Modern man has cutting-edge medications such as Viagra and Cialis to treat erectile dysfunction, a condition that has been around for nearly as long as man.
Lacking the scientific know-how and medical expertise of the 21st century, the ancients came up with a wide array of concoctions to help the men of their time battle impotence. Some of them are still in use today.
Here’s a brief overview of the ED treatments of choice down through the ages, as outlined by Chris Iliades, M.D., in an article posted at EverydayHealth.com.
Traditional Chinese Medicine: As early as 2500 B.C., ancient Chinese medical practitioners whipped up elixirs from herbs believed to improve erectile function. Such herbs included ginseng and horny goat weed (Epimedium).
History records that court herbalists concocted a potion containing 22 erection-friendly herbs to help a Chinese emperor bed an estimated 1,200 women. Acupuncture was also used to treat ED. These herbal remedies and acupuncture remain in use today.
Ancient Egypt: To treat impotence, the ancient Egyptians used potions made from the petals of blue and white lotus flowers. Apomorphine, the active ingredient from those lotus blooms, is used today in a prescription medication — Uprima — that is available for sale in some markets outside the United States. Ancient Egyptians also favored the topical application of ground-up baby crocodile hearts directly on the penis.
Mayan Civilization: Artifacts from the ancient Maya appear to show priests wearing ornate headpieces with lotus blooms attached to them. This has led some medical historians to hypothesize that the Maya, like the Egyptians before them, used the lotus blooms to treat male impotence.
Ancient Greece and Rome: Greek philosopher Aristotle is credited with creating an aphrodisiac made from the dried remains of an emerald-green beetle species known scientifically as Lytta vesicatoria and colloquially as Spanish fly. This was also a widely used ED treatment during the Roman Empire.
Middle Ages: Thirteenth century theologian Thomas Aquinas preached that demons were responsible for male impotence. Taking Aquinas’s claim a step further, a later textbook for witch hunters recommended that men with ED hunt down the witches responsible for cursing them and persuade them — with physical force if necessary — to reverse the curse.
Seventeenth Century: It was widely believed during the 1600s that the only guaranteed cure for erectile dysfunction was the touch of a woman.
Nineteenth Century: An Italian doctor in 1873 accurately identified the role that blood flow played in the election process. He found a way to block veins that would ordinarily drain blood away from the penis.
Twentieth Century: Although the final years of this century brought the revolutionary ED treatment known as PDE5 inhibitors, including Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis, this period also saw some harebrained schemes to treat male impotence.
Among these was the surgical implantation of testicles from deer, goats, and monkeys into men who were suffering from ED. The results of these bizarre surgical interventions were often fatal.
Back to the Future: If you and your doctor believe that Viagra or another of the oral ED drugs is the answer to your problems with male impotence, consider ordering them from a trustworthy online facilitator such as eDrugstore.com. To learn more, click here to visit eDrugstore’s Male Impotence page.
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