Random Disgusting Love Potions Were Real (12 items)

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  (#1) Medieval "Love Cake" Involved Sweating Into Your Dough–From Every Orifice

  Love potions were generally ingested, which makes the ingredients of this medieval-era "love cake" potentially disgusting. If someone wanted to make a person fall in love with them, they would bake a cake while not wearing any clothing, and then rub the dough on every single orifice in order to absorb their sweat into the cake. Yes, this included armpits and privates. They would then feed the finished cake to their crush, who would fall head over heels in love, thanks to the power of sweat.
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  (#2) One Potion Required Human Cadavers

  As popular as animal remains were in potions, human cadavers were more taboo, but still utilized. These included bone smashed into a powder, hair, and the menstrual blood. The potions allegedly worked best if there were ingredients from both romantic parties involved.

  One specific recipe called for the spleen and bone marrow of a murdered boy, so sometimes these things got pretty specific. The use of menstrual blood in numerous love potions hints at the fact that it was mostly women who used love potions, and some ended up being convicted of witchcraft as a result.
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  (#3) A Variety Of Animal Remains Were Incredibly Popular, Especially Spanish Fly

  Animal products of all sorts were used in love potions all across the world. According to History Answers, recipes called for:

  "sparrow heads, deer heart, the droppings of a stork, fat of a snake, brain of a sparrow, testicles of a donkey, bones from a left side of a toad which has been devoured by ants, blood and heart of a pigeon, and...bat’s blood in beer."

  The most popular animal used in potions was the Spanish Fly, or the Blister Beetle. Usage of Spanish Fly dates back to Hippocrates. According to Latin chroniclers, the ingredient was considered a powerful aphrodisiac, and was crushed and put into numerous potions, which were incredibly popular at the courts of Roman Emperor Augustus. However, Spanish Fly is actually quite dangerous, and can cause permanent kidney and liver damage.
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  (#4) Blood And Insects Were The 16th Century French Equivalent Of An Aphrodisiac

  It seems the more complicated the recipe, the more effective the results. One 17th century French potion required various love potions to contain a mixture of Spanish Fly, herbs, and menstrual blood.

  Spanish flies were considered a common aphrodisiac, used by women to create love potions for their husbands. Sometimes, if the potions were found to be ineffective, women would turn to simply eliminating their husbands so they could eventually remarry for love.
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  (#5) Drowning Lizards Occurred In Nigeria And The Philippines, With Differing Results

  One Nigerian recipe, according to Karl Fabricus, involved taking the neck of a lizard, mixing it with finger nails, umbilical cord remains, viper's blood, and witch's hair, and drinking it while it is still boiling hot.

  Lizards can also be used as an anti-love potion ingredient — when drowned in urine, and then mixed with wine. However, in the Philippines, the drowned lizard is used in love potions. Some Native American tribes used dried lizard, or lizard tails, and didn't require the lizard to be drowned in urine.
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  (#6) Worms, Bodily Fluids, And Fire Were Used By Women In Mexico

  In 17th century Mexico, a fair amount of women were actually convicted for their use of love potions. They would acquire ingredients from indigenous people, and combine herbs, corn, milk, either fried or crushed worms, and bodily fluids.

  They would prepare the potion and then either rub it on a sleeping man's chest, sneak it into his food, or both. Some of these rituals even required the use of fire and smoke, the origins of which are thought to have come from Spain.
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  (#7) In India, Lovers Utilized A Potentially Fatal Hallucinogen

  The datura plant, known more commonly as thorn apple or Jimson weed, is a hallucinogen that can be fatal — regardless, in India, and other places around the world, it was an ingredient in love potions. The herb is considered to be "intoxicating," (while also deadly), and invokes intense feelings of seduction.

  The plant's properties are so powerful that it was even used in South America to induce sleep in women who were to be buried alive with their chieftain husbands.
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  (#8) Mandrakes Were Used Despite Their Tendency To Make People Actually Go Insane

  Mandrake root, perhaps most notable in this day and age for its appearance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, has been considered an aphrodisiac for centuries, even as far back as Biblical times. It has been used frequently in love magic throughout the ages, and is even still used for such purposes today.

  The root can be ingested in potions, and worn as an amulet for fertility. The downside of mandrake root is that it allegedly screams when pulled from the ground, to the point where it can cause insanity or even death to those who hear it.
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  (#9) Earthworms Would Strengthen The Relationship Between Husband And Wife

  In the 16th century, a popular book called The Boke of Secretes of Albertus Magnus of the Vertues of Herbes, Stones and Certaine Beastes began circulating, giving instructions on how to mix certain herbs and even animals to create love potions. Not all potions were made to make someone fall in love with you, though. Even married couples had use for such concoctions. One recipe in Magnus's book called for periwinkle to be mixed with crushed earthworms. When put in your spouse's food, the result would be increased affection between a husband and wife.
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  (#10) Anti-Love Potions Were Also Popular, And Included Bloodletting

  As eager as people were for love, some also sought to "cure" themselves of the perceived ailment. Luckily, there were cures for these needs as well. Some of these cures included bloodletting, drinking a ton of water, and avoiding alcohol and rich food. 
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  (#11) Modern Scientists Look To The Culture Of Ancient Love Potions To Create Romance Aids

  Although the idea of a love potion seems outdated, modern scientists are looking to the past to create a new future. Scientists believe they can use medicine to modify the parts of the brain that respond to love, meaning a pill could be the next incarnation of Spanish Fly mixed with menstrual blood.

  Seeing as how there has been an age-old market for love-inducing and/or altering potions, it's not surprising that scientists are looking into using chemistry to enhance relationships in this day and age.
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  (#12) Ancient Greeks Consumed A Popular Ingredient Until It Went Exctinct

  One plant was especially important to ancient Greeks looking to create love potions: satyrion, or satirio. The orchid was considered a pleasure plant and, when ground into a powder and added to wine, was said to be a potent aphrodisiac that would make whoever consumed it "passionately and wildly in love."

  Satyrion was so popular, people used it until there was literally none left, causing the plant to go extinct.

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