Icariin extract and erectile enhancement, epimedium herb source, benefit for impotence treatment

Icariin, a flavonol glycoside, is an interesting substance found in certain herbs, particularly horny goat weed.

Erection enhancer
Icariin appears to have some properties similar to Viagra. It is a cGMP-specific PDE5 inhibitor that may have potential in treating erectile dysfunction. Additional herbs helpful for sexual improvement include tongkat ali and mucuna pruriens.

Epimidium Sagittatum with icariin extract pills

Epimedium sagittatum 200 mg has epimedium extract (standardized to 20% flavonoids as icariin).
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Icariin and phosphodiesterase activity for erectile dysfunction
Effects of icariin on phosphodiesterase-5 activity in vitro and cyclic guanosine monophosphate level in cavernous smooth muscle cells.
Urology. 2006.
To investigate the effect of icariin on the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-hydrolytic activity of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) isoforms and the cGMP levels in cavernous smooth muscle cells treated with sodium nitroprusside. PDE5 isoforms (PDE5A1, A2, and A3) were isolated from sf9 insect cells infected with baculoviruses carrying PDE5 isoform cDNA. Icariin was isolated from Epimedii herba. Icariin was inhibitory to all three PDE5 isoforms with similar IC50 values, which were approximately three times greater than those for zaprinast. Icariin was able to enhance cGMP levels in sodium nitroprusside -treated cavernous smooth muscle cells.

Additional benefits
In laboratory studies, icariin appears to have anti- cancer and anti-inflammatory abilities. Icariin also helps protect the liver from toxicity and DNA from damage.

Antioxidant
Protective effect of icariin on DNA against radical-induced oxidative damage.
J Pharm Pharmacol. 2007.
Icariin is a concentration-dependent chemopreventor in protecting DNA against radical-induced damage.

Brain cell protection
Icariin attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial activation and resultant death of neurons by inhibiting TAK1/IKK/NF-kappaB and JNK/p38 MAPK pathways.
Int Immunopharmacol. 2010.
Our findings provide mechanistic insights into the suppressive effect of icariin on LPS-induced neuroinflammatory response in microglia, and emphasize the neuroprotective effect and therapeutic potential of icariin in neuroinflammatory diseases.

Icariin inhibits the increased inward calcium currents induced by amyloid-beta(25-35) peptide in CA1 pyramidal neurons of neonatal rat hippocampal slice.
Am J Chin Med. 2010. Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Overload of intracellular calcium caused by amyloid-beta peptide has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuronal damage in Alzheimer's disease. Icariin nearly complete suppressed the abnormal inward calcium currents induced by Abeta(25-35) in a dose-dependant manner. Our findings suggest that the potential neuroprotective effect of icariin on Abeta(25-35)-induced neurotoxicity via the balance intracelluar calcium homeostasis.

Osteoporosis and bone health
Effect of icariin on the mRNA expressions of Cbfalpha1, BMP2, BMP4 in rat osteoblasts
Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao. 2009; Center of Orthognathic Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
Icariin promotes the differentiation ability of rat osteoblasts through upregulating the Cbfalpha1, BMP2, BMP4 mRNA expressions.

Icariin side effects, danger
Not enough human research is available with Icariin to determine its short term and long term side effects. As of 2010 no major adverse events have been mentioned in the medical literature regarding such supplementation.

Metabolism and excretion
J Agric Food Chem. 2010. Analysis of biliary excretion of icariin in rats. Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Icariin is a bioactive herbal ingredient isolated from Epimedii Herba. This study evaluates its distribution n rats by microdialysis sampling and high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). Microdialysis probes were simultaneously placed in the jugular vein, brain striatum, and bile duct of each anesthetized rat for sampling after the administration of icariin via the femoral vein. This study is the first report of the biliary excretion of icarin in rats. This work demonstrates that biliary excretion is the major elimination pathway for icariin disposition and that transporters, such as P-gp, might be related to it's biliary excretion.