac qualities, its best prepared in its time-honored traditional method: as an alcohol tincture.

Traditional Remedy: As a libido-aid, 3-4 ml of a 4:1 tincture is taken twice daily. As a digestive aid and appetite stimulant, 1 cup of a vine wood or leaf infusion is prepared.

Traditional Remedy: As a libido-aid, 3-4 ml of a 4:1 tincture is taken twice daily. As a digestive aid and appetite stimulant, 1 cup of a vine wood or leaf infusion is prepared. See instructions for Herbal Preparation Methods if necessary.Contraindications: None reported.

Drug Interactions: None reported.

ETHNOBOTANY: WORLDWIDE USES
Brazil	as an aphrodisiac and appetite stimulant; for arthritis, digestive probelms, dyspepsia, intestinal gas, impotency, pain, rheumatism, worms
Ecuador	as an aphrodisiac and for ache(muscles), arthritis, fever, pain, rheumatism
Peru	as an aphrodisiac and pain-reliever; for arthritis, back aches, erectile dysfunction, fever, frigidity, impotency, muscle aches, rheumatism, toothache, virility
Elsewhere	as an aphrodisiac; for fever, toothache

The above text has been preprinted from The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs by Leslie Taylor, copyrighted © 2004
All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, including websites, without written permission.

10. "Tynnanthus panurensis (Bur.) Sandw. Bignoniaceae. "Clavo huasca", "Inejkeu", "Clove vine".
The pieces of roots and stems are macerated in aguardiente to make a stimulant liqueur, good for rheumatism (RVM). Resin used for fevers (DAT). Some explorama visitors have used it, effectively, for toothache, being as effective as, and probably chemically similar to clove oil (JAD). Some visitors believe, others disbelieve, that the rays of the cross, steeped in aguardiente, are aphrodisiac, some for females, some for males, some for both. We have no incontrovertible empirical evidence, one way or the other."

James Duke, The Green Pharmacy, Rodale Press, 1997 pp 189.
"Clavohuasca (Tynnanthus panurensis) is an aromatic vine that is often found climbing to the forest canopy in Amazonian Peru, where I lead my Rainforest Pharmacy Workshops. One traveler in my first Physician's Workshop, an acclaimed herbalist himself, says he has empirical evidence that tincture of clavohuasca, a rather pleasant and warming liquer, sexually exites both the male and female of the human species - namely him and his wife."

Ethnobotany of the Peruvian Amazon. http://www.biopark.org/Plants-Amazon.html
"Clavo huasca is a forest liana vine in the same botanical family as the legendary ayahuasca. The name means 'clovevine' ('clavo' = 'clove' or 'nail'; 'huasca' = 'vine') and refers to the rich clove-like scent of the trunk and leaves. Sections of the trunk and stems are macerated in aguardiente (sugar cane liquor), producing a drink said to be an aphrodisiac and an effective treatment for fever and rheumatism. It contains the clove-scented chemical eugenol, which soothes toothache. It is a fundamental component of the famed Amazonian tonics siete raices (seven roots)and veinti uno raices (twenty-one roots). Clavo huasca is comonly sold in the Belén medicinal market in Iquitos, Perú."


Tim Woodruff, 1995, RHP ETHNOBOTANICAL DICTIONARY
"Clavohuasca
This viny cousin of ayahuasca produces no hallucinations and is good for rheumatism and arthritis when cuttings from the stem are steeped in aguardiente. Also, the root has anaesthetic properties good for tooth pain when sap is squeezed onto the tooth."