Herba Epimedii: Anti-Oxidative Properties and Its Medical Implications
Open Access
- 2 November 2010
- Vol. 15 (11), 7861-7870
- https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules15117861
Abstract
Herba Epimedii is a Chinese herbal medicine with proven efficacy in treating cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis, and in improving sexual and neurological functions. This efficacy is found to be related to the potent anti-oxidative ability of Herba Epimedii and its flavonoid components, with icarrin as the main effective constituent, along with polysaccharides and vitamin C. These ingredients have been proven to be effective against oxidative-stress related pathologies (cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and inflammation) in animal rodent models and in vitro studies. Their anti-oxidative properties are found to be related to an inductive effect on endogenous free-radical scavenging enzymes such as catalase and glutathione peroxidase and the inherent electron-donating ability of flavonoids.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Icariin inhibits neurotoxicity of β-amyloid by upregulating cocaine-regulated and amphetamine-regulated transcriptsNeuroReport, 2009
- Cyclooxygenase-2/prostaglandin E2 pathway mediates icariside II induced apoptosis in human PC-3 prostate cancer cellsCancer Letters, 2009
- Herba Epimedii water extract elevates estrogen level and improves lipid metabolism in postmenopausal womenPhytotherapy Research, 2008
- Protective effect of icariin on DNA against radical-induced oxidative damageJournal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2007
- Prevention of bone loss by aqueous extract of Epimedii sagittatum in an ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosisJournal of Chinese Integrative Medicine, 2006
- Protective effects of icariin on human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury induced by H2O2 in vitroPharmacological Research, 2005
- Endothelial Apoptosis Induced by Oxidative Stress Through Activation of NF-κBHypertension, 2001
- Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced apoptosis in cardiac myocytes. Involvement of the sphingolipid signaling cascade in cardiac cell death.JCI Insight, 1996
- Cell Biology of AtherosclerosisAnnual Review of Physiology, 1995
- Reperfusion injury induces apoptosis in rabbit cardiomyocytes.JCI Insight, 1994