Ayurvedic Herb

Damiana (has a safety note)

BotanicalTurnera diffusaAlso calledDamiana leaf, Turnera

A small, fragrant leaf from the dry hills of Mexico, brewed into a warm, slightly bitter, herbal cup for quiet evenings.

* Safety note: May affect blood sugar and hormones, and is restricted in Louisiana; read the cautions before use. Read the cautions

Damiana, leaf

Damiana is a low, shrubby plant from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, with small serrated leaves and yellow flowers. The dried leaf smells warm and resinous, a little like chamomile crossed with figs and spice. As a tea it is gently bitter and aromatic, and it has been brewed in Mexico for generations as a calming, comforting drink.

Damiana is not part of classical Ayurveda. Frawley and Lad, in The Yoga of Herbs, describe it as pungent and bitter with a heating energy, which places it with the warming herbs that settle vata and kapha. That warmth is something to keep in mind if you run hot.

Ayurvedic Properties

Not described in classical Ayurveda; modern Ayurvedic writers describe it as pungent and bitter with a heating energy and pungent post-digestive effect, settling vata and kapha and able to raise pitta (Frawley and Lad, The Yoga of Herbs).

RasaTastes
  • Pungent
  • Bitter
ViryaHeating or cooling
Heating
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Pungent
AgniEffect on digestion
Gently supports agni

Warm and aromatic, it gives mild support to digestion without strong heat in tea amounts.

GunaQualities
  • Light
  • Dry
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: decreases
  • Pitta: increases in excess
  • Kapha: decreases
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Warm and aromatic, damiana suits vata and kapha best. Pitta types may find it too heating in large amounts or in summer, so keep it occasional or blend it with cooling rose or lemon balm.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support a calm, settled mood at the end of the day.
  • Traditionally used to support comfortable, regular digestion.
  • Traditionally used to support a gentle sense of warmth and ease in a cup of evening tea.

How People Use It

  • TeaSteep 1 teaspoon of dried leaf in a cup of just-boiled water, covered, for 10 minutes. Start with a weaker cup to see how it suits you.
  • HoneyA spoonful of honey stirred in once the tea has cooled a little softens damiana's bitterness.
Try This

Damiana, Rose and Lemon Balm Evening Tea

A soft, fragrant blend for winding down, balanced with cooling flowers.

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon dried damiana leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried lemon balm
  • 1 teaspoon dried rose petals
  • Honey to taste (optional)
  1. Bring the water to a boil and take it off the heat.
  2. Add the damiana, lemon balm and rose. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
  3. Strain into a cup and let it cool slightly.
  4. Stir in a little honey and sip quietly before bed.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Avoid damiana during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. It has traditionally been used to affect the menstrual cycle, and its safety in pregnancy has not been studied. Please talk with your doctor or midwife.
  • In animal studies damiana affected blood sugar levels. If you take medicine for blood sugar, check with your doctor before using it.
  • Some compounds in damiana showed estrogen-like activity in lab studies, while others blocked estrogen production; the overall effect is unclear. Talk with your doctor first if you have a hormone-sensitive condition.
  • Damiana has been studied very little in people, and most human studies used multi-ingredient products, so its safety with long-term use is not well known.
  • Legal status: Louisiana law (R.S. 40:989.2) names damiana (Turnera diffusa) as a prohibited plant when it is meant to be swallowed, smoked or burned. Please check your local rules.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using damiana regularly, especially if you take medication.

In Our Shop

Organic Damiana Leaf

Organic Damiana Leaf, from $5.75. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

Shop Damiana →

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.