Herb Profile

Yohimbe

Pausinystalia johimbe

Yohimbe is represented here as a bark derived monograph anchored to yohimbine, an alpha 2 adrenergic antagonist with sympathomimetic effects.

Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited

Use extra caution — High risk stimulant herb. Details

Evidence
Limited Evidence
Typical onset
Varies by prep
Safety rating
High caution
Best for
Sleep, Stress, Cognitive function
Avoid / review if
Hypertension, Arrhythmia, Heart Disease
Next steps

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Yohimbe monograph visual
Generated profile category visual

Safety

Safety & Cautions

High risk stimulant herb. Reported adverse events include anxiety, agitation, hypertension, tachycardia, GI distress, and rare serious cardiovascular/neurologic events.

High caution

Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.

  • Liver-SensitiveLiver-related caution language appears in the profile.
  • Stimulant-Like ProfileStimulant-like or activating caution language is present.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications

  • Hypertension
  • Arrhythmia
  • Heart Disease
  • Anxiety/Panic Disorder
  • Bipolar Disorder/Mania
  • Kidney Or Liver Disease
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding.
  • Avoid With Stimulants
  • Decongestants
  • MAOIs

Safety classifications

  • Liver-Sensitive: Liver-related caution language appears in the profile.
  • Stimulant-Like Profile: Stimulant-like or activating caution language is present.
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.

Full safety note

  • High risk stimulant herb. Reported adverse events include anxiety, agitation, hypertension, tachycardia, GI distress, and rare serious cardiovascular/neurologic events.

Safety labels

  • Liver-Sensitive
  • Stimulant-Like Profile
  • Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution

Evidence-based safety

Caution when combined

Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.

High-Priority Caution

26 flagged pairings

Serotonergic activity

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Serotonergic activityCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 26 of 26 pairings in this mechanism group.

+14 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Moderate Caution

81 flagged pairings

Blood-pressure effects

Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.

Blood-pressure effectsCertainty: Theoretical

Data provenance recorded for 81 of 81 pairings in this mechanism group.

+69 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.

Evidence

Evidence Summary

Evidence lens

Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.

LimitedLimited Evidence

Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal

Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Neurotransmitter Modulation · Stress Response Modulation

Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.

Safety boundary: Safety note available — High risk stimulant herb.

This profile cites 3 human studies.

Study design details
Evidence Grade

Grade C: Limited Evidence

Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.

Design Match
Narrative review
Risk of Bias
High
Consistency
Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a narrative review, drawn from 3 recorded studies, none of which measured an outcome in people.
How evidence grades work

Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.

Strong
Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
Moderate
Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
Preliminary / Mixed
Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
Traditional / Theoretical
Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (3)0 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable

What the evidence actually shows

This table contains 3 structured sources, including 0 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials.

StudyDesignNDoseDurationPopulationOutcomeResult & magnitudeSource

Herb-drug interactions

Fugh-Berman A et al. · Lancet · 2000

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

Yohimbine

PubMed indexed authors · 2012

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

Sexual Performance Anxiety

Pyke RE et al. · Sex Med Rev · 2020

Background
Narrative review

Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review.

——————PubMed →

Dosing & Timing

No standardized dose
Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Do not equate crude bark products with pharmaceutical yohimbine and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Yohimbe works

Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.

Mechanism Pathway — How Yohimbe Works

How Yohimbe WorksYohimbe acts on biological target pathways via neurotransmitter (modulation), leading to sleep quality.YohimbeBiological TargetBiological pathwayNeurotransmitterModulationSleep Quality ↑Onset + depthHPA AxisModulation
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
  • Neurotransmitter Modulation
  • Stress Response Modulation

Compare related active botanicals

Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.

Compare & Sourcing

Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.

Safety first · Harm reduction

This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.

Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.

By Willie B. Randolph III

Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026

Editorial Review

Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.

Editorial Standards →

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