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Mandrake

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A mandrake is the root of a plant, historically derived either from plants of the genus Mandragora (in the family Solanaceae ) found in the Mediterranean region, or from other species, such as Bryonia alba (the English mandrake, in the family Cucurbitaceae ) or the American mandrake ( Podophyllum peltatum in the family Berberidaceae ) which have similar properties. The plants from which the root is obtained are also called "mandrakes". Mediterranean mandrakes are perennial herbaceous plants with ovate leaves arranged in a rosette, a thick upright root, often branched, and bell-shaped flowers that produce yellow or orange berries . They have been placed in different species by different authors. They are highly variable perennial herbaceous plants with long thick roots (often branched) and almost no stem. The leaves are borne in a basal rosette, and are variable in size and shape, with a maximum length of 45 cm (18 in). They are usually either elliptical in shape or wider towards the end (obovate), with varying degrees of hairiness.

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158-407: Because mandrakes contain deliriant hallucinogenic tropane alkaloids and the shape of their roots often resembles human figures , they have been associated with magic rituals throughout history, including present-day contemporary pagan traditions. The English name "mandrake" derives from Latin mandragora , and while the classical name has nothing to do with either "man" or "dragon/drake",

316-411: A genital ulcer ; even if they do not, they increase the risk of both acquiring and passing on HIV up to ten-fold. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted through sexual contact. Globally, there are about 257 million chronic carriers of hepatitis B. HIV is one of the world's leading infectious killers; in 2010, approximately 30 million people were estimated to have died because of it since the beginning of

474-460: A stroke can also largely impact on the ability to engage in sexual intercourse. Although disability-related pain, including as a result of cancer , and mobility impairment can hamper sexual intercourse, in many cases, the most significant impediments to sexual intercourse for individuals with a disability are psychological. In particular, people who have a disability can find sexual intercourse daunting due to issues involving their self-concept as

632-511: A virgin , then the fluids dripped down will cause a " Galgn-Mänl " to grow there ( Grimmelshausen alias Simplicissimus's Galgen-Männlein , 1673). It later states the plant is the product combining the arch-thief's ( Erzdieb ) soul and his semen or urine. The other source states that when an innocent man hanged as a thief releases "water" from the pain and torture he endured, the plant with plantain -like leaves like will grow from that spot. And collecting it requires only that it takes place on

790-456: A Friday before dawn, with the collector stuffing his ears with cotton and sealing them with wax or pitch, and making the sign of the cross three times while harvesting ( Johannes Praetorius , Satrunalia , 1663). The acquired alraun root needs to be washed with red wine, then wrapped in silk cloth of red and white, and deposited in its own case; it must be removed every Friday and bathed, and new white shirt be given every new moon, according to

948-426: A boy who is 1 to 3 years older than they are. Between 1988 and 2002, the percentage of people in the U.S. who had sexual intercourse between the ages of 15 and 19 fell from 60 to 46 percent for never-married males, and from 51 to 46 percent for never-married females. In humans, sexual intercourse and sexual activity in general have been reported as having health benefits as varied as increased immunity by increasing

1106-606: A daughter, Dinah . Thus Rachel had to endure several more years of torment being childless, while her sister could flaunt her prolific motherhood, until God intervened, allowing for Rachel's conception of Joseph . The final verses of Chapter 7 of Song of Songs (verses 12–13), mention the plant once again: נַשְׁכִּ֙ימָה֙ לַכְּרָמִ֔ים נִרְאֶ֞ה אִם פָּֽרְחָ֤ה הַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ פִּתַּ֣ח הַסְּמָדַ֔ר הֵנֵ֖צוּ הָרִמֹּונִ֑ים שָׁ֛ם אֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־דֹּדַ֖י לָֽךְ׃ הַֽדּוּדָאִ֣ים נָֽתְנוּ-רֵ֗יחַ וְעַל-פְּתָחֵ֙ינוּ֙ כָּל-מְגָדִ֔ים חֲדָשִׁ֖ים גַּם-יְשָׁנִ֑ים דּוֹדִ֖י צָפַ֥נְתִּי לָֽךְ: Let us get up early to

1264-426: A different plant called the white eryngium , also called centocapitum , which also are of two types, those resembling the male and female genitalia, which translators note might also be actually referring to the mandragora (of Genesis 30:14). If a man came into possession of a phallic mandrake (eryngium), this had the power to attract women. Pliny contends that Phaon of Lesbos Island by obtaining this phallic root

1422-633: A feather in the air; another would dart straws at it with much fury; and another, stark naked, was sitting up in a corner like a monkey, grinning and making mows (grimaces) at them; a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and sneer in their faces with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll… They were not very cleanly; for they would have wallowed in their own excrements if they had not been prevented. A thousand such simple tricks they played, and after eleven days returned (to) themselves again, not remembering anything that had passed." Naturally-occurring anticholinergic deliriants are found in

1580-504: A form of safe sex and contraception. Condoms are widely recommended for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). According to reports by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and World Health Organization (WHO), correct and consistent use of latex condoms reduces the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission by approximately 85–99% relative to risk when unprotected. Condoms are rarely used for oral sex and there

1738-519: A hanged man where his urine or semen had dripped into ground. A more elaborate set of condition had to be met by the hanged man to produce the magic herb in version given by the Grimms' DS , which essentially amalgamates the formulae from two of its sources. According to one source, when the hanged man was a hereditary thief ( Erbdieb ), and the mother while carrying the child either stole or contemplated stealing before giving birth to him, and if died

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1896-604: A lack of "dialogue around this population's human right to consensual sexual expression, undertreatment of menstrual disorders, and legal and systemic barriers". Women with intellectual disability may lack sexual health care and sex education. They may not recognize sexual abuse. Consensual sexual intercourse is not always an option for some. Those with intellectual disability may have limited knowledge and access to contraception, screening for sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer. Sexual intercourse may be for reproductive, relational, or recreational purposes. It often plays

2054-893: A long history of usage both in Mexico and the Southwestern United States by indigenous cultures using it for ritualistic , sacred and magical purposes. In modern times, both Datura and Brugmansia are still used for sorcery, black magic, and shamanism in Latin America . In certain South American countries, members of the Brugmansia genus have been known to be occasionally added to ayahuasca brews by malevolent sorcerers ( brujos ) or bad shamans who wish to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists. Genuine shamans ( curanderos ) believe one of

2212-517: A man's penis into another person's rectum, but may also mean the use of sex toys or fingers to penetrate the anus, or oral sex on the anus ( anilingus ), or pegging . Oral sex consists of all the sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth and throat to stimulate genitalia or anus. It is sometimes performed to the exclusion of all other forms of sexual activity, and may include the ingestion or absorption of semen (during fellatio ) or vaginal fluids (during cunnilingus ). Fingering involves

2370-541: A mirror . Deliriants in particular appear to be noted for their powerful effects on users' behavior. Ken Hedges, who was curator of archaeology at the San Diego Museum of Man , and also studied hallucinogen-based Kumeyaay rock art recalled how when he was a student at San Diego's Mount Miguel High School in 1960, two teenage boys in Ojai who sampled datura were found on that town's main street at night; "in

2528-473: A more persuasive, though not clinching, explanation is that it derives from *ala- 'all' + *rūnō 'secret' hence "great secret". Grimm explains that it passed from the original meaning of a prophetess type of evil-spirit (or wise woman), into the mandrake or plant-root charm. The form allerünren (or allerünken ) is attested as the Dithmarschen dialect for standard diminutive alrünchen , and in

2686-497: A neurotransmitter. This behavior is characterized by a fixation on sexual intercourse and disinhibition. It was proposed that this 'addictive behavior' be classified in DSM-5 as an impulsive–compulsive behavioral disorder. Addiction to sexual intercourse is thought to be genetically linked. Those having an addiction to sexual intercourse have a higher response to visual sexual cues in the brain. Those seeking treatment will typically see

