Name: Horny goat weed extract
Latin Name: Epimedium Grandiflorum
Other Name: Epimedium Davidii Franch
Part of Used: Whole Herb
Active Ingredient: Icariin /Icariins
Specification: 5%-98% by HPLC
Assay: HPLC
Appearance: Yellow brown fine powder
CAS Number: 489-32-7
Molecular Formula: C33H40O15
Molecular Weight: 676.66
Solubility: Soluble in ethanol, ethyl acetate, insoluble in water, insoluble in ether, benzene, chloroform.
Melting Point: 231~232 degrees

Application
1) Pharmaceutical as capsules or pills;
2) Functional food as capsules or pills;
3) Water-soluble beverages;
4) Health products as capsules or pills.

Medicinal uses:
Aphrodisiac
Many species of Epimedium have aphrodisiac qualities associated with content of icariin. It is sold as a health supplement; Usually in raw herb, tablet, or capsule form and sometimes blended with other supplements. The over-exploitation of wild populations of Epimedium use in traditional Chinese medicine has been a long history.
The "active ingredient" in Epimedium is icariin, which can be found in standardized extracts from 5% up to 60% potent. Icariin is purported to work by increasing levels of nitric oxide, which relax smooth muscle. It has been demonstrated to relax rabbit penile tissue by nitric oxide and PDE-5 activity. Other research has demonstrated that injections of Epimedium extract directly into the penis of the rat results in an increase in penile blood pressure. Epimedium has been shown to up-regulate genes associated with nitric oxide production and changes in adenosine/guanine monophosphate balance in ways that other PDE5 inhibitors do not. Epimedium may have potential to help sexual dysfunction and osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis
Animal studies indicate that Icariin also stimulates osteoblast activity in bone tissue, leading to the development and marketing of medicinal products based on Epimedium extracts for treatment of osteoporosis.
Chemistry
Epimedium wushanense, contains a number of flavanoids. A total of 37 compounds were characterized from the underground and aerial parts of the plant. Among them, 28 compounds were prenylated flavonoids. The predominant flavonoid, epimedin C, ranged from 1.4 to 5.1% in aerial parts and 1.0 to 2.8% in underground parts.