Butea superba

Butea superba is a vining shrub in the legume family Fabaceae, native to India and mainland Southeast Asia. It is thought by locals to be an aphrodisiac, among other effects.

Butea superba
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Genus:	Butea
Species:	B. superba
Binomial name
Butea superba Roxb.

Efficacy

Sapling in the Eastern Ghats of India

Existing open trials have come to conflicting conclusions about the efficacy of butea, though they used completely different products at different doses and in different populations.^[1] No placebo-controlled clinical studies exist so far to support aphrodisiac activity.

Actions

The tuberous roots of Butea superba were found to contain flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides as well as sterol compounds, including β-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol.^[2]

Safety

One study in rats found the application of high doses of dried plant material (200 mg/kg body weight) had a negative impact on several blood parameters and decreased testosterone.^[3]

See also

• Pueraria mirifica (white kwao krua)