2844-505: A physician for pharmacological management and therapy. One form of hypersexuality is Kleine–Levin syndrome . It is manifested by hypersomnia and hypersexuality and remains relatively rare. Sexual activity can directly cause death , particularly due to coronary circulation complications, which is sometimes called coital death, coital sudden death or coital coronary. However, coital deaths are significantly rare. People, especially those who get little or no physical exercise, have

3002-415: A piece of a dead man's winding-sheet and carry it with you everywhere. Deliriant Deliriants are a subclass of hallucinogen . The term was coined in the early 1980s to distinguish these drugs from psychedelics such as LSD and dissociatives such as ketamine , due to their primary effect of causing delirium , as opposed to the more lucid (i.e. rational thought is preserved better, including

3160-605: A primary form of sexual activity. Researchers commonly use sexual intercourse to denote penile–vaginal intercourse while using specific words, such as anal sex or oral sex , for other sexual behaviors. Scholars Richard M. Lerner and Laurence Steinberg state that researchers also "rarely disclose" how they conceptualize sex "or even whether they resolved potential discrepancies" in conceptualizations of sex. Lerner and Steinberg attribute researchers' focus on penile–vaginal sex to "the larger culture's preoccupation with this form of sexual activity", and have expressed concern that

3318-462: A receptive partner during anal intercourse. The study said that fewer women reported engaging in anal sex than other partnered sexual behaviors. It was estimated that 10% to 14% of women aged 18 to 39 years old practiced anal sex in the past 90 days, and that most of the women who engage in anal sex said they practiced it once a month or a few times a year. The prevalence of sexual intercourse has been compared cross-culturally. In 2003, Michael Bozon of

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3476-461: A role in personal decisions about sexual intercourse or other sexual activity, such as decisions about virginity , or legal and public policy matters. Religious views on sexuality vary significantly between different religions and sects of the same religion, though there are common themes, such as prohibition of adultery. Reproductive sexual intercourse between non-human animals is more often called copulation , and sperm may be introduced into

3634-464: A root of the plant called bryony . Take it out of the ground on a Monday (the day of the moon), a little time after the vernal equinox . Cut off the ends of the root and bury it at night in some country churchyard in a dead man's grave. For 30 days, water it with cow's milk in which three bats have been drowned. When the 31st day arrives, take out the root in the middle of the night and dry it in an oven heated with branches of verbena ; then wrap it up in

3792-416: A sexual being, or a partner's discomfort or perceived discomfort. Temporary difficulties can arise with alcohol and sex , as alcohol can initially increase interest through disinhibition but decrease capacity with greater intake; however, disinhibition can vary depending on the culture. People with mental disabilities also are subject to challenges in participating in sexual intercourse. This can include

3950-468: A slightly increased risk of triggering a heart attack or sudden cardiac death when they engage in sexual intercourse or any vigorous physical exercise that is engaged in on a sporadic basis. Regular exercise reduces, but does not eliminate, the increased risk. Sexual intercourse, when involving a male participant, often ends when the male has ejaculated, and thus the partner might not have time to reach orgasm . In addition, premature ejaculation (PE)

4108-416: A state of unconsciousness and was used as an anaesthetic for surgery in ancient times. In the past, juice from the finely grated root was applied externally to relieve rheumatic pains. It was used internally to treat melancholy , convulsions , and mania . When taken internally in large doses it was said to excite delirium and madness. Theophrastus (d. c. 287 BC) Historia Plantarum wrote that

4266-519: A state of mind that could only be called extremely deranged, they were walking from streetlight to streetlight, banging their heads on each pole until they were covered with blood." Hedge claimed that even among Native Indians , "terrifying visions" were often the result for "those who submitted themselves to the plant's power." Anthropological assessment of the sacred Chumash Datura cult in Southern California ascertained that within

4424-429: A strong role in human bonding . In many societies, it is normal for couples to have sexual intercourse while using some method of birth control, sharing pleasure and strengthening their emotional bond through sexual activity even though they are deliberately avoiding pregnancy. In humans and bonobos , the female undergoes relatively concealed ovulation so that male and female partners commonly do not know whether she

4582-522: A surgery. Obstacles that those with disabilities face with regard to engaging in sexual intercourse include pain, depression , fatigue, negative body image , stiffness, functional impairment, anxiety, reduced libido , hormonal imbalance, and drug treatment or side effects. Sexual functioning has been regularly identified as a neglected area of the quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis . For those that must take opioids for pain control, sexual intercourse can become more difficult. Having

4740-520: A thaler coin each day for the owner. In France, there is also the tradition that the man-de-gloire (mandrake) is harvested from under a gibbet . There is testimony collected firsthand by Sainte-Palaye (d. 1781), in which a peasant claimed to have kept a man-de-gloire found at the base of a mistletoe -bearing oak. The creature was said to be a type of mole. It had to be fed regularly with meat, bread, etc., or suffer dire consequences (two who failed suffered death). But in return, whatever one gave to

4898-416: A variety of safe sex methods that are practiced by heterosexual and same-sex couples, including non-penetrative sex acts, and heterosexual couples may use oral or anal sex (or both) as a means of birth control. However, pregnancy can still occur with anal sex or other forms of sexual activity if the penis is near the vagina (such as during intercrural sex or other genital-genital rubbing ) and its sperm

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5056-407: A whole either the figure of a man, or that of the virile members. It is slightly narcotic, and an aphrodisiacal virtue was ascribed to it by the ancients, who represented it as being sought by Thessalian sorcerers for the composition of philtres. Is this root the umbilical vestige of our terrestrial origin? We dare not seriously affirm it, but all the same it is certain that man came out of the slime of

5214-463: A woman's urine or menstrual blood on it, touching it will cause certain death. Thus in order to safely obtain it: A furrow must be dug around the root until its lower part is exposed, then a dog is tied to it, after which the person tying the dog must get away. The dog then endeavours to follow him, and so easily pulls up the root, but dies suddenly instead of his master. After this, the root can be handled without fear. Here Josephus only refers to

5372-1071: Is delayed ejaculation , which can be caused as an unwanted side effect of antidepressant medications such as fluvoxamine ; however, all SSRIs have ejaculation-delaying effects, and fluvoxamine has the least ejaculation-delaying effects. Sexual intercourse often remains possible after major medical treatment of the reproductive organs and structures. This is especially true for women. Even after extensive gynecological surgical procedures (such as hysterectomy , oophorectomy , salpingectomy , dilation and curettage , hymenotomy , Bartholin gland surgery, abscess removal, vestibulectomy , labia minora reduction, cervical conization , surgical and radiological cancer treatments and chemotherapy), sexual intercourse can continue. Reconstructive surgery remains an option for women who have experienced benign and malignant conditions. Men and women who have underwent extensive surgery should consult their medical team to understand how their treatment or surgery affects sex and how long they should wait before having sexual intercourse after

5530-424: Is ejaculated through the penis into the vagina. The sperm passes through the vaginal vault , cervix and into the uterus , and then into the fallopian tubes . Millions of sperm are ejaculated to increase the chances of fertilization (see sperm competition ), but only one is sufficient to fertilize an egg or ovum . When a fertile ovum from the female is present in the fallopian tubes, the male gamete fertilizes

5688-483: Is "the most prevalent sexual behavior among men and women of all ages and ethnicities". Clint E. Bruess et al. stated that it "is the most frequently studied behavior" and is "often the focus of sexuality education programming for youth." Weiten et al. said that it "is the most widely endorsed and practiced sexual act in our society." Regarding oral or anal intercourse, the CDC stated in 2009, "Studies indicate that oral sex

5846-444: Is a form of assisted reproductive technology , which are methods used to achieve pregnancy by artificial or partially artificial means. For artificial insemination, sperm donors may donate their sperm through a sperm bank , and the insemination is performed with the express intention of attempting to impregnate the female; to this extent, its purpose is the medical equivalent of sexual intercourse. ICI insemination, which involves

6004-767: Is also known as Galgenmännlein ("little gallows man") stemming from the belief they grown near the gallows, attested also in Icelandic thjofarót "thieves' root". Certain sources cite the Dutch name pis diefje (lit. "little urine thief") or pis duiveltje ('urine devilkin'), claiming the plant grows from the brains of dead thieves, or the droppings of those hung on the gallows . The name "brain thief" for mandrake also occurs in English. All species of Mandragora contain highly biologically active alkaloids , tropane alkaloids in particular. The alkaloids make

