Unmoderated Poster SessionUnmoderated Poster Session 1UP-01.088 History of Aphrodisiacs: From Venus to Viagra
Introduction
Named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, aphrodisiac is a food, drink or devise that supposedly increases sexual desire or improves sexual performance. Aphrodisiacs form a major market on the internet for billions of dollars. We review an interesting journey of aphrodisiacs through the time of Venus to today's Viagra.
Section snippets
Materials and Methods
Historical articles pertaining to aphrodisiacs were reviewed and internet search was done to gather references. Ancient manuscript and modern medicine texts analysing the active ingredients in these substances were reviewed. The scientific evidence behind the efficacy of preparations and some sample concoctions were also reviewed.
Results
The history of aphrodisiacs began with the history of mankind and is a part of every culture. Its use has been documented in the Bible such as mandrake, the bone soup of ancient Egyptians, Hindu compilation of Rasayanas in Ayurveda and Kamasutra and caraways in sonnets of Shakespeare. Mayans and Aztecs introduced cocoa and the legendary Casanova used chocolate and oysters as an aphrodisiac. Ancient Chinese used Ginseng and animal parts like rhinoceros horns, tiger penis as aphrodisiacs.
Conclusion
The non-scientific evidence and knowledge about aphrodisiacs has existed for thousands of years. Market forces are driving medical research to find the perfect aphrodisiac. The history of aphrodisiacs is fascinating where science meets mythology.