ITALY — With medical insurance becoming more and more expensive while covering fewer and fewer options, patients and potential patients are on the look-out for alternative solutions to health issues, including those related to sexuality. Thanks to a research study conducted by the University of Milan, at least one health remedy may be as close as the health food section of the local grocery store.Mario Dell’Agli, a lead researcher for the university’s study of Chinese horny goat weed believes that the natural aphrodisiac may inspire a new generation of medications designed to invigorate sluggish erections.

Although his study did not look at whether or not the herb actually stimulates desire, Dell’Agli told Reuters that he believes it “could be the natural Viagra.”

According to Dell’Agli, medications such as Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra work by making it easier for blood to rush to the genitals. Unfortunately, while working to inhibit an enzyme that makes erections more difficult, they can also produce headaches, stomach upset, and visual impairment including blindness – none of which necessarily contribute to a feeling of sexiness.

With these unpleasant side effects in mind, Dell’Agli’s team investigated a number of plants rumored to possess sex enhancing qualities. While observing the properties of horny goat weed, the researchers tweaked with the compound icariin found within the plant — and learned that it was as capable of blocking the anti-erection enzyme as prescription Viagra.

Dell’Angli hopes that the modified herbal supplement will do the same job as the lab produced medications, with fewer ill results. He bases his hopes upon the fact that the enzyme in horny goat week more precisely targets the enzyme in question.

“The compound icariin is present in the horny goat weed in large amounts and its activity against (the enzyme) is lower compared to Viagra,” Dell-Angli explained to Reuters. “But the new molecule we synthesized from icariin is as good as Viagra against (the enzyme).”