6162-456: Is also known as vaginal intercourse or vaginal sex . Sexual penetration has been known by humans since the dawn of time, and has been an instinctive form of sexual behaviour and psychology among humans. Other forms of penetrative sexual intercourse include anal sex (penetration of the anus by the penis), oral sex (penetration of the mouth by the penis or oral penetration of the female genitalia ), fingering (sexual penetration by

6320-509: Is also not clear if timed intercourse has an effect on a person's level of stress or their quality of life. Studies have shown no significant difference between different sex positions and pregnancy rate, as long as it results in ejaculation into the vagina. When a sperm donor has sexual intercourse with a woman who is not his partner and for the sole purpose of impregnating the woman, this may be known as natural insemination , as opposed to artificial insemination . Artificial insemination

6478-435: Is also said, will be able to befriend everybody, and if childless will be blessed with children. When the owner dies, the youngest son will inherit ownership of the doll. In the father's coffin must be place a piece of bread and a coin. If the youngest son predeceases, then the right of inheritance passes to the eldest son, but the deceased youngest son must also receive his coin and bread in the coffin. It has been noted that

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6636-618: Is also the mönöloke , a wax doll dressed up in the name of the devil, which is considered a parallel or variant of the alrun doll. Because true mandrake does not grow native in Germany, Alrun dolls were being made from cane -roots or false mandrake (German: Gichtrübe ; Bryonia alba of the gourd family ), recorded in the herbal book by the Italian Pietro Andrea Mattioli (d. 1577/78). The roots are cut approximately to human-like shape, then replanted in

6794-532: Is at lower ages than that of women; this group includes south European and Latin cultures (Portugal, Greece and Romania are noted) and such from Latin America (Brazil, Chile , and the Dominican Republic ). The study considered many Asian societies to also fall into this group, although matching data was only available from Thailand . In the third group, age of men and women at sexual initiation

6952-600: Is because "although an estimated 15 percent to 20 percent of men experience difficulty controlling rapid ejaculation, most do not consider it a problem requiring help, and many women have difficulty expressing their sexual needs". The American Urological Association (AUA) estimates that premature ejaculation could affect 21 percent of men in the United States. For those whose impotence is caused by medical conditions, prescription drugs such as Viagra , Cialis , and Levitra are available. However, doctors caution against

7110-660: Is characterized by stupor , agitation , confusion , confabulation , emotional bluntness , dysphoria , memory deficits , incoherency of thoughts, hypoactivity or hyperactivity (mixed delirium), lucid intervals, akathisia , realistic visual hallucinations or illusions (as opposed to the pseudohallucinations experienced on other classes of hallucinogens) and regression to "phantom" behaviors such as disrobing , plucking or interacting with imaginary objects or scenes. The effects of these kinds of anticholinergic compounds have also been likened to delirious fevers , sleepwalking , fugue states or psychotic episodes in that

7268-411: Is common, and women often require a substantially longer duration of stimulation with a sexual partner than men do before reaching an orgasm. Scholars, such as Weiten et al., state that "many couples are locked into the idea that orgasms should be achieved only through intercourse [penile-vaginal sex]," that "the word foreplay suggests that any other form of sexual stimulation is merely preparation for

7426-502: Is commonly practiced by sexually active male-female and same-gender couples of various ages, including adolescents." Oral sex is significantly more common than anal sex. The 2010 NSSHB study reported that vaginal intercourse was practiced more than insertive anal intercourse among men, but that 13% to 15% of men aged 25 to 49 practiced insertive anal intercourse. Receptive anal intercourse was infrequent among men, with approximately 7% of men aged 14 to 94 years old having said that they were

7584-447: Is considered a deliriant, due to its propensity to cause anticholinergic-like symptoms when taken in large doses. The effects caused by myristicin and elemicin found in nutmeg's essential oil can last up to several days, similarly to the tropane alkaloids found in datura . The mushroom referred to as fly agaric with its active agents ibotenic acid and muscimol may also be considered an 'atypical' deliriant, although fly agaric

7742-465: Is covered in fur. In Greek mythology , the goddess Hecate is said to have invented aconitum which Athena used to transform Arachne into a spider. Disubstituted glycolic acid esters: Sexual intercourse Sexual intercourse (also coitus or copulation ) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion and thrusting of the male penis inside the female vagina for sexual pleasure , reproduction , or both. This

7900-420: Is deposited near the vagina's entrance and travels along the vagina's lubricating fluids; the risk of pregnancy can also occur without the penis being near the vagina because sperm may be transported to the vaginal opening by the vagina coming in contact with fingers or other non-genital body parts that have come in contact with semen. Safe sex is a relevant harm reduction philosophy and condoms are used as

8058-503: Is endemic to Australia and contains both scopolamine and nicotine . Scopolamine has often been considered, pharmacologically and psychonautically the premier and paradigmatic deliriant substance, to which all other deliriants and/or antimuscarinic hallucinogens are usually compared. Synthetic compounds such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) are deliriants. Nutmeg , although purportedly not as strong or as unpleasant as diphenhydramine or scopolamine,

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8216-512: Is especially the case for men with a lower emotional and composite marital satisfaction. Other studies report that the lack of sexual intercourse does not significantly result in divorce, though it is commonly one of the various contributors to it. According to the 2010 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB), men whose most recent sexual encounter was with a relationship partner reported greater arousal, greater pleasure, fewer problems with erectile function, orgasm, and less pain during

8374-685: Is fertile at any given moment. One possible reason for this distinct biological feature may be formation of strong emotional bonds between sexual partners important for social interactions and, in the case of humans, long-term partnership rather than immediate sexual reproduction. Sexual dissatisfaction due to the lack of sexual intercourse is associated with increased risk of divorce and relationship dissolution, especially for men. Some research, however, indicates that general dissatisfaction with marriage for men results if their wives flirted with, erotically kissed or became romantically or sexually involved with another man ( infidelity ), and that this

8532-602: Is involuntary tensing of the pelvic floor musculature, making coitus, or any form of penetration of the vagina, distressing, painful and sometimes impossible for women. It is a conditioned reflex of the pubococcygeus muscle, and is sometimes referred to as the PC muscle. Vaginismus can be hard to overcome because if a woman expects to experience pain during sexual intercourse, this can cause a muscle spasm, which results in painful sexual intercourse. Treatment of vaginismus often includes both psychological and behavioral techniques, including

8690-422: Is known under different ancient Latin names for a variety of sexual activities, but usually denotes penile–vaginal penetration. This is often called vaginal intercourse or vaginal sex. Vaginal sex, and less often vaginal intercourse , may also denote any vaginal sexual activity, particularly if penetrative , including sexual activity between lesbian couples . Copulation , by contrast, more often denotes

8848-568: Is less risky than vaginal or anal intercourse. Many times, STIs initially do not cause symptoms, increasing the risk of unknowingly passing the infection on to a sex partner or others. There are 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections every year in the U.S., and, in 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 448 million people aged 15–49 were infected per year with curable STIs (such as syphilis , gonorrhea and chlamydia ). Some STIs can cause

9006-683: Is mentioned twice in the Bible , and was also frequently mentioned as a typical ingredient in flying ointment recipes since at least as far back as the Early Modern Period . During this time period, the New World plant datura stramonium (jimsonweed) was discovered in North America by colonialists and eventually lumped in with the other classic 'witches weeds' of the nightshade family that were endemic to Europe. Datura has

9164-637: Is often based on penile–vaginal intercourse is because heterosexual couples may engage in anal or oral sex as a way of being sexually active while maintaining that they are virgins since they have not engaged in the reproductive act of coitus. Some gay men consider frot or oral sex as a way of maintaining their virginities, with penile-anal penetration used as sexual intercourse and for virginity loss, while other gay men may consider frot or oral sex as their main forms of sexual activity. Lesbians may categorize oral sex or fingering as sexual intercourse and subsequently an act of virginity loss, or tribadism as

