Icaiin

Light yellow to yellow solid
Icariin is one of the major flavonoids of the herb Epimedium, which has long been used in Tranditional Chinese Medicine to treat bone fracture and prevent osteoporosis. Research has shown that icariin should be an effective component for the bone-strengthening activity of the herb Epimedium, and one of the possible mechanisms for this activity is to stimulate the proliferation and enhance the osteogenic differentiation of marrow stromal cells. Icariin is reported to prevent and treat sexual dysfunction related diseases and improve the use of vasoconstriction. Icariin is used to prepare angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor medicines, which can be used to treat hypertension-complicated coronary diseases.
ChEBI: Icariin is a member of the class of flavonols that is kaempferol which is substituted at position 8 by a 3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl group and in which the hydroxy groups at positions 3, 4', and 7 have been converted to the corresponding 6-deoxy-alpha-L-mannopyranoside, methyl ether, and beta-D-glucopyranoside, respectively. A phoshphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, it is obtained from several species of plants in the genus Epimedium and is thought to be the main active ingredient of the Chinese herbal medicine Herba Epimedii (yinyanghuo). It has a role as a bone density conservation agent, a phytoestrogen, an EC 3.1.4.35 (3',5'-cyclic-GMP phosphodiesterase) inhibitor and an antioxidant. It is a glycosyloxyflavone and a member of flavonols.
Icariin is a prenylated flavonol and the major bioactive compound found inEpimediumherb.