Herbal viagra is a name that can be given to any herbal product advertised as treating erectile dysfunction. There are many different products advertised as herbal viagra, but with varying ingredients. There are no clinical trials or scientific studies that support the effectiveness of any of these ingredients for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and some products have been found to contain drugs and other adulterants, and have been the subject of FDA and FTC warnings and actions to remove them from the market. The name "herbal viagra" is taken from the brand name

Viagra Sildenafil, sold under the brand name Viagra, among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is unclear if it is effective for treating sexual dysfunction in women. It is taken by ...

, under which drug company

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...

sells

sildenafil citrate Sildenafil, sold under the brand name Viagra, among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is unclear if it is effective for treating sexual dysfunction in women. It is taken by ...

, a drug that is used to treat erectile dysfunction. Viagra has become a

generic Generic or generics may refer to: In business * Generic term, a common name used for a range or class of similar things not protected by trademark * Generic brand, a brand for a product that does not have an associated brand or trademark, other ...

term for many people discussing drugs designed to treat erectile dysfunction, even those which do not contain sildenafil. Herbal viagras, contrary to what the name suggests, do not normally contain sildenafil citrate. However, sildenafil and chemicals similar to sildenafil have been found as adulterants in many supplements which are sold as herbal viagra or "natural" sexual enhancement products. The

United States Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food s ...

has warned consumers that any sexual enhancement product that claims to work as well as prescription products is likely to contain such a contaminant.Hidden Risks of Erectile Dysfunction "Treatments" Sold Online

, February 21, 2009 Scientists estimated that >60% of the consumed sildenafil in the Netherlands is from illegal sources such as adulterated dietary supplements. Herbal viagras often carry a number of dangerous side effects. Primarily, they cause abnormally

low blood pressure Hypotension is low blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood. Blood pressure is indicated by two numbers, the systolic blood pressure (the top number) and the di ...

and can restrict blood flow to vital organs. There is also evidence to suggest some preparations may be toxic if taken in larger doses. Additional side effects and dangers of common herbal viagra adulterants, such as sulfoaildenafil, acetildenafil and other analogs, are unknown because these ingredients have not had thorough review in human clinical trials. Herbal viagra is predominantly sold through the

internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

, and in 2003 approximately 4% or 1 in 25 of all email spam offered herbal viagra, genuine pharmaceuticals, and other herbal remedies.

References

{{Reflist Dietary supplements Herbalism Consumer fraud