9322-492: Is often extra-marital; the study considered the Indian subcontinent to also fall into this group, though data was only available from Nepal . In the second group, the data indicated families encouraged daughters to delay marriage, and to abstain from sexual activity before that time. However, sons are encouraged to gain experience with older women or prostitutes before marriage. Age of men at sexual initiation in these societies

9480-409: Is possible at any time of the menstrual cycle for women. Sex pheromones facilitate copulatory reflexes in various organisms, but, in humans , the detection of pheromones is impaired and they have only residual effects. Non-primate females put themselves in the crucial lordosis position and remain motionless, but these motor copulatory reflexes are no longer functional in women. During coitus,

9638-453: Is possible that individuals who engage in oral sex, but do not consider it as 'sex', may not associate the acts with the potential health risks they can bring." In other cases, condom use is a factor, with some men stating that sexual activity involving the protection of a condom is not "real sex" or "the real thing". This view is common among men in Africa, where sexual activity involving

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9796-464: Is probably more accurately described as a hypnotic . In rare cases, highly toxic plants from the Aconitum (wolfsbane) genus have been used as "deliriants" by certain groups practicing European witchcraft , the left-hand path or asceticism due to the unpleasant but supposed altered state of consciousness which can be a side effect of wolfsbane poisoning. Plants of the aconitum genus contain

9954-717: Is reputed for having been used in Greco-Roman magic during ancient times as well as being associated with black magic and maleficium during the Late Middle Ages . During this period in medieval Europe, the Central European species Scopolia carniolica was also used as an admixture in love potions . Belladonna was purported to aid in the "flight of witches" where they reportedly would experience " bacchanalian carousal " or hallucinatory dreaming . Mandrake (the root of Mandragora officinarum )

10112-864: Is restricted to only the most experienced adepts of their particular school of Shivaism . Despite the fully legal status of several common deliriant plants and OTC medicines , deliriants are largely unpopular as recreational drugs due to the severe dysphoria, uncomfortable and generally damaging cognitive and physical effects, as well as the unpleasant nature of the hallucinations. Anticholinergics are said to be typically responsible for 15–20% of acute poisoning admissions, up to 40% of poisoning admission to intensive care units and 16% of poison centre calls. The anticholinergic syndrome may be accompanied by sedation, coma , seizures and/or cardiovascular toxicity not necessarily mediated by muscarinic antagonism but rather secondary to other drug effects on other receptors or ion channels . In theory, an ideal antidote for

10270-471: Is said to be a figurative reference to going off or out of the furrow when ploughing (agricultural) so as to be analogous to the mental aberration that is being in delirium. The altered state of consciousness produced by common or 'classical' deliriant substances such as scopolamine , atropine and diphenhydramine is mediated through the drug compounds' competitive antagonism of the peripheral and central muscarinic acetylcholine receptors , especially

10428-451: Is significantly less research on behaviors with regard to condom use for anal and oral sex. The most effective way to avoid sexually transmitted infections is to abstain from sexual intercourse, especially vaginal, anal, and oral sexual intercourse. Decisions and options concerning birth control can be affected by cultural reasons, such as religion, gender roles or folklore . In the predominantly Catholic countries Ireland, Italy, and

10586-632: Is the conspecific species to Datura meteloides in North America, and we would grind it up and take the seeds and… it's freaky. It doesn't teach you about higher consciousness, it sort of leads you into a world of twilight confusion and magical and somewhat demonic forces… A lot of sorcery goes on around datura , especially in Latin America. It's a strange world. A world of shadows and forces, and shifting boundaries." During an on-camera interview, author of The God Molecule: 5-MeO-DMT and

10744-415: Is to be learned there. It seems to me it's a path of power, and it's also a path of danger. They're quite peculiar. It's hard to keep control. It's the drug where people invariably tear their clothes off and run into public. I mean, I don't know why they do that but just over and over again you hear stories of people taking their clothes off and then going into public… In Nepal, there is Datura metel , which

10902-533: Is typically of a "dark" and disturbing nature. When datura was first formally discovered in colonial Jamestown , Virginia in 1676 by English soldiers during Bacon's Rebellion , they spent 11 days in altered mental states after using the leaves of the plant, which they did not know were psychoactive and poisonous, as part of a salad. Historian Robert Beverley Jr. wrote of the observable effects seen during their intoxicated state; "They (the soldiers) turned natural fools upon it for several days: one would blow up

11060-424: Is usually done by putting the extracted and isolated powder form of the alkaloid in a victim's ( alcoholic ) drink, oftentimes directly by or with the help of attractive women to act as criminal accomplices to the robbers. In Colombia, isolated (powdered) scopolamine has become infamous and is referred to there by several monikers such as Burundanga and "Devil's Breath". It is usually extracted by criminals from

11218-453: Is very difficult" and that this is "because most sexually active individuals practice oral sex in addition to other forms of sex, such as vaginal or anal sex, when transmission occurs, it is difficult to determine whether it occurred as a result of oral sex or other more risky sexual activities". They added that "several co-factors may increase the risk of HIV transmission through oral sex"; this includes ulcers, bleeding gums , genital sores, and

11376-738: The cholinergic hypothesis for Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias. Despite these overtly negative effects both on the physical and mental health of the user, usage of deliriants for recreational purposes has still gone on for centuries and was said to be introduced in Europe and surrounding areas by the Romani people , who would smoke or ingest plants such as datura to experience hallucinations. It has been said that certain groups who used deliriant plants, especially in hedgewitchery ( wortcunning ) practices, would traditionally mix in medicinal or neuroprotective plants either directly during

11534-735: The Borrachero Tree and may even occasionally be encountered as a street drug there. The antimuscarinic plant-based alkaloids scopolamine and atropine are also notorious for their characteristic hyperactive effects and ability to cause stark and dream-like hallucinations. The hallucinations themselves are often described by users as disturbing, unpleasant or dark in nature. Other commonly reported behaviors and experiences include holding conversations with imagined persons or entities , smoking nonexistent cigarettes (even with nonsmokers), visual hallucinations of spiders or shadow figures or being unable to recognize one's own reflection in

11692-527: The Brothers Grimm in Deutsche Sagen , No. 83 "Der Alraun". The Grimm version has the black dog tied by the tail, but this is not a constant reflected in all the sources, nor does it match the illustrated depictions show above. German folklore assigns the alias name Galgenmännlein ("little man of the gallows") to the mandrake, based on the belief the plant springs from the ground beneath

11850-523: The Datura genus, are exceptionally toxic and can cause death due to tachycardia -induced heart failure, hypoventilation and hyperthermia even in small doses. Anticholinergics have been shown to increase the risk of developing dementia with long-term use, even at therapeutic doses, therefore they are presumed to carry an even greater risk when used at hallucinogenic dosages. Scopolamine in particular has been implemented in scientific models used to study

12008-646: The Luther Bible and provide a more literal translation. The dud̲āʾim was considered an aphrodisiac or rather a treatment for infertility, as in Genesis 30:14. The anecdote concerns the fertility of the wives of Jacob , who engendered the Twelve Tribes of Israel headed by his many children. Though he had a firstborn son Reuben by Leah which was a marriage forced upon him, his favorite wife Rachel , Leah's younger sister, remained barren and coveted

12166-418: The M 1 muscarinic receptor. M 1 receptors are located primarily in the central nervous system and are involved in perception, attention, and cognitive functioning. Delirium is primarily associated with antagonism of postsynaptic M 1 receptors. However, antagonism of both the M 1 receptor and the M 2 receptor have been implicated as having negative effects on memory and cognition , and

12324-678: The River Styx in the underworld . The belladonna plant genus, Atropa is named after the Greek Fate , Atropos , who cut the thread of life. In early medieval times, Mandrake was believed to have commonly grown under gallows where bodily fluids dripped from the bodies of deceased murderers, with some sources stating blood and others claiming semen or urine. Tropane-containing nightshades have played an integral role in Old World folklore and European witchcraft . Henbane

