Throughout history, people have been trying to find sexual stimulants, or aphrodisiacs, that enhance sexual desire, but so far they have not been able to do so. As for the search for drugs that improve or enhance sexual function, they are also full of thorns and troubles.

Cantharis was often contained in aphrodisiacs in the past, and its English name is Spanish Fly. Therefore, since the reform and opening up, some people have translated it as Spanish fly, and some people even use "fly powder" as a gimmick to promote its health products. According to online information:

Cantharis has long been a world-famous aphrodisiac. It can stimulate local congestion and have sexual excitement. Livia, the wife of Octavian, the founder of the Roman Empire, would mix cantharis into the food of guests to lure them into treating her lightly, and then use it to blackmail her. According to records, Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV (1050-1106) also suffered from health problems after taking cantharides. In 1572, the French surgeon Barre recorded a man who developed the most terrifying form of lechery after taking a certain amount of nettles and cantharis. Cantharidin was popular in Europe in the 18th century. In 1772, the French Marquis de Sade gave prostitutes anise-flavored incense and cantharides, forced them to have group sex and sodomized them, and was sentenced to death. He was later suspended on appeal.

Cantharis is also used as an abortifacient, a stimulant (because it can cause insomnia and nervousness), and even poison. It is difficult to detect if it infiltrates into food in powder form. A countess of the Medici family in Italy developed poison using arsenic and cantharis. It is said that adding 4 to 6 drops to water and wine can lead to painless death within a few hours. In order to prove the lethal effect of cantharis, they conducted tests. One method was to decompose the internal organs of the poisoned deceased in oil and apply it on the face of rabbits to observe whether the rabbits developed blisters.

U.S. law prohibits the use of cantharides except for use in animal husbandry and by registered medical personnel to treat warts. Some aphrodisiacs are sold by mail order or online and are advertised as "Spanish Fly", but many are capsules made of cayenne pepper, sometimes mixed with ginseng and other substances. Therefore, using cantharides as an aphrodisiac is tantamount to drinking poison to quench thirst. If you really have a problem, you should go to a regular large hospital for treatment, which is safe and can guarantee the effect. Never try to save trouble or be cheap, as this is not reliable and may also put your own health at risk.

The aphrodisiacs tried in the past, including Datura root, are obviously nonsense.

Ginseng is a commonly used medicine. In addition to its real pharmacological effects, the reason is probably more due to its appearance.

Rhinoceros horns have also been praised as magical. It is not difficult to understand if you think about the time when even tomatoes were used as aphrodisiacs.