Daily Mail

Amour please... will love potions soon be a reality?

- By Victoria Allen Science Correspond­ent

THEY provide a fabled boost to romance – and feature in comic twists in Harry Potter and Shakespear­e’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Now experts say real love potions could be available within three to five years.

Drugs which spark romance may include the ‘cuddle hormone’ oxytocin while low-dose ecstasy could help couples fall back in love.

A form of anti-depressant may be given to lovers who have been dumped.

Anthropolo­gist Dr Anna Machin, of Oxford University, said certain drugs can replicate the effect on the brain of falling in love.

She told Cheltenham Science Festival: ‘There are lots of ethical questions... but love drugs are certainly on the horizon.’

She added: ‘We know enough now about the neurochemi­stry of love to probably suggest some things you could take to enhance your abilities to find love – or to increase the possibilit­y that you will stay in love when it’s getting a little bit tricky. And certainly one of the frontiers of love research commercial­ly – can you imagine how much money you make? – is in exploring these possible love drugs.’

Potions are featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – where they make Ron Weasley fall madly in love – and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Titania, Queen of the Fairies, is given an aphrodisia­c with hilarious results. They were even the subject of huge hit by The Searchers in 1964 – Love Potion No.9. Speaking after the talk, Dr Machin, said: ‘Love drugs used in couples’ therapy could be available within three to five years.

‘Oxytocin could be available within a decade for people to squirt up their nose before they go out on a Saturday night – at the same time as a glass of prosecco.’ She added: ‘There are more ethical questions surroundin­g MDMA [ecstasy] so that is likely to take longer.’

Levels of oxytocin increase in the human body during hugging. Dr Machin, who has written a book called Why We Love, said: ‘It could help people become more confident when dating and help them fall in love.’

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom