Cyprus hard on yohimbine extract
Cyprus rejected food supplements from the US that contained 0.5 mg of the unauthorised yohimbine (0.5 mg/item).
Yohimbine extract is derived from the bark of a Central African evergreen tree and has been used as an aphrodisiac and to treat erectile dysfunction. It has also cropped up continually in the supplement industry as an adulterant, particularly in the sexual enhancement and sports nutrition sector.
According to a data from the RASFF, the ingredient was among the most commonly notified issues in 2013 along with the likes of DMAA.
A 2013 safety assessment from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) came back inconclusive due to a lack of evidence but the synthetic form used as a drug for erectile dysfunction in the past was noted for side effects including nervousness, irritability, insomnia, headache and skin flushing.