Epimedium Extract
| Items | Release Specifications | Results | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Yellow to Light Brown fine powder | Yellow | Complies |
| Taste | Extremely Bitter | Extremely Bitter | Complies |
| Odour | Characteristics | Characteristics | Complies |
| Drying Preparation | Freeze Drying | Pass | Complies |
| Active Ingredients | Icariin : 80 % | 80.5% | HPLC |
| Mesh size | 90 % through 120 mesh | 95 % through 120 mesh | Complies |
| Moisture | Not more than 5 % | 4 % | Chapter 23 |
| Microorganism | |||
| Total Plate Count | Less than 1000 | 110 | BP2002 British Pharmacopoeia |
| Yeast and mould | Less than 100 | 23 | BP2002 British Pharmacopoeia |
| Salmonella | Absent | Not detected | BP2002 British Pharmacopoeia |
| Coliform | Absent | Not detected | BP2002 British Pharmacopoeia |
| S Aures | Absent | Not detected | BP2002 British Pharmacopoeia |
| Pseudomonas aureus | Absent | Not detected | BP2002 British Pharmacopoeia |
| Heavy Metals | Release Specifications | Results | Standard |
| Arsenic (As) | Less than 1 mg/kg | Less than 1 mg/kg | AOAC 986. 15 Sec D |
| Lead (Pb) | Less than 1 mg/kg | Less than 1 mg/kg | AOAC 986. 15 Sec D |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Less than 0.2 mg/kg | Less than 0.2 mg/kg | AOAC 986. 15 Sec D |
| Mercury (Hg) | Less than 0.05 mg/kg | Less than 0.5 mg/kg | AOAC 986. 15 Sec D |
| Ash | 4 % to 6 % | 5 % | Method of Analysis for Nutrition Labelling (1993) Chapter 12 |
| Shelf life | 24 months | In original packing conditions | |
| Storage | In cool dry place at below 15° C. | ||
Medicinal Uses
Aphrodisiac
Many species of Epimedium are alleged to have aphrodisiac qualities. According to legend, this property was discovered by a Chinese goat herder who noticed sexual activity in his flock after they ate the weed. It is sold as a health supplement; usually in raw herb, tablet, or capsule form and sometimes blended with other supplements. The over-exploitation of wild populations of Epimedium for use in traditional Chinese medicine is having potentially serious consequences for the long-term survival of several species, none of which are widely cultivated for medicinal purposes.
The "active ingredient" in Epimedium is icariin, which can be found in standardized extracts from 5% up to 60% potent. Strengths above that are usually reserved for lab use.
Osteoporosis
Animal studies indicate that Icariin also stimulates osteoblast activity in bone tissue, leading to the development and marketing of medicinal products based on Epimedium extracts for treatment of osteoporosis.