Move over Viagra, there's a new "V" in town that may be equally effective for the treatment of male sexual dysfunction.
"Vuka-vuka" is an African plant that has been used traditionally in Malawi and Zimbabwe as a treatment for low sex drive and sexual dysfunction, the Council of Agriculture said yesterday at a press conference.
But Chen Yuan-wu (陳榮五), director-general of the council's Taichung district agricultural research and extension station, said that more research was necessary to determine vuka-vuka's effects before it could be sold as a treatment.
Vuka-vuka, which means "wake up, come alive" in the African language of Nguni, is a vine that is grown for its roots, Chen said, adding that the plant is high in nutritional value, containing vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as minerals such as zinc, iron and calcium.
"Vuka-vuka is known as the `African Viagra,'" said Chen, whose team have ground the root into powder and produced capsules.
What sets vuka-vuka apart from the "little blue pill" is its hormonal influence, Chen said.
"It has been documented that shortly after ingestion of vuka-vuka roots, one's face and head warm up as blood circulation increases. But beyond that, we have found that when fed to male rats, their male hormone level and sperm count also increases," he said, citing a study the station had completed.
"Our studies also indicate that there are no detectable negative effects to the function and structure of the rats' sexual organs, nor have we found vuka-vuka to be toxic," he said.
In addition to treating male sexual dysfunction, Chen's team believe the root may alleviate sciatic nerve pain and enlarged prostates, he said, adding that the effects were more prominent in subjects over 50 years old.
"Further research must be conducted before the plants can be marketed as medicine," Chen said. "The product is full of potential and we hope to work with research institutions to identify the active ingredients in the plant as well as their medical functions."
Chewing on a piece of vuka-vuka, Chen, who introduced the plant to Taiwan three years ago, said he had also come up with recipes combining the roots with traditional Taiwanese foods.
"Vuka-vuka makes a tasty chicken soup," Chen said.
"In the Taichung station we have named vuka-vuka `African ginseng.' It fits very nicely in soup. The plant has a very pleasant smell and was used as a spice and herb by Zulus in Africa as early as the 19th century," Chen said.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as