Science News Archive

Nature's Way to Curing Impotence - Folk Medicine

Time and again nature provides the remedies for many human ailments, you just need to know where to look. That's why folk-remedies are often a good place to start. For centuries Zulus have been chewing and boiling the uBangalala plant as a cure for impotence. Now scientists from South Africa's University of Pretoria have extracted the active ingredient. Marion Meyer and her team compared the effects of the plant extract, with Viagra, using tissue taken from the penis of a rabbit. Remarkably their extract was over 70% as effective as Viagra, so they have patented the compound and are planning to begin animal tests, which could lead to a new range of anti-impotence drugs within the next few years.

22nd Jun 2002