Fadogia agrestis

What is Fadogia agrestis?

Fadogia agrestis is a short bush plant belonging to the Rubiaceae family. Although it is native to Nigeria, it can also be found as far west as Ghana and as far east as Sudan. Traditionally, it is used as a febrifuge (i.e., to reduce fever), as an aphrodisiac, and to treat erectile dysfunction.

What are Fadogia agrestis’ main benefits?

Fadogia agrestis is best known for its purported aphrodisiac effects. According to one rodent study, supplementation with Fadogia agrestis for 5 days led to remarkable increases in testosterone and enhanced libido. Based on the magnitude of its benefit in rodents, it appears to be one of the more potent herbs for increasing both testosterone and libido, with the effect sizes being greater than those of Spilanthes acmella. In another rodent study, supplementation with Fadogia agrestis increased testicular weight by 11–15%. Limited animal evidence supports the pro-erectile properties of this herb, but an associated increase in ejaculation latency (time to ejaculation) has also been noted. This is a fairly rare property among aphrodisiacs, as they usually reduce ejaculation latency. A single in vitro study isolated glycosides of Fadogia agrestis roots and found that some of them possessed inhibitory effects on certain parasites and bacteria, and displayed mild antimalarial activity. Another in vitro study found that Fadogia agrestis displayed antispasmodic properties.

What are Fadogia agrestis’ main drawbacks?

Although one rodent study noted fairly remarkable increases in testosterone over the course of five days with the use of Fadogia agrestis, more and lengthier studies are required to investigate this effect, as there is also a possible cytotoxic effect that can manifest after around a month, which could interfere with the testosterone-boosting properties of the plant. It’s worth noting that the potential cytotoxic effects of Fadogia agrestis may not be limited to the testicles, with more studies required to determine what exactly is occurring.

How does Fadogia agrestis work?

Because the components of Fadogia agrestis are currently not well characterized, it’s unclear how exactly the plant works. At present, the suspected bioactive compounds include monoterpene glycosides, alkaloids, and saponins.