Cross-referencing clinical data
Damiana
- Category
- Herb
Nothing to show here, and the reason why.
A pairing appears on this page only when a trial gave both ingredients together and measured the result. Damiana has none that clears that bar.
No pairing for Damiana has cleared review yet.
Stitching two separate single-ingredient studies into a pairing is the one thing this engine will not do. When a study of the combination itself holds up at source, it lands here with its citation.
No invented synergy. Where actives were studied on their own rather than together, the record shows each on its own evidence, never a combined effect no trial measured.
Research strength. Research strength says how much work stands behind the combination. It is never a product score.
Independent record. Every finding is cited to a named trial, dated, and never written by the brand.
20 pairings are live across the library today. Checked 20 July 2026.
Plays well withEstablished knowledge, not a trial
No study gave these as a pair, so they are not in the card above. But the reason they belong together is settled biochemistry, not a guess, so it is worth knowing.
Damiana + Ginkgo bilobaAnother botanical component of the same multi-ingredient formula tested in the human trial.
Ginkgo was part of the tested combination and carries its own effects on platelet activating factor and peripheral blood flow. This is a co-formulation relationship, not a demonstrated interaction between ginkgo and damiana. Ginkgo also has a documented additive effect with antiplatelet medicines, which is the more practical thing to know about the pairing.
Damiana + ChamomileBoth leaves carry apigenin and its glycosides as a shared flavonoid.
Apigenin binds benzodiazepine-site ligands on the GABA-A receptor with low affinity, which is the most commonly cited explanation for chamomile's calming reputation. Damiana leaf also contains apigenin and its glycosides, so the two supply the same flavonoid from different plants. Stacking them stacks that flavonoid, which is worth knowing if the intent is a mild calming effect rather than a stimulating one.
Damiana + PassionflowerShared flavonoid chemistry and overlapping placement in calming botanical blends.
Passionflower carries flavone glycosides with described GABAergic activity, and damiana contributes apigenin from the same chemical family. Blends combining them lean on that overlap. Anyone also taking a prescribed sedative or sleep medicine should raise the combination with their prescriber, since the direction of effect adds.
Damiana + Gymnema sylvestreDamiana has shown effects on blood glucose measures in animal work, which is a reason to flag the pairing rather than assume it is neutral.
Rodent studies of Turnera diffusa have reported changes in glucose handling, and gymnema is used specifically for glycaemic support with its own animal and human literature. Combining them stacks two inputs pointed at the same measure. Anyone taking glucose-lowering medication should monitor rather than assume the addition is inert.
Damiana + AshwagandhaOverlapping placement in blends aimed at stress and libido, across two herbal traditions.
Ashwagandha has human trial work on perceived stress and cortisol measures, while damiana's human data exists only inside multi-ingredient formulas. Combining them is a formulation decision, not something a trial has tested. The practical consequence is that any effect cannot be attributed to either one.
Who should be cautious
Nothing specific on file for Damiana. Match the label to the daily amount above, and tell your doctor what you take.
Not medical advice. Show the label to your pharmacist.The forms it comes in.
Loose leaf for infusionWhole dried leaf with the flavonoid, glycoside and volatile oil fractions intact. Hot water infusion recovers the water-soluble constituents and only part of the volatile oil.Fits Traditional tea, often blended with other aromatic leaves.Trade-off Extraction is partial and inconsistent between brews, so the dose is not knowable from the leaf weight alone.
Liquid tinctureLeaf macerated in ethanol and water, which recovers both the flavonoids and a larger share of the less polar terpenoids than water alone.Fits Blended liquid formulas and drop-wise dosing.Trade-off Contains ethanol, and the concentration per millilitre is low relative to a dry extract.
Volatile oil extractCarbon dioxide above its critical point selectively recovers the monoterpene and sesquiterpene fraction while leaving the polar flavonoids behind.Fits Aroma-driven applications and formulas targeting the essential oil constituents.Trade-off The flavonoid fraction, including apigenin, is largely absent, so it is a different material from a hydroethanolic extract despite the shared plant name.
What the strongest studies found
The essence, in one line each.
- In vivo and ex vivo work supported immunostimulant activity of Turnera diffusa in the species studied.Animal study. Reyes-Becerril M et al., 2024 (Fish and Shellfish Immunology). PMID 38220122 ↗
These are the studies our verdict leans on, chosen from the 1 we read for Damiana. The full linked list is below.
The studies, linked.
1 source behind our Damiana verdict: peer-reviewed studies and registered clinical trials. Every one links straight to PubMed, the journal, or ClinicalTrials.gov. Read them yourself.
- Clinical trialAppetite Suppression Effects of an Herbal Combination of Yerba maté, Guarana, Damiana (YGD), and 12 Other Herbal Components, Versus YGD Supplementation AloneClinicalTrials.gov ↗NA · 19 participants · Completed
Evidence surfaced via Semantic Scholar (Allen Institute for AI) and ClinicalTrials.gov. Ranked by study type and citation weight, not cherry-picked.
Problems people have reported.
Read this carefully. These are 54 voluntary, unverified reactions reported to the FDA (openFDA). The number mostly reflects how popular Damiana is, not how risky it is. A report is not proof Damiana caused anything. It is a signal of what to watch for, nothing more.
Insomnia
2
Libido Decreased
2
Acne
1
Alanine Aminotransferase Increased
1
Anorgasmia
1
Anti-thyroid Antibody Positive
1
Source: openFDA adverse-event reports. Voluntary reporting, not an incidence rate.
FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.