12482-535: The Solanaceae family , particularly in the Americas , have been used by some indigenous cultures to reach delirious and altered states of consciousness for traditions or rituals, such as rites of passage, divination or communicating with the ancestors . Despite their long history of use, deliriants are the least-studied class of hallucinogens in terms of their behavioral and neurological effects. The term

12640-542: The anticholinergic syndrome caused by these particular substances would be a selective M 1 receptor agonist . Some are in development but reportedly as of 2016, none are in clinical use. Ultimately, user reports of recreational deliriant usage on the drug resource website Erowid also generally indicate a firm unwillingness to repeat the experience. In addition to potentially dangerous mental/behavioral effects ( accidents during deliriant experiences are common) some tropane alkaloids , such as those found in plants of

12798-489: The dudaʾim . This plant was found by the boy Reuben who supposedly entrusted it to Leah, who would barter it in exchange for allowing her to spend a night in Jacob's bed. However, the herbal treatment does not seem to work on Rachel, and instead, Leah, who had previously had four sons but had been infertile for a long while, became pregnant once more, so that in time, she gave birth to two more sons, Issachar and Zebulun , and

12956-509: The intoxications or later on to counter negative health consequences or symptoms such as dysphoria or senility. Deliriants such as henbane , belladonna, mandrake, jimsonweed and fly agaric are associated with and featured in many stories and beliefs within European mythology . In ancient Greek myth, wreaths of henbane leaves were used to crown the newly deceased to make them forget their former lives as they crossed or wandered near

13114-520: The mandragora needed to be harvested by following a proscribed ritual, namely, "draw three circles around [the root] with a sword, and cut it facing west"; then in order to obtain a second piece, the harvester must dance around it while speaking as much lewd talk about sex as he possibly can. The ritual given in Pliny probably relies on Theophrastus. Dioscorides in De materia medica (1st century) described

13272-837: The mating process, especially for non-human animals; it can mean a variety of sexual activities between opposite-sex or same-sex pairings , but generally means the sexually reproductive act of transferring sperm from a male to a female or sexual procreation between a man and a woman. Although sex and having sex also most commonly denote penile–vaginal intercourse, sex can be significantly broad in its meaning and may cover any penetrative or non-penetrative sexual activity between two or more people. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that non-English languages and cultures use different words for sexual activity, "with slightly different meanings". Various vulgarisms , slang , and euphemisms are used for sexual intercourse or other sexual activity, such as fuck , screw , shag , and

13430-477: The neurotoxin aconitine and in the case of Aconitum ferox , an extremely toxic alkaloid called pseudaconitine , which is in rare cases, taken as an ordeal poison and entheogen on the Indian subcontinent by ascetic groups such as the Aghori , where it may be mixed with other psychoactive plants or poisons such as datura and cannabis . Risk of death is considered very high when taking A. ferox and its use

13588-410: The selective M 2 receptor antagonist hyoscyamine has been reported to produce deliriant effects similarly to M 1 receptor antagonists. Conversely, the M 3 receptor has not been implicated in cognition. The central nervous system actions of deliriants are complex, and other muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, including the M 3 , M 4 , and M 5 receptors , may also be involved in

13746-407: The woman on top position or the coital alignment technique , a technique combining the "riding high" variation of the missionary position with pressure-counterpressure movements performed by each partner in rhythm with sexual penetration, to maximize clitoral stimulation. Anal sex involves stimulation of the anus , anal cavity, sphincter valve or rectum ; it most commonly means the insertion of

13904-736: The "widespread, unquestioned equation of penile–vaginal intercourse with sex reflects a failure to examine systematically 'whether the respondent's understanding of the question [about sexual activity] matches what the researcher had in mind'". This focus can also relegate other forms of mutual sexual activity to foreplay or contribute to them not being regarded as "real sex", and limits the meaning of rape . It may also be that conceptually conflating sexual activity with vaginal intercourse and sexual function hinders and limits information about sexual behavior that non-heterosexual people may be engaging in, or information about heterosexuals who may be engaging in non–vaginal sexual activity. Studies regarding

14062-468: The 'main event'" and that "because women reach orgasm through intercourse less consistently than men," they are likelier than men to fake an orgasm to satisfy their sexual partners. In 1991, scholars from the Kinsey Institute stated, "The truth is that the time between penetration and ejaculation varies not only from man to man, but from one time to the next for the same man." They added that

14220-507: The Devil, or to experience bacchanalian carousal. Romani people use mandrake as a love-amulet. The German name for mandrake is Alraun , or female case Alraune as already stated, from MHG alrûne , OHG alrûn ( alruna .). The name has been connected to the female personal name OHG Al(b)rûn, Old English Ælfrūn , Old Norse Alfrún , composed of elements Alb/Alp 'elf, dream demon' + raunen "to whisper";

14378-460: The Elder also repeats that a 1 cyathus dose of mandragora potion is drunk by the patient before incisions or punctures are made on his body. A simple juice ( ὀπός ) can be produced by mashing the root or scoring and leeching out, or a reduction type ( χύλισμα , χυλός ) made by boiling, for which Dioscorides provides distinguishing terms, though Pliny lumps these into "juice" ( sucus ). Just

14536-468: The English form made it susceptible to such a folk etymology . The French form main-de-gloire ("hand of glory") has been held up as an even "more complete example" of folk etymology (cf. § Main-de-gloire . The German common name is Alraun, Alraune (cf. § Alraun below). However, the Latin mandragora misidentified by false etymology to have a -draco ("dragon") stem (as manifests in

14694-715: The English from "mandrake", above) has caused the plant and beast to be conflated into an Alraundrachen , in the sense of a household spirit . This combined form is not well attested, but the house kobold is known regionally as either alraune [ e ] or drak ( drak ), both classed as "dragon names" by Weiser-Aall (cf. § Alraun-drak ). The mandrake-doll is in German might be called Alraun Männlein ("mandrake manikin"), in Belgian ( Flemish ) mandragora manneken , or in Italian mandragora maschio . In German, it

14852-487: The French Institut national d'études démographiques conducted a cross-cultural study titled "At what age do women and men have their first sexual intercourse?" In the first group of the contemporary cultures he studied, which included sub-Saharan Africa (listing Mali , Senegal and Ethiopia ), the data indicated that the age of men at sexual initiation in these societies is at later ages than that of women, but

15010-411: The Grimms' collated version, but sources will vary on the details. And if questions are posed to the alraun doll, it will reveal the future or secrets, according to superstition. In this way, the owner becomes wealthy. It can also literally double small amounts of money each night by placing a coin on it. It must not be overdone, or the alraun will be tapped of its strength and may die. The owner, it

15168-620: The Jewish scriptures. The Septuagint translates דודאים as Koinē Greek : μανδραγόρας , romanized:  mandragóras , and the Vulgate follows the Septuagint. Several later translations into different languages follow Septuagint (and Vulgate) and use mandrake as the plant as the proper meaning in both the Genesis 30:14–16 and Song of Songs 7 :12-13. Others follow the example of

15326-793: The Philippines, fertility awareness and the rhythm method are emphasized while disapproval is expressed with regard to other contraceptive methods. Worldwide, sterilization is a more common birth control method, and use of the intrauterine device (IUD) is the most common and effective way of reversible contraception. Conception and contraception are additionally a life-and-death situation in developing countries , where one in three women give birth before age 20; however, 90% of unsafe abortions in these countries could be prevented by effective contraception use. The National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB) indicated in 2010 that "1 of 4 acts of vaginal intercourse are condom-protected in

15484-602: The Spiritual Path to the Divine Light , Gerardo Ruben Sandoval Isaac explained that in the Oaxaca "mushroom village" of San José del Pacifico , the psilocybin mushrooms are regarded as being "related to light" and that ( Brugmansia ) is "related to the darkness" and that they (the tribes) "are aware of the polarity of this flower", further crediting the idea that the hallucinogenic experience produced by deliriants

