Some varieties of herbal stimulants have been in Western cultivation for the last 100 to 150 years. Many are believed to be aphrodisiacs, particularly horny goat weed, also known as Epimedium or Yin Yang Huo. It is a genus of about 60 or more species of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Berberidaceae, of which the large majority is endemic to southern China, and to a lesser but still somewhat abundant extent in Europe, and central, southern and eastern Asia.

The Epimedium species have been utilized for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in Traditional Chinese Medicine for many years. Icariin (ICA) is the

 active moiety found in the plants. Modern pharmacology studies and clinical practice demonstrated that Epimedium and its active compounds possess wide pharmacological actions, especially promoting healthy hormone regulation, immunological modulation, anti-oxidation, anti-aging, and promoting cardiovascular and mood support.

The five herbal extracts, including Panax quinquelotius (Ginseng), Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali), Epimedium grandiflorum (Horny goat weed), Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola) and flower pollen extracts, have a long historical and traditional use for erectile dysfunction (ED). On the basis of the mechanism of action of each of the above, a combination is introduced to overcome several physiological or induced factors of ED. Thus its colloquial name 'Horny goat weed' and Internet advertisements as an herbal 'Viagra,', extracts of Epimedium are strongly estrogenic due to the presence of novel potent phytoestrogens of the prenyl-flavone family.

There has been a strong interest in searching for natural modalities to support bone health. Genistein, an isoflavone abundant in soy, and icariin, a prenylated flavonol glycoside isolated from Epimedium, have both been identified to exert beneficial effects in supporting against post-menopausal bone loss. One recent in vitro study compared the ability of genistein and icariin in enhancing differentiation and mineralization of cultured rat calvarial osteoblasts. The researchers concluded that icariin has a stronger osteogenic activity than genistein, although future in vivo studies are required to investigate whether icariin is more efficient in improving bone mass and/or preventing bone loss.

Cactus Botanics collects raw material for the whole year’s production and has till June 2011 sufficient inventory in our New York warehouse of the most popular specification: Horny Goat Weed Powder Extract Icariins 10%. We also can produce other specifications according to customers’ specific requirements in our state-of-the-art facility in China.

We look forward to always better serve our esteemed customers.
For more information: info@cactusbotanics.com

1. 2011 Apr 12;134(3):519-4. Epub 2011 Jan 5.
The genus Epimedium: an ethnopharmacological and phytochemical review. Ma H, He X, Yang Y, Li M, Hao D, Jia Z.

2. 2010 Apr;7(4 Pt 1):1518-28. Epub 2010 Feb 5.
Erectogenic and neurotrophic effects of icariin, a purified extract of horny goat weed (Epimedium spp.) in vitro and in vivo. Erectogenic Shindel AW, Xin ZC, Lin G, Fandel TM, Huang YC, Banie L, Breyer BN, Garcia MM, Lin CS, Lue TF.

3. 2009 Sep-Oct;21(5):315-20. Epub 2009 Jun 4.
A new herbal combination, Etana, for enhancing erectile function: an efficacy and safety study in animals. Qinna N, Taha H, Matalka KZ, Badwan AA.

4. 2007;282:173-88; discussion 188-91, 212-8.
Standardization and evaluation of botanical mixtures: lessons from a traditional Chinese herb, Epimedium, with oestrogenic properties. Yong EL, Wong SP, Shen P, Gong YH, Li J, Hong Y.

5. 2011 Mar;112(3):916-23. doi: 10.1002/jcb.23007.
Icariin is more potent than genistein in promoting osteoblast differentiation and mineralization in vitro. Ma HP, Ming LG, Ge BF, Zhai YK, Song P, Xian CJ, Chen KM.

Sources
Honey Goat Weed (Wikipedia)