Fadogia agrestis is a short bush plant belonging to the Rubiaceae family. Although it is native to Nigeria, it can also be found as far west as Ghana and as far east as Sudan.<a href="#ref-1" id="ref-link-1" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Anero R, et al. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17988698" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Monoterpene glycosides isolated from Fadogia agrestis.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Phytochemistry (2008-Feb)&lt;/div&gt;'>[1]</a> Traditionally, it is used as a febrifuge (i.e., to reduce fever), as an aphrodisiac, and to treat erectile dysfunction.<a href="#ref-1" id="ref-link-1" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Anero R, et al. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17988698" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Monoterpene glycosides isolated from Fadogia agrestis.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Phytochemistry (2008-Feb)&lt;/div&gt;'>[1]</a><a href="#ref-2" id="ref-link-2" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Asian J Androl (2005-Dec)&lt;/div&gt;'>[2]</a>

What is Fadogia agrestis?

Fadogia agrestis is best known for its purported aphrodisiac effects. According to one rodent study, supplementation with Fadogia agrestis for 5 days led to remarkable increases in testosterone (2-fold with 18 mg/kg, 3-fold with 50 mg/kg, and 6-fold with 100 mg/kg) and enhanced libido.<a href="#ref-2" id="ref-link-2" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Asian J Androl (2005-Dec)&lt;/div&gt;'>[2]</a> Based on the magnitude of its benefit in rodents, it appears to be one of the more potent herbs for increasing both testosterone and libido, with the effect sizes being greater than those of <a href="/supplements/toothache-plant/" class="popover" data-tooltip="&lt;div&gt;&lt;h6&gt;Toothache plant&lt;/h6&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Spilanthes acmella&lt;/em&gt; is a traditional medicine for toothache, fever, and as an aphrodisiac; one study in rats suggests that it may increase testosterone, but it is an understudied herb.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;">Spilanthes acmella</a>.<a href="#ref-3" id="ref-link-3" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Vikas Sharma, et al. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21757328" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Spilanthes acmella ethanolic flower extract: LC-MS alkylamide profiling and its effects on sexual behavior in male rats
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Phytomedicine (2011 Oct 15)&lt;/div&gt;'>[3]</a><a href="#ref-2" id="ref-link-2" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Asian J Androl (2005-Dec)&lt;/div&gt;'>[2]</a> In another rodent study, supplementation with Fadogia agrestis increased testicular weight by 11–15%.<a href="#ref-4" id="ref-link-4" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18023305" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;J Ethnopharmacol (2008-Jan-17)&lt;/div&gt;'>[4]</a>
Limited animal evidence supports the pro-erectile properties of this herb, but an associated increase in ejaculation latency (time to ejaculation) has also been noted. This is a fairly rare property among aphrodisiacs, as they usually reduce ejaculation latency.<a href="#ref-2" id="ref-link-2" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Asian J Androl (2005-Dec)&lt;/div&gt;'>[2]</a>
A single in vitro study isolated glycosides of Fadogia agrestis roots and found that some of them possessed inhibitory effects on certain parasites and bacteria, and displayed mild antimalarial activity.<a href="#ref-5" id="ref-link-5" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Osman AG, et al. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30325205" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Glycosides of ursane-type triterpenoid, benzophenone, and iridoid from () and their anti-infective activities.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Nat Prod Res (2020-Mar)&lt;/div&gt;'>[5]</a> Another in vitro study found that Fadogia agrestis displayed antispasmodic properties.<a href="#ref-6" id="ref-link-6" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Sanon S, et al. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12738078" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Ethnobotanical survey and in vitro antiplasmodial activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;J Ethnopharmacol (2003-Jun)&lt;/div&gt;'>[6]</a>

What are Fadogia agrestis’ main benefits?