15642-637: The U.S. (1 in 3 among singles)," that "condom use is higher among black and Hispanic Americans than among white Americans and those from other racial groups," and that "adults using a condom for intercourse were just as likely to rate the sexual extent positively in terms of arousal, pleasure and orgasm than when having intercourse without one". Penile–vaginal penetration is the most common form of sexual intercourse. Studies indicate that most heterosexual couples engage in vaginal intercourse nearly every sexual encounter. The National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB) reported in 2010 that vaginal intercourse

15800-456: The appropriate length for sexual intercourse is the length of time it takes for both partners to be mutually satisfied, emphasizing that Kinsey "found that 75 percent of men ejaculated within two minutes of penetration. But he didn't ask if the men or their partners considered two minutes mutually satisfying" and "more recent research reports slightly longer times for intercourse". A 2008 survey of Canadian and American sex therapists stated that

15958-405: The average time for heterosexual intercourse (coitus) was 7 minutes and that 1 to 2 minutes was too short, 3 to 7 minutes was adequate and 7 to 13 minutes desirable, while 10 to 30 minutes was too long. Anorgasmia is regular difficulty reaching orgasm after ample sexual stimulation, causing personal distress. This is significantly more common in women than in men, which has been attributed to

16116-608: The body's production of antibodies and subsequent lower blood pressure , and decreased risk of prostate cancer . Sexual intimacy and orgasms increase levels of the hormone oxytocin (also known as "the love hormone"), which can help people bond and build trust. Oxytocin is believed to have a more significant impact on women than on men, which may be why women associate sexual attraction or sexual activity with romance and love more than men do. A long-term study of 3,500 people between ages 18 and 102 by clinical neuropsychologist David Weeks indicated that, based on impartial ratings of

16274-748: The brain and heart, M 3 receptors are in salivary glands and M 4 receptors are in the brain and lungs. Scopolamine is a nonspecific muscarinic antagonist at all four ( M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , and M 4 ) receptor sites. Due to these compounds' inhibition of various signal transduction pathways, the decrease in acetylcholine signaling is what leads to many of the cognitive deficits and mental impairments. It has also been said that common anticholinergic agents/hallucinogens should be more accurately referred to as antimuscarinics , as for instance these agents do not generally block nicotinic receptors . The hallucinogenic experience and delirium produced, particularly by (M 1 inhibiting) anticholinergics

16432-485: The deposit of (usually) raw semen in the vagina of a woman, is in effect a substitute for intercourse and is often contrasted with 'normal intercourse' in this context. Reproductive methods also extend to gay and lesbian couples. For gay male pairings, there is the option of surrogate pregnancy; for lesbian couples, there is donor insemination in addition to choosing surrogate pregnancy. Some women use artificial insemination to become single mothers by choice . There are

16590-415: The digital manipulation of the clitoris, rest of the vulva , vagina or anus for the purpose of sexual arousal and sexual stimulation; it may constitute the entire sexual encounter or it may be part of mutual masturbation, foreplay or other sexual activities. Natural human reproduction involves penile–vaginal penetration, during which semen , containing male gametes known as sperm cells or spermatozoa,

16748-410: The disease , and patients can enjoy healthy and productive lives. In cases where infection is suspected, early medical intervention is highly beneficial in all cases. The CDC stated "the risk of HIV transmission from an infected partner through oral sex is much less than the risk of HIV transmission from anal or vaginal sex," but that "measuring the exact risk of HIV transmission as a result of oral sex

16906-510: The disorder, estimates for the prevalence of premature ejaculation vary significantly more than for erectile dysfunction. For example, the Mayo Clinic states, "Estimates vary, but as many as 1 out of 3 men may be affected by [premature ejaculation] at some time." Further, "Masters and Johnson speculated that premature ejaculation is the most common sexual dysfunction, even though more men seek therapy for erectile difficulties" and that this

17064-506: The dog to procure his baaras , as already described above. It was a medieval embellishment that the root shrieked when extracted, and so was the lore that mandrake grew from the spots where criminals spilled their fluids. Neither of these were registered by the ancient Greek or Latin authors The mandrake is represented as shining at night like a lantern, in the Old English Herbarium (c. 1000). In Medieval times, mandrake

17222-418: The earth, and his first appearance must have been in the form of a rough sketch. The analogies of nature make this notion necessarily admissible, at least as a possibility. The first men were, in this case, a family of gigantic, sensitive mandragores, animated by the sun, who rooted themselves up from the earth; this assumption not only does not exclude, but, on the contrary, positively supposes, creative will and

17380-464: The effects of consumption of Mediterranean mandrake include severe symptoms similar to those of atropine poisoning, including blurred vision, dilation of the pupils ( mydriasis ), dryness of the mouth, difficulty in urinating, dizziness, headache, vomiting, blushing and a rapid heart rate ( tachycardia ). Hyperactivity and hallucinations occurred in the majority of patients. The root is hallucinogenic and narcotic . In sufficient quantities, it induces

17538-403: The effects of the drugs. As an example, the M 1 , M 2 , M 4 and M 5 receptors have all been implicated in regulating dopamine release, with the M 1 , M 2 , and M 4 receptors having inhibitory effects on dopamine release and the M 5 receptor having stimulatory effects. Peripheral muscarinic receptors are part of the autonomic nervous system . M 2 receptors are located in

17696-529: The epidemic. Of the 2.7 million new HIV infections estimated to occur worldwide in 2010, 1.9 million (70%) were in Africa . The World Health Organization also stated that the "estimated 1.2 million Africans who died of HIV-related illnesses in 2010 comprised 69% of the global total of 1.8 million deaths attributable to the epidemic." It is diagnosed by blood tests , and while no cure has been found, it can be controlled by management through antiretroviral drugs for

17854-452: The expression of a gene transcription factor called ΔFosB (delta FosB) in the brain's reward center ; consequently excessively frequent engagement in sexual activity on a regular (daily) basis can lead to the overexpression of ΔFosB, inducing an addiction to sexual activity. Sexual addiction or hypersexuality is often considered an impulse control disorder or a behavioral addiction. It has been linked to atypical levels of dopamine,

18012-550: The female is in estrus, and to engage in sex acts with same-sex partners . Like humans engaging in sexual activity primarily for pleasure, this behavior in these animals is also presumed to be for pleasure, and a contributing factor to strengthening their social bonds. Sexual intercourse may be called coitus , copulation , coition , or intercourse . Coitus is derived from the Latin word coitio or coire , meaning "a coming together or joining together" or "to go together", and

18170-431: The female's reproductive tract in non-vaginal ways among the animals, such as by cloacal copulation. For most non-human mammals , mating and copulation occur at the point of estrus (the most fertile period of time in the female's reproductive cycle), which increases the chances of successful impregnation . However, bonobos , dolphins and chimpanzees are known to engage in sexual intercourse regardless of whether

18328-448: The fertile window, a practice that is sometimes called 'timed intercourse'. Timed intercourse using urine tests that predict ovulation may help improve the rate of pregnancy and live births for some couples trying to conceive such as those who have been trying for less than 12-months and who are under 40 years old, however, it is not clear from medical evidence if timed intercourse improves the rate of ultra-sound confirmed pregnancies and it

18486-477: The fingers) and penetration by use of a dildo (especially a strap-on dildo ), and vibrators . These activities involve physical intimacy between two or more people and are usually used among humans solely for physical or emotional pleasure. They can contribute to human bonding . There are different views on what constitutes sexual intercourse or other sexual activity, which can impact on views of sexual health . Although sexual intercourse , particularly

18644-452: The folklore of the house kobold. Heinrich Marzell  [ de ] 's entry in the HdA ventures that the alraun depicted as flying creature laying golden eggs is in fact a dragon, though the two Swiss examples, the animal is unidentified ( Alräunchen ], living in the woods at the foot of Hochwang near Chur ), or the alrune is a red-crested bird, which others rumored might generate

18802-562: The ground for some time. If hair is desired, the root is pockmarked using a sharpened dowel and millet grains pushed into the holes, and replanted until something like a head of hair grows. The root or rhizome of an iris , gentian or tormentil ( Blutwurz ) was also purposed for making Alraun dolls. Even the alpine leek (German: Allermannsharnisch ; Allium victorialis ) was used. The doll formerly owned by Karl Lemann of Wien (cf. fig. right; purchased by Germanisches Nationalmuseum in 1876 where it now remains) had been appraised in

