Leaves.
It may be noted that epimedium is a resourceful Chinese herb that has been traditionally employed to cure infertility, impotence, absent-mindedness, arthritis and back aches. Owing to the aptitude of epimedium to dilate or widen the capillaries as well as other blood vessels, this herb is employed to make blood circulation to the brain and the sexual organs easier. At the same time, epimedium helps to lower blood pressure and is beneficial for those enduring hypertension. In addition, this herb also promotes male sex hormone production as well as tones up the liver. Epimedium offers a number of health benefits and is employed to treat several conditions, some of which are discussed in brief below.
Animal as well as pharmacological researches undertaken with epimedium in China suggest that this herb augments the production of sperm, enhances sexual craving and also invigorates the sensory nerves. In addition, this herb also improves the copulating activities in animals. Extracts obtained from epimedium (contain polysaccharides and glycosides) help in kindling the immune system. In addition, these extracts of epimedium have also demonstrated the aptitude to annul suppressed immunity in animal studies as well as clinical experiments undertaken on humans. Glycosides enclosed by the herb enhance coronary flow, lower the blood pressure to some extent and also show effects that help to protect the liver. Studies undertaken with epimedium on rats enduring kidney ailments have shown that the herb lowered the intensity of BUN (blood urea nitrogen) as well as serum creatinine. In a controlled trial, a decoction prepared using epimedium has proved to be extremely useful for treating patients enduring chronic kidney failure and requiring hemodialysis (dialysis of blood, particularly using an artificial kidney). In addition, this herb also helps in improving the quality of the patients' lives, in general. In effect, researchers have undertaken vitro as well as in vivo experiments conducted with epimedium with a view to find the herb's impact on osteoporosis. When tested in a test tube, this herb has shown to augment bone re-absorption by means of osteoclasts (a large multi-nucleate cell directly linked to the areas of bone re-absorption, such as in a fracture that is healing) and, in the case of rats, epimedium has been found to enhance the mineral content in their body as well as encourage formation of bones. A study undertaken on rats found that the water extracted from epimedium repealed the side effects caused by prolonged use of steroids and decreased bone loss and adrenal atrophy.
The leaves of epimedium contain alkaloid magnaflorine, a variety of polysaccharides, flavonoids, glycosides and sterols.
As of now, it is not known whether the use of the herb epimedium is contradicted for any condition or there are any warnings regarding the use of this herb. Nevertheless, excessive use of the herb, which is often the prescribed dosage of this medication, may result in side effects, such as increased thirst, dizziness, nausea and even nosebleed.
Chemical analysis of epimedium has revealed that it encloses chemical compounds that are likely to augment blood circulations as well as enhance sexual craving and function. This herb encloses phytoestrogens, which are plant chemicals that to some extent work similar to the female hormone estrogen that may possibly diminish bone loss among women in postmenopausal stage.