Common Names
- Zestra
For Patients & Caregivers
Tell your healthcare providers about any dietary supplements you’re taking, such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, and natural or home remedies. This will help them manage your care and keep you safe.
What is it?
Zestra may improve sexual function in normal women and in those suffering from female sexual disorders.
Zestra is a personal product for women promoted to relieve symptoms of female sexual dysfunction. It contains borage seed oil, evening primrose oil, angelica root extract, Coleus forskohlii extract, ascorbyl palmitate, and dl-alpha tocopherol. Sexual dysfunction may include painful intercourse, loss of desire, and difficulty in achieving arousal or orgasm. Stress, changes in hormone, cancer treatment, drugs, or menopause are some of the factors that can cause sexual dysfunction. Properties in borage, evening primrose, angelica, and C. forskohlii may be responsible for Zestra's activity. A small study suggests that Zestra can improve sexual function in both normal women and in those suffering from female sexual arousal disorder.
Zestra has not been studied in cancer patients. Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or those trying to get pregnant should not use Zestra.
What are the potential uses and benefits?
Female sexual dysfunction
Clinical studies suggest that Zestra can improve sexual function in women.
What are the side effects?
- Mild to moderate genital burning was reported following use of Zestra.
What else do I need to know?
Patient Warnings:
Sexual dysfunction could be a result of other complex underlying physical, biological, or psychological disorders. Patients should consult and be monitored by a physician when using this product.
Do Not Take if:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You are trying to get pregnant.
- You are sensitive to any of the components.
- You have a vaginal infection or irritation.
For Healthcare Professionals
Clinical Summary
Zestra is a topical botanical formulation promoted to relieve symptoms associated with female sexual dysfunction. It contains borage seed oil, evening primrose oil, angelica root extract, Coleus forskohlii extract, ascorbyl palmitate, and dl-alpha tocopherol. Sexual dysfunction may involve painful intercourse, loss of libido, difficulty in maintaining arousal, or difficulty in achieving orgasm. Causative factors include stress, hormonal changes, cancer treatment involving surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or hormone therapy, use of antidepressants, or menopause. Properties in borage, primrose, angelica, and coleus extracts may contribute to Zestra’s activity by increasing blood flow and nerve conduction (2) (3) (4). Clinical studies suggest that it benefits both normal women and those with sexual disorders by heightening desire, arousal, and increased sexual pleasure (1) (6).
Zestra has not been studied in cancer patients. Adverse effects from its use include mild burning sensation locally. It is contraindicated in women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, and in those trying to conceive.
Purported Uses and Benefits
- Female sexual dysfunction
Mechanism of Action
Studies suggest that borage and evening primrose oils are rich in gamma-linolenic acid that is metabolized to prostaglandin E1 in the skin (2). This process is known to increase blood flow and nerve conduction. Osthole, a compound present in Angelica root extract was found to increase the levels of cGMP and cAMP (3). C. forskohlii extract contains forskolin, coleonol, and related diterpenes that are known to stimulate adenylate cyclase (4).
Warnings
Sexual dysfunction could be a result of other complex underlying physical, biological, or psychological disorders. Patients should consult and be monitored by a physician when using this product.
Contraindications
- Women trying to conceive and pregnant women
- Women who are breastfeeding
- Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients
- Vaginal irritation, atrophy, or infection