Although one rodent study noted fairly remarkable increases in testosterone over the course of five days with the use of Fadogia agrestis,<a href="#ref-2" id="ref-link-2" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Asian J Androl (2005-Dec)&lt;/div&gt;'>[2]</a> more and lengthier studies are required to investigate this effect, as there is also a possible cytotoxic effect that can manifest after around a month, which could interfere with the testosterone-boosting properties of the plant.<a href="#ref-4" id="ref-link-4" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18023305" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;J Ethnopharmacol (2008-Jan-17)&lt;/div&gt;'>[4]</a> It’s worth noting that the potential cytotoxic effects of Fadogia agrestis may not be limited to the testicles, with more studies required to determine what exactly is occurring.
<input id="sidebar-662a55e2f3be0" type="checkbox" class="peer hidden">
<div class="sidebar bg-red">
<label for="sidebar-662a55e2f3be0">
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 20 20" fill="currentColor">
<path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M14.77 12.79a.75.75 0 01-1.06-.02L10 8.832 6.29 12.77a.75.75 0 11-1.08-1.04l4.25-4.5a.75.75 0 011.08 0l4.25 4.5a.75.75 0 01-.02 1.06z" clip-rule="evenodd"></path>
</svg>
</label>
<h1 class="content-header content-header-h1">⚠️ Caution: Safety not established</h1>
While some traditional cultural uses of Fadogia agrestis may hint at potential benefits of supplementation, the dearth of human trials and the overall scarcity of comprehensive research on this herb mean its safety for human consumption has yet to be definitively established.
</div>

What are Fadogia agrestis’ main drawbacks?

Because the components of Fadogia agrestis are currently not well characterized, it’s unclear how exactly the plant works. At present,the suspected bioactive compounds include monoterpene glycosides, alkaloids, and saponins.<a href="#ref-1" id="ref-link-1" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Anero R, et al. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17988698" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Monoterpene glycosides isolated from Fadogia agrestis.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Phytochemistry (2008-Feb)&lt;/div&gt;'>[1]</a><a href="#ref-2" id="ref-link-2" class="ref-link popover" data-tooltip='&lt;div&gt;&lt;p class="mb-3"&gt;Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. &lt;a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.
&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Asian J Androl (2005-Dec)&lt;/div&gt;'>[2]</a>

How does Fadogia agrestis work?

Fadogia agrestis

Men’s Health

Monoterpene glycosides isolated from Fadogia agrestis.

Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.

Spilanthes acmella ethanolic flower extract: LC-MS alkylamide profiling and its effects on sexual behavior in male rats

Effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats.

Glycosides of ursane-type triterpenoid, benzophenone, and iridoid from  () and their anti-infective activities.

Ethnobotanical survey and in vitro antiplasmodial activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso.

Gregory Lopez

Nick Milazzo

Natalka Roshak

Antonis Damianou

Katherine Nguyen

Kurtis Frank

Fadogia agrestis is a short bush plant belonging to the Rubiaceae family. Although it is native to Nigeria, it can also be found as far west as Ghana and as far east as Sudan.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17988698|title=Monoterpene glycosides isolated from Fadogia agrestis.|published=2008-Feb|authors=Anero R, Díaz-Lanza A, Ollivier E, Baghdikian B, Balansard G, Bernabé M|journal=Phytochemistry|] Traditionally, it is used as a febrifuge (i.e., to reduce fever), as an aphrodisiac, and to treat erectile dysfunction.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17988698|title=Monoterpene glycosides isolated from Fadogia agrestis.|published=2008-Feb|authors=Anero R, Díaz-Lanza A, Ollivier E, Baghdikian B, Balansard G, Bernabé M|journal=Phytochemistry|][reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088|title=Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.|published=2005-Dec|authors=Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT|journal=Asian J Androl|]