18960-486: The growing ground for the female to find the mandragora and come into estrous , the female then brings the root to the male which in turn become inflamed and they mate, making the female immediately pregnant. The elephants are illustrated in e.g., Sloane 278. Philippe de Thaun 's bestiary in Anglo-Norman verse has a chapter on the "mandragore", which states it consists of two kinds of roots, and must be extracted by

19118-464: The household kobold may be known regionally as Alraun[e] or Drak , with the same etymological relationship, The drak name does not descend [directly] from Latin draco ("dragon"), but from the mandragora , but folklore about fiery dragons then did get conflated with the notion of the house sprite, according to Heimito von Doderer (cf. also § Nomenclature ) Doderer provides commentary that "field dragons" ( tatzelwurm ) and mandrake fused with

19276-645: The lack of sex education with regard to women's bodies, especially in sex-negative cultures, such as clitoral stimulation usually being key for women to orgasm. The physical structure of coitus favors penile stimulation over clitoral stimulation; the location of the clitoris then usually necessitates manual or oral stimulation in order for the woman to achieve orgasm. Approximately 25% of women report difficulties with orgasm, 10% of women have never had an orgasm, and 40% or 40–50% have either complained about sexual dissatisfaction or experienced difficulty becoming sexually aroused at some point in their lives. Vaginismus

19434-473: The lack of a knowledgeable healthcare provider trained and experienced in counseling those with intellectual disabilities on sexual intercourse. Those with intellectual disabilities may have hesitations regarding the discussion of the topic of sex, a lack of sexual knowledge and limited opportunities for sex education. In addition there are other barriers such as a higher prevalence of sexual abuse and assault. These crimes often remain underreported. There remains

19592-419: The man-de-gloire, a double amount or value was restored next day (even an écu of money), thus enriching its keeper. An excerpt from Transcendental Magic: Its Doctrine and Ritual by nineteenth-century clergyman , occultist, and ceremonial magician Éliphas Lévi , suggests the plant might hint at mankind's "terrestrial origin:" The natural mandragore is a filamentous root which, more or less, presents as

19750-438: The mandragore, but they crossed monstrous pairs and projected human seed into animal earth, only for the production of shameful crimes and barren deformities. The following is taken from Jean-Baptiste Pitois 's The History and Practice of Magic (1870), and explains a ritual for creating a mandrake: Would you like to make a Mandragora, as powerful as the homunculus (little man in a bottle) so praised by Paracelsus ? Then find

19908-568: The mandrake root would scream and cry as it was pulled from the ground, killing anyone who heard it. Therefore, in the past, people have tied the roots to the bodies of animals and then used these animals to pull the roots from the soil. According to the European folklore (including England), when the root is dug up, it screams and kills all who hear it, so that a dog must be attached to the root and made to pull it out. This piece of lore goes back centuries to Josephus's described method of sacrificing

20066-621: The meaning of sexual intercourse sometimes come into conflict. While most consider penile–vaginal intercourse to be sex, whether anal or oral intercourse are considered sex is more debatable, with oral sex ranking lowest. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that "although there are only limited national data about how often adolescents engage in oral sex, some data suggest that many adolescents who engage in oral sex do not consider it to be 'sex'; therefore they may use oral sex as an option to experience sex while still, in their minds, remaining abstinent". Upton et al. stated, "It

20224-461: The method of using a dog. He proports it to be a cure of all illnesses, save death Josephus ( circa 37-100) of Jerusalem instructed on a method of using a dog as surrogate to uproot the dangerous herb used in exorcism . The herb has been equated to the mandragora in subsequent scholarship. According to Josephus, it was no easy task for the harvester, because it will move away from the hand which will grab it, and though it can be stopped by pouring

20382-401: The narrative, the doll is carefully locked in a box, since touching it will impart a power to multiply the dough many times over. The alraune doll was also known by names such as glücksmännchen ) and galgenmännlein . The doll, according to superstition, worked like a charm, bringing its owner luck and fortune. The glücks-männchen might be a wax doll "ridiculously dressed up". There

20540-569: The ovum, forming a new embryo . Pregnancy begins after the fertilized ovum is implanted in the lining of the uterus (the endometrium ). Pregnancy rates for sexual intercourse are highest during the menstrual cycle time from some five days before until approximately one day after ovulation (this is sometimes called the fertile window ). For optimal pregnancy chance, there are recommendations of vaginal intercourse every one or two days, or every two or three days. Some people who are trying to conceive may choose to time vaginal intercourse with

20698-618: The partners orient their hips to allow the penis to move back and forth in the vagina to cause friction, typically without fully removing the penis. In this way, they stimulate themselves and each other, often continuing until orgasm in either or both partners is achieved. For human females, stimulation of the clitoris plays a significant role in sexual activity; 70–80% of women require direct clitoral stimulation to achieve orgasm, though indirect clitoral stimulation (for example, via vaginal intercourse) may also be sufficient (see orgasm in females ). Because of this, some couples may engage in

20856-545: The past as having the head made of bryony root, and the body of an alpine leek. A pair of vintage alraune kept in the Austrian imperial and royal (now national ) library, described as being untampered naturally grown roots, belonged to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II (d. 1612). German sources repeat the recipe of harvesting the mandrake (Alraun) by sacrificing a dog, but demand a "black dog" should be used. This has passed into German literature, and into folklore, as compiled by

21014-646: The phrase "sleep together". The laws of some countries use the euphemism, carnal knowledge . Penetration of the vagina by the erect penis is additionally known as intromission , or by the Latin name immissio penis (Latin for "insertion of the penis"). The age of first sexual intercourse is called sexarche . Vaginal, anal and oral sex are recognized as sexual intercourse more often than other sexual behaviors. Sexual activity that does not involve penile-vaginal sex or other sexual penetration might be used to retain virginity (sometimes called technical virginity ) or labeled outercourse . One reason virginity loss

21172-520: The plant as Baaras , after the place where it grows (in the valley Wadi Zarqa covering the north side of Machaerus , in present-day Jordan), and thinks the plant is a type of rue (of the citrus family) however, it is considered to be identifiable as mandrake based on textual comparisons (cf. § Alraun ). In the past, mandrake was often made into amulets which were believed to bring good fortune, cure sterility, etc. In one superstition, people who pull up this root will be condemned to hell , and

21330-540: The plant species Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade), various Brugmansia species (Angel's Trumpets), Datura stramonium (Jimson weed), Hyoscyamus niger (henbane), and Mandragora officinarum (mandrake) in the form of the tropane alkaloids scopolamine , atropine , and hyoscyamine . Other, lesser known plant sources of scopolamine and related tropanes include Scopolia carniolica endemic to Europe , Latua endemic to southern Chile , Solandra endemic to Mexico and Duboisia myoporoides , which

21488-405: The plant, in particular the root and leaves, poisonous, via anticholinergic , hallucinogenic , and hypnotic effects. Anticholinergic properties can lead to asphyxiation . People can be poisoned accidentally by ingesting mandrake root, and ingestion is likely to have other adverse effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. The alkaloid concentration varies between plant-samples. Clinical reports of

21646-445: The presence of other STIs. In 2005, the World Health Organization estimated that 123 million women become pregnant worldwide each year, and around 87 million of those pregnancies or 70.7% are unintentional. Approximately 46 million pregnancies per year reportedly end in induced abortion . Approximately 6 million U.S. women become pregnant per year. Out of known pregnancies, two-thirds result in live births and roughly 25% in abortions;

21804-403: The protection of a condom is often associated with emasculation because condoms prevent direct penile–to–skin genital contact. Sexual intercourse or other sexual activity can encompass various sexually stimulating factors ( physiological stimulation or psychological stimulation ), including different sex positions (such as the missionary position , the most common human sex position ) or

