Akarkara is the dried root of a Mediterranean daisy, sold as a dietary supplement for male sexual vigor and long used against toothache. Oral contact produces tingling, numbness, and heavy salivation within seconds. Almost everything else rests on animal and laboratory work: no human study has tested the root alone for any internal effect. Liver and kidney changes appear in animals at amounts not far above those sold. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Total testosterone (men) | 600–900 ng/dL | Headroom for the main claimed effect, and the direction of any change |
| Luteinizing hormone | 2–6 IU/L | Distinguishes a pituitary-driven rise, the mechanism animal data describe, from a direct testicular one |
| Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) | Under 25 U/L in men, under 20 U/L in women | The single clearest safety signal in the animal data |
| Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) | Under 25 U/L | Rose earliest and at the lowest dose in the animal toxicity study |
| Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) | Above 90 mL/min/1.73 m² | Kidney tubular changes appeared alongside liver findings at high animal doses |
| Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) | Under 1.0 ng/mL under age 50, under 2.5 ng/mL thereafter | Covers the speculative androgen-sensitive-tissue concern |
| High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) | Under 0.5 mg/L | Tracks the anti-inflammatory direction the animal data suggest |
| Semen analysis (concentration and total motility) | No established target for this herb — track change from the individual's own baseline | The endpoint with the most animal support |
Cadence: Baseline panel before starting; liver panel repeats at eight weeks; hormones and, where relevant, semen analysis at twelve weeks; every six to twelve months while use continues