Fadogia agrestis is best known for its purported aphrodisiac effects. According to one rodent study, supplementation with Fadogia agrestis for 5 days led to remarkable increases in testosterone (2-fold with 18 mg/kg, 3-fold with 50 mg/kg, and 6-fold with 100 mg/kg) and enhanced libido.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088|title=Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.|published=2005-Dec|authors=Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT|journal=Asian J Androl|] Based on the magnitude of its benefit in rodents, it appears to be one of the more potent herbs for increasing both testosterone and libido, with the effect sizes being greater than those of <a href="/supplements/toothache-plant/" class="popover" data-tooltip="&lt;div&gt;&lt;h6&gt;Toothache plant&lt;/h6&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Spilanthes acmella&lt;/em&gt; is a traditional medicine for toothache, fever, and as an aphrodisiac; one study in rats suggests that it may increase testosterone, but it is an understudied herb.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;">Spilanthes acmella</a>.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21757328|title=Spilanthes acmella ethanolic flower extract: LC-MS alkylamide profiling and its effects on sexual behavior in male rats|published=2011 Oct 15|authors=Vikas Sharma, Jente Boonen, Nagendra S Chauhan, Mayank Thakur, Bart De Spiegeleer, V K Dixit|journal=Phytomedicine|][reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088|title=Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.|published=2005-Dec|authors=Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT|journal=Asian J Androl|] In another rodent study, supplementation with Fadogia agrestis increased testicular weight by 11–15%.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18023305|title=Effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats.|published=2008-Jan-17|authors=Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT|journal=J Ethnopharmacol|]
Limited animal evidence supports the pro-erectile properties of this herb, but an associated increase in ejaculation latency (time to ejaculation) has also been noted. This is a fairly rare property among aphrodisiacs, as they usually reduce ejaculation latency.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088|title=Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.|published=2005-Dec|authors=Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT|journal=Asian J Androl|]
A single in vitro study isolated glycosides of Fadogia agrestis roots and found that some of them possessed inhibitory effects on certain parasites and bacteria, and displayed mild antimalarial activity.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30325205|title=Glycosides of ursane-type triterpenoid, benzophenone, and iridoid from () and their anti-infective activities.|published=2020-Mar|authors=Osman AG, Ali Z, Fantoukh O, Raman V, Kamdem RST, Khan I|journal=Nat Prod Res|] Another in vitro study found that Fadogia agrestis displayed antispasmodic properties.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12738078|title=Ethnobotanical survey and in vitro antiplasmodial activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso.|published=2003-Jun|authors=Sanon S, Ollivier E, Azas N, Mahiou V, Gasquet M, Ouattara CT, Nebie I, Traore AS, Esposito F, Balansard G, Timon-David P, Fumoux F|journal=J Ethnopharmacol|]

Although one rodent study noted fairly remarkable increases in testosterone over the course of five days with the use of Fadogia agrestis,[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088|title=Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.|published=2005-Dec|authors=Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT|journal=Asian J Androl|] more and lengthier studies are required to investigate this effect, as there is also a possible cytotoxic effect that can manifest after around a month, which could interfere with the testosterone-boosting properties of the plant.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18023305|title=Effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats.|published=2008-Jan-17|authors=Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT|journal=J Ethnopharmacol|] It’s worth noting that the potential cytotoxic effects of Fadogia agrestis may not be limited to the testicles, with more studies required to determine what exactly is occurring.
<input id="sidebar-662a5f71abb96" type="checkbox" class="peer hidden">
<div class="sidebar bg-red">
<label for="sidebar-662a5f71abb96">
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 20 20" fill="currentColor">
<path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M14.77 12.79a.75.75 0 01-1.06-.02L10 8.832 6.29 12.77a.75.75 0 11-1.08-1.04l4.25-4.5a.75.75 0 011.08 0l4.25 4.5a.75.75 0 01-.02 1.06z" clip-rule="evenodd"></path>
</svg>
</label>
<h1 class="content-header content-header-h1">⚠️ Caution: Safety not established</h1>
While some traditional cultural uses of Fadogia agrestis may hint at potential benefits of supplementation, the dearth of human trials and the overall scarcity of comprehensive research on this herb mean its safety for human consumption has yet to be definitively established.
</div>

Because the components of Fadogia agrestis are currently not well characterized, it’s unclear how exactly the plant works. At present,the suspected bioactive compounds include monoterpene glycosides, alkaloids, and saponins.[reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17988698|title=Monoterpene glycosides isolated from Fadogia agrestis.|published=2008-Feb|authors=Anero R, Díaz-Lanza A, Ollivier E, Baghdikian B, Balansard G, Bernabé M|journal=Phytochemistry|][reference|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16281088|title=Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.|published=2005-Dec|authors=Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT|journal=Asian J Androl|]

Fadogia agrestis

Don't miss out on the latest research