Horny Goat Weed Medicine Epimedium macranthum
LATIN NAME: Epimedium macranthum
COMMON NAME: Horny Goat Weed
Horny goat weed is a low, leafy woodland plant with a very long history. The creeping, hardy perennial carries the fine, wiry stems and the heart-shaped, toothed leaves, often flushed with red when they are young, and the small, pale-yellow, spurred flowers open in the loose clusters through the spring. The plant spreads slowly into fine, leafy mats on the cool, shaded woodland floor, and it is a fine, easy, generous ground cover of the shaded garden. The leaves have a long and careful record in the traditional practice of the region. It is a plant of the cool, leafy, well-drained ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Horny goat weed has carved a solid place in the plant science, and the plant has been studied for a very long time for the leaves and their long record in the traditional practice of the region. Plant scientists have looked at the chemistry of the leaves, which have been studied steadily for decades, and the plant keeps showing up in the work on the traditional herbs of the region. The heart-shaped, toothed leaves and the small, spurred, pale-yellow flowers have also made it a fine garden plant, and it is a regular subject of the studies of the woodland ground covers and the traditional remedies.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Horny goat weed earns its keep on the shaded floor of the garden. The fine, leafy mats spread slowly into a dependable, easy ground cover under the trees and on the shaded banks, and the small, pale-yellow, spurred flowers are a fine, fresh sight through the spring. The leaves have a long and careful record in the traditional practice of the region, and the plant has been written about in the botanical and the herbal papers for its long history of use. It is a fine, easy, generous plant of the cool, shaded, well-drained garden.
Horny goat weed is one of the fine ground covers of the shaded garden, and the heart-shaped, toothed leaves, often flushed with red when they are young, give it a fine, fresh look through the season. The small, spurred, pale-yellow flowers are a quiet, fresh sight of the spring woodland floor.
To grow the horny goat weed from seed, press the fine seeds lightly into pots of moist, free-draining soil and cover them very thinly, keep them in a cool, shaded, sheltered spot and water gently. The seedlings come through within a few weeks and grow on steadily into small, leafy plants. With the shade and the cool, leafy, well-drained ground, the small, spurred, pale-yellow flowers will be there through the spring.
Horny goat weed (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 horny goat weed 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.
Other names: Epimedium, Yin Yan Huo
Horny goat weed is a leafy plant that is native to Asia and the Mediterranean region.
Horny goat weed has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine.
Why Do People Use Horny Goat Weed?: Erectile Dysfunction and Sexual Dysfunction in Women
Animal studies indicate that horny goat weed may work by increasing nitric oxide levels, which relaxes smooth muscle and lets more blood flow to the penis or clitoris.
Horny goat weed also appears to act by inhibiting the PDE-5 enzyme.
Some evidence suggests horny goat weed may modulate levels of the hormones cortisol, testosterone, and thyroid hormone, bringing low levels back to normal.
Menopause
A study tested the estrogenic activity of 32 herbs used for menopause. Epimedium brevicornum, was one of the highest estrogenic activity.
Safety
There isn't enough information on horny goat weed to safely recommend it for erectile dysfunction or menopause.
In one study, epimedium koreanum was found to cause significant inhibition of the cholinesterase enzyme. This can theoretically increase the risk of loss of muscle co-ordination and jerky movements due to acetylcholine buildup in muscles.
Drug Interactions
No drug interactions have been reported.
Sources:
Chen KK and Chiu JH. Effect of Epimedium brevicornum Maxim extract on elicitation of penile erection in the rat. Urology. 67.3 (2006):631-5.
Oh MH et al. Screening of Korean herbal medicines used to improve cognitive function for anti-cholinesterase activity. Phytomedicine. 11.6 (2004):544-8.
Zhang CZ et al. In vitro estrogenic activities of Chinese medicinal plants traditionally used for the management of menopausal symptoms. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 98.3 (2005):295-300.