Epimedium Sagittatum extract with icariin, side effects and use for erectile dysfunction, impotence treatment, dosage and safety
Commonly known as horny goat weed, this herb is used in the United States mainly for its aphrodisiac properties. It is sometimes combined in natural aphrodisiac products with other herbs used for sexual enhancement including avena sativa, catuaba, eurycoma, yohimbe, tribulus terrestris, mucuna pruriens, muira puama, and others.
Botanical name
The botanical name for horny goat weed is Epimedium sagittatum. There are many
varieties of epimedium plants, including epimedium grandiflorum.
Traditional uses
Herba Epimedii, the dried aerial parts of Epimedium brevicornum Maxim.,
Epimedium sagittatum Maxim., E. pubescens Maxim., E. wushanense T. S. Ying, and
E. koreanum Nakai, has been widely used in Chinese medicine for centuries for
nourishing the kidney and reinforcing Yang.
Composition
Epimedium herb has icariin, along with prenylated flavonol glycosides
sagittasine A-C, acylated flavonol glycosides such as
kaempferol-3-O-(2''-E-p-coumaroyl,4''-Z-p-coumaroyl)-alpha-l-rhamnopyranoside
and kaempferol-3-O-(3''-Z-p-coumaroyl,4''-E-p-coumaroyl)-alpha-l-rhamnopyranoside,
together with other flavonoids, flavonolignans, 2-phenoxychromones, a lignan,
and aromatic acid derivatives. Some of these compounds, particularly
icariin,
promote endothelial nitric oxide-dependent vasorelaxation.
Products in stores
There are dozens of epimedium herb products available without a prescription and
you can find them in many vitamin stores, some pharmacies, and certainly on the
internet.
Horny Goat Weed (whole plant) (Epimedium sagittatum) (Standardized 20% lcariin)
300 mg by Physician Formula supplement company. This product is developed by a
physician and is of high quality.
Horny Goat Weed (whole plant) (Epimedium sagittatum) (Standardized 10% lcariin)
250 mg
Epimedium Sagittatum extract 500 mg with 10 percent icariin
Epimedium Sagittatum 600 mg
Benefit
Epimedium species have been used by Chinese doctors for many centuries, but the
use of this herb in the West is mostly for sexual enhancement.
How long does it take to work?
Unlike prescription medications, epimedium does not work in an hour or two. It
normally takes several days for the sexual benefits to be noticed.
Human studies
As of March 2010, we could only find one human study with epimedium herb.
Effect of Epimedium sagittatum on quality of life and
cellular immunity in patients of hemodialysis maintenance
Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1995 Apr; Dept. of Nephrology, General
Hospital of PLA, Beijing.
Our previous study had demonstrated that Chinese medicine Epimedium Sagittatum
exerted immuno-enhancing effect on the animal model of chronic renal
insufficiency. In present study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of
Epimedium Sagittatum on patients of hemodialysis maintenance. 22 cases of
regular hemodialytic patients were treated with this herb in the form of
decoction. 12 patients with hemodialysis were served as controls. It was found
that Epimedium Sagittatum had sexual potentiation effect and improved the
quality of life in the patients of chronic renal failure with regular
hemodialysis. Interleukin 2 (IL-2) activity of peripheral blood monocytes
stimulated by PHA was increased significantly in the patients treated with the
herbal preparation. It was suggested that Chinese medicine Epimedium Sagittatum
had therapeutic effect on sexual disorder and immunologic inadequacy in the
patients of chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis.
Animal studies
Osteoporosis
Prevention of bone loss by aqueous extract of Epimedii sagittatum in an
ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis.
Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2006 Nov; Department of Pharmacy, Yueyang Hospital
of Chinese Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
To investigate the prevention effect of aqueous extract of Epimedii sagittatum
on ovariectomy-induced bone loss in rats. Our findings assessed on the basis of
biochemical test, bone mineral density and histomorphometric parameters show
that aqueous extract of Epimedii sagittatum has a definite antiosteoporotic
effect and can prevent the ovariectomy-induced bone loss in rats.
In vitro studies
An in vitro study means that the evaluation was done in a lab not using any
animals or humans.
Effect on cartilage
Effect of five species of Epimedium on growth of cartilage and proliferation of
cartilage cell in vitro
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2006 Dec; Academy of Traditional Chinese Othopedics
and Traumatology of Henan Province, Luoyang 471002, China.
To observe the effect of Epimedium brevicornum, E. sagittatum, E. koreanum, E,
wushanense and E. elongntum on the growth of cartilage and proliferation of
cartilage cell in vitro. E. brevicornum and E. sagittatum can improve the growth
of cartilage and proliferation of cartilage cell in vitro. The other three
Epimedium species did not have the same effect.
Osteoporosis and bone health
Effects of rat serum containing total flavonoid extract of Epimedium sagittatum
on development of osteoblasts
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2008 Apr; Department of Pharmacy, Lanzhou General
Hospital, PLA, Lanzhou 730050, China.
To investigate the effects of total flavonoid extract of Epimedium sagittatum on
the proliferation and differentiation of newborn rat calvarial osteoblasts.
Flavonoids from this herb have anti-osteoporosis properties. The flavonoid
icariin may be largely responsible for these benefits.
Epimedium species
There are a number of epimedium species including the following:
Epimedium brevicornu has flavonoids, breviflavone A and B. Breviflavone B is a
novel flavonoid with potent and specific estrogen receptor (ER) bioactivity. Its
positional isomer, breviflavone A, is not ER active. Two new types of minor
flavonoids,
breviflavone A and B, were isolated in 2009 and identified from Epimedium
brevicornu. Breviflavone B is a novel flavonoid with potent and specific
estrogen receptor (ER) bioactivity. Its positional isomer, breviflavone A, is
not ER active.
E. koreanum
E. pubescens
E. sagittatum
E. wushanese
Less commonly used species include
E. acuminatum
E. myrianthum
E. leptorrhizum