Epimedium sagittatum sale, uses, health benefit and aphrodisiac properties, known adverse events and use for impotence
studies and review, benefit as a sexual enhancing herb

Epimedium is a pungent ornamental herb found in Asia and the Mediterranean. The Chinese call it Yin Yang Huo, which loosely means "licentious goat plant." Legend has it that the name horny goat weed came from a herder who noticed his goats becoming more sexually active after eating the plant. Supplement companies have adopted the provocative name by which it is known in the U.S. Horny goat weed was named epimedium because it is similar to a plant found in the ancient Asian kingdom of Media, now a part of Iran. Epimedium is a genus of many related plant species and some are used for medicinal purposes, including Epimedium sagittatum, Epimedium brevicornum, and Epimedium koreanum. Although epimedium has a history of traditional use for disorders of the kidneys, joints, and liver, its principle use is as an aphrodisiac and to combat fatigue.

Purchase Epimidium Sagittatum herbal extract with icariin
Epimedium sagittatum is one of the most valued herbs in China. It is especially used for sexual enhancement - thus its name, Horny Goat Weed 400 mg has epimedium extract (standardized to 10% flavonoids as icariin).

Epimedium sagittatum Supplement

 

Epimedium plant studies
Very little research has been published in the Western medical literature regarding this plant. Our Chinese study investigated the therapeutic effect of epimedium sagittatum (ES) on 22 patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. Twelve patients with hemodialysis were served as controls. ES had a sex enhancing effect and improved their quality of life.

Epimedium plant how it works
The exact way that epimedium works remains unclear. Animal studies have shown that it may influence levels of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine and reduce cortisol levels. The leaves of epimedium sagittatum contain a variety of flavonoids, icariin, sterols and an alkaloid called magnaflorine. It’s quite possible epimedium sagittatum influences several aspects of human sexual biochemistry. Icariin is known to help with impotence.  For more epimedium horny goat weed research. Another potent aphrodisiac herb is eurycoma. Epimedium can enhance Female libido.

Absorption of the substances in the herb
Absorption and metabolism of flavonoids in Herba Epimedii via rat intestinal perfusion model
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2009 Nov; Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Modern Chinese Pharmaceutical Preparation, Nanjing 210028, China.
To study the absorption and metabolism of five flavonoids of Herba Epimedii (icariin, epimedin A, epi-medin B, epimedin C and baohuoside I) in rat intestine. Our results indicated that the absorption of all the five flavonoids was significantly different in different intestinal segments, and the permeability in ileum and colon was significantly lower than that of the duodenum and jejunum. The metabolites of icariin, epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C were related with their structures and enzymes in intestine, and the metabolites were more in duodenum, jejunum, whereas were less in ileum and colon.

Epimedium Studies
Effects of icariin on cGMP-specific PDE5 and cAMP-specific PDE4 activities.
Xin ZC,. eking University, 8 Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2004 Jan;84(2):142-5.
AIM: To clarify the mechanism of the therapeutic action of icariin on erectile dysfunction (ED). PDE5 was isolated from the human platelet and PDE4 from the rat liver tissue. Icariin is a cGMP-specific PDE5 inhibitor that may be developed into an oral effective agent for the treatment of ED.

Cytotoxic effects of Coptis chinensis and Epimedium sagittatum (horny goat weed) extracts and their major constituents (berberine, coptisine and icariin) on hepatoma and leukaemia cell growth.
Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2004 Jan-Feb;31(1-2):65-9. Lin CC,. aohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan,
The present study was conducted to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of Coptis chinensis and Epimedium sagittatum (horny goat weed) extracts and their major constituents on hepatoma and leukaemia cells in vitro. icariin (the major compound of Epimedium Sagittatum) showed no inhibition of either the hepatoma or leukaemia cell lines. The results of the present study suggest that the Coptis chinensis extract and its major constituents berberine and coptisine possess active antihepatoma and antileukaemia activities.

Epimedium plant summary
Epimedium is, in fact, likely to make you horny. Most users will notice a mild to moderate effect on the third or fourth day of use.

Epimedium herb information
What is epimedium koreanum herb?
    Epimedium koreanum is a species of epimedium. Here is a research paper.

Comment on main species of herba epimedii
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2003 Apr;28(4):303-7. Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100094, China.
To comment on main resource species of Herba Epimedii. Taxonomy, resource investigation and quality evaluation of flavonoid contents were made. 7 species of Herba Epimedii having broad distribution were summarized. According the area of their distribution, they were named Epimedium sagittatum, Epimedium brevicornu, Epimedium acuminatum, Epimedium koreanum, Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium leptorrhizum and Epimedium wushanense. Each distribution in detail and icariin and likewise compounds contents of these 7 species were provided. Other 8 Epimedium species much used were proposed. On the basis of distribution character, resource quantity and growing with other species mingled, it is suggested that 4 main production or purchasing districts in China be divided. The most important district is northeastern district, where only Epimedium koreanum grows there, with the best guality. Northwestern and northern district is the second one, where Epimedium brevicornu, mainly grows with much stable guality. Then it is eastern and southern district, where Epimedium sagittatum grows with the largest quantity but unstable quality. Southwestern district is the last one, mingle species complex and identification important. In Sichuan province, Epimedium acuminatum and Epimedium pubescens are main species, with other 12 species growing there. In Guizhou province, Epimedium acuminatum, Epimedium leptorrhizum and Epimedium wushanense are main species, other 7 species growing there and Epimedium leptorrhizum with poor quality. It is suggested that Epimedium acuminatum be recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

Epimedium koreanum Nakai extract
Effect of lipid-based suspension of Epimedium koreanum Nakai extract on sexual behavior in rats.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Dec 3;114(3):412-6. Makarova MN, Pozharitskaya ON, Shikov AN, Tesakova SV, Makarov VG, Tikhonov VP. Interregional Center "Adaptogen", 47/5 Piskarevsky pr., 195067 St.-Petersburg, Russia.
Herba of Epimedium koreanum is used in traditional Chinese and Korean herbal medicine as a potent enhancer of erectile function. Icariin, the main active component of Epimedium koreanum, possesses many biological effects, such as improving cardiovascular function, hormone regulation, immunological function modulation, and anti-tumor activity. This study supports the traditional use of extracts from Epimedium species in erectile dysfunction. The Epimedium koreanum dry extract was suspended in wheat germ oil using lecithin and bee wax for oral administration. The effect of oral administration of two compositions (E-01 and E-02) standardized by their icariin content on the number of complete intromissions, the number of ejaculations, and the latent period of ejaculation in rats were evaluated. It was established that oral administration of lipid-based suspension of dry extract of Epimedium koreanum in wheat germ oil improved erectile function of aged rats.

I understand that taking low dosages of sexual improving herbs such as yohimbe bark and epimedium sagittatum raises libido with fewer side effects, or does the dosage not matter as much with these herbs?
    Particularly with yohimbe, the dosage matters significantly since there is little leeway between a safe effective dosage versus a dosage that causes side effects of rapid heart beat and sweating.