Effectiveness and safety of an herbal formula (KBMSI-2) in the treatment of erectile dysfunction

This study aimed to evaluate an herbal supplement for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. This study found that this supplement showed promising effectiveness.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. It can be caused by several medical reasons. It is commonly found in aging men due to decreasing testosterone (the main male sex hormone) levels. This is called andropause. It can reduce the quality of life of patients. There are many different non-surgical treatment options for ED. One is KBMSI-2, an herbal formula consisting of Ginseng Radix Rubra, Dioscorea tenuipes, Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc., Lycium chinense Mill, and Curcuma longa Linn. 

It is unclear how effective it is for the treatment of ED. 

This study included 44 men. They were separated into 2 groups. One group took 6 g of KBMSI-2 twice per day for 8 weeks, at least 1 hour after food intake. The other group took a fake medication, a placebo. 

Patients receiving KBMSI-2 had a significant improvement in erectile function scores at 8 weeks compared to the beginning of the study. The placebo group saw no improvement. Intercourse satisfaction also significantly increased in the KBMSI-2 group. Only one patient in the KBMSI-2 had a mild itching sensation.

This study found that this supplement showed promising effectiveness for patients with ED.

This study had a very small number of participants. Also, it was done on Korean men only. Further larger studies on more diverse populations are needed.