21962-450: The providential co-operation of a first cause, which we have REASON to call GOD. Some alchemists, impressed by this idea, speculated on the culture of the mandragore, and experimented in the artificial reproduction of a soil sufficiently fruitful and a sun sufficiently active to humanise the said root, and thus create men without the concurrence of the female. Others, who regarded humanity as the synthesis of animals, despaired about vitalising

22120-402: The purposes for this is to "steal one's energy and/or power", of which they believe every person has a limited amount. Since medieval times, extremely noxious plants of the Aconitum (wolfsbane) genus were also associated with folklore and magic and were used for similar purposes as the tropane-containing nightshades. Despite being a highly poisonous and often deadly plant to work with, it

22278-564: The remainder end in miscarriage. However, many more women become pregnant and miscarry without even realizing it, instead mistaking the miscarriage for an unusually heavy menstruation . The U.S. teenage pregnancy rate fell by 27 percent between 1990 and 2000, from 116.3 pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15–19 to 84.5. This data includes live births, abortions, and fetal losses. Almost 1 million American teenage women, 10% of all women aged 15–19 and 19% of those who report having had intercourse, become pregnant each year. Sexual activity can increase

22436-504: The skepticism about the hallucinations) and less disturbed states produced by other types of hallucinogens. The term generally refers to anticholinergic drugs , which are substances that inhibit the function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine . Common examples of deliriants include plants of the genera Datura and Brugmansia , both containing scopolamine , as well as higher than recommended dosages of diphenhydramine ( Benadryl ). A number of plant deliriants such as that of

22594-431: The stripped bark may be infused for a longer period, or the fruits can be sun-dried into a condensed juice, and so forth. The plant is supposedly strong-smelling. And its use for eye remedy is also noted. Both authors acknowledge that there were male and female mandragora. Pliny states there was the white male type and the dark female type of mandragora. However, he also has a different book-chapter on what he presumes to be

22752-806: The subject has minimal control over their actions and may have little or no recollection of the experience afterwards. This is a notable departure from the effects of serotonergic psychedelics . Scopolamine has been shown to exert a greater impairment on episodic memory , event-related potentials , memory retention and free recall compared to DPH (an anticholinergic and antihistamine ). Some antihistamines may also act as deliriants in high doses. Due to scopolamine's prominent amnesiac and impairing effects, it has been used in Colombia for criminal purposes such as 'drugging' individuals, usually perceived as wealthy, and robbing them due to scopolamine's discombobulating effects and enhanced suggestibility . It

22910-440: The subjects' photographs, sex on a regular basis is associated with people looking significantly chronologically younger. However this does not imply causality. Vaginal intercourse for the first time increases vaginal immune activity. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are bacteria , viruses or parasites that are spread by sexual contact, especially vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse, or unprotected sex . Oral sex

23068-906: The term coitus, generally denotes penile–vaginal penetration and the possibility of creating offspring , it also commonly denotes penetrative oral sex and penile–anal sex, especially the latter. It usually encompasses sexual penetration, while non-penetrative sex has been labeled outercourse , but non-penetrative sex may also be considered sexual intercourse. Sex , often a shorthand for sexual intercourse , can mean any form of sexual activity. Because people can be at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections during these activities, safer sex practices are recommended by health professionals to reduce transmission risk. Various jurisdictions place restrictions on certain sexual acts, such as adultery , incest , sexual activity with minors , prostitution , rape , zoophilia , sodomy , premarital sex and extramarital sex . Religious beliefs also play

23226-514: The tribe, frequent or repeat users of datura tended to gradually become more and more antisocial, often adopting behavior patterns that the rest of the tribe viewed as "capricious malevolence". During one of his workshops in Hawaii, psychonaut Terence McKenna discussed the effects of the hallucinogenic Solanaceae plants compared to psychedelics, stating that: "They (solanaceae deliriants) are psychoactive and interesting. I don't know how much

23384-446: The unnecessary use of these drugs because they are accompanied by serious risks such as increased chance of heart attack. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and antidepressant drug dapoxetine has been used to treat premature ejaculation. In clinical trials, those with PE who took dapoxetine experienced sexual intercourse three to four times longer before orgasm than without the drug. Another ejaculation-related disorder

23542-433: The use of sex toys . Foreplay may precede some sexual activities, often leading to sexual arousal of the partners and resulting in the erection of the penis or natural lubrication of the vagina . It is also common for people to be as sexually satisfied by being kissed, touched erotically , or held as they are during sexual intercourse. Non- primate females copulate only when in estrus , but sexual intercourse

23700-506: The use of vaginal dilators . Additionally, the use of Botox as a medical treatment for vaginismus has been tested and administered. Painful or uncomfortable sexual intercourse may also be categorized as dyspareunia . Approximately 40% of males reportedly have some form of erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence, at least occasionally. Premature ejaculation has been reported to be more common than erectile dysfunction, although some estimates suggest otherwise. Due to various meanings of

23858-406: The uses of mandragora as a narcotic, analgesic , and abortifacient . He also claimed a love potion could be concocted from it. Dioscorides as a practicing physician writes that some in his profession may administer a ladle or 1 cyathus (45 ml (1.5 US fl oz)) of mandrake reduction, made from the root boiled in wine until it shrivels to a third, before performing surgery. Pliny

24016-505: The vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved. In the Christian allegorical bestiary Physiologus , the chapter on the elephant claims that the male becomes minded to create an offspring, it leads its mate to

24174-434: Was able to cause the poetess Sappho to fall in love with him. A parallel has been noted between the lore of the mandrake harvested from a hangman, and the unguent which Medea gave to Iason , which was made from a plant fed with the body fluid from chained Prometheus . The ancient Greeks also burned mandrake as incense. Two references to dud̲āʾim ( דּוּדָאִים "love plants"; singular: dud̲ā דודא ) occur in

24332-458: Was considered a key ingredient in a multitude of witches' flying ointment recipes as well as a primary component of magical potions and brews. These were entheogenic preparations used in European witchcraft for their mind-altering and hallucinogenic effects. Starting in the Late Middle Ages and thereafter, some believed that witches applied these ointments or ingested these potions to help them fly to gatherings with other witches , meet with

24490-467: Was introduced by David F. Duncan and Robert S. Gold due to a characteristic delirium-like effect which is known to manifest as a reoccurring symptom for anticholinergic hallucinogens. The term deliriant originates from delirium (dēlīrĭum) which comes from the Latin verb delirare, which means 'to go off the furrow', 'to derail'. liria (furrow) - The earth thrown up between two furrows, a ridge. ex, e - out of, from. delirio - frenzy, madness , deranged. It

24648-892: Was lower, with both men and women involved in sexual intercourse before any union formation; the study listed Switzerland, Germany and the Czech Republic as members of this group. Concerning United States data, tabulations by the National Center for Health Statistics report that the age of first sexual intercourse was 17.1 years for both males and females in 2010. The CDC stated that 45.5 percent of girls and 45.7 percent of boys had engaged in sexual activity by 19 in 2002; in 2011, reporting their research from 2006 to 2010, they stated that 43% of American unmarried teenage girls and 42% of American unmarried teenage boys have ever engaged in sexual intercourse. The CDC also reports that American girls will most likely lose their virginity to

24806-594: Was more closely matched; there were two sub-groups, however. In non-Latin, Catholic countries (Poland and Lithuania are mentioned), age at sexual initiation was higher, suggesting later marriage and reciprocal valuing of male and female virginity. The same pattern of late marriage and reciprocal valuing of virginity was reflected in Singapore and Sri Lanka . The study considered China and Vietnam to also fall into this group, though data were not available. In northern and eastern European countries, age at sexual initiation

24964-610: Was still often included in recipes for flying ointments and magical salves, likely as a way to help counteract both the cardiac and hyperthermic side effects of the scopolamine. The aconitum genus (specifically aconitum napellus ) was firmly associated with superstition and witchcraft in Europe, particularly when it came to mythos surrounding werewolves and lycanthropy . This is believed to have originated at least partially from wolfsbane's alleged tendency to cause paresthesia which supposedly can be reported to feel like one's body

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