What does icariin do?

What does icariin do?

Icariin, the main active ingredient of epimedium, belongs to the class of 8-isopentenyl flavonoid glycosides. It can be extracted from the dried stems and leaves of various plants of the genus Epimedium, such as Epimedium sagittatum, Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium wushanense, and Epimedium koreana. Icariin is a pale yellow needle-shaped crystal, soluble in ethanol and ethyl acetate, but insoluble in organic solvents such as ether, benzene, and chloroform. The above-ground part of epimedium mainly contains flavonoids, while the underground part mainly contains flavonoids and alkaloids. In addition, plants of the genus Epimedium also contain polysaccharides, glucose and other ingredients.

Icariin has a variety of pharmacological effects, including immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging activities, and has a certain improvement effect on related diseases such as nerves, immunity, endocrine, cardiovascular, and bones.

What is the use of icariin?

Icariin is the main active ingredient of icariin, which has a variety of pharmacological effects and functions.

Cardiovascular system

Increase cardiovascular blood flow: Icariin can dilate blood vessels, increase cardiovascular blood flow, and thus improve cardiovascular blood circulation.

Reduce myocardial oxygen consumption: At the same time, it can also reduce myocardial oxygen consumption and reduce the burden on the heart.

Improve cardiovascular disease: It has an improvement effect on cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia, and can also reduce cardiac afterload and protect the cardiovascular system.

Hypoglycemic

Icariin can lower blood sugar levels by promoting the secretion of insulin by pancreatic β cells, which is helpful for diabetic patients to control hyperglycemia.

Anti-fatigue

Icariin can improve the body's ability to adapt to hypoxic environments, enhance endurance, and help relieve fatigue symptoms after long-term mental or physical labor.

The flavonoids in icariin have the effect of scavenging free radicals, which helps to delay cell aging and prevent skin aging and wrinkle formation.

Anti-inflammatory

It has the effect of inhibiting the release of inflammatory mediators, thereby reducing tissue damage and pain, and helping to relieve symptoms such as joint swelling and erythema.

Reproductive system

Promote reproductive system function: Icariin can activate specific signaling pathways, such as the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, promote the proliferation of testicular nutrient cells Sertoli, and thus enhance male reproductive function.

Regulate sex hormones: By regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, upregulating the expression of dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine in the hypothalamus, activating related signaling pathways, and increasing serum testosterone concentrations, further improving male reproductive health.

Improve sexual function: Icariin also has the effect of shortening the capture and ejaculation latency, increasing the capture and ejaculation rates, as well as the testicular and prostate indexes, and has a significant effect on improving the sexual function of male mice.

Immune system

Icariin can enhance the body's immune function, play an immunomodulatory role, and help improve the body's resistance.

Skeletal system

Icariin also has a positive effect on the skeletal system, can promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts cultured in vitro, and is beneficial to bone health.

How does icariin regulate the immune system?

Icariin, as the main medicinal component of Epimedium, has a significant regulatory effect on the immune system.

Activate immune cells

Promote immune cell proliferation: Icariin can enhance the phagocytosis function of macrophages and promote the proliferation and differentiation of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes. This effect can increase the number of immune cells, thereby improving the body's overall immune function.

Improve immune cell activity: Icariin can also enhance immune cell activity by regulating the secretion of immune cytokines, such as interleukin (IL). These cytokines play a key role in the immune response and can mediate and regulate the activity and function of immune cells.

Regulate immune factors

Double-effect regulatory effect: Icariin has a two-way regulatory effect on the secretion of immune factors. For example, it can not only promote the secretion of certain immune factors, such as IL-2 and TNF, but also inhibit the excessive secretion of other immune factors, thereby maintaining the balance of the immune system.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory

Antioxidant: Icariin has a significant antioxidant effect, which can scavenge free radicals in the body and reduce the damage of oxidative stress to the immune system. This effect helps protect immune cells from oxidative damage and maintain their normal function.

Anti-inflammatory: Icariin also exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the release of inflammatory mediators. Inflammation is a defensive response of the immune system to stimulation, but an excessive inflammatory response can cause damage to the body. The anti-inflammatory effect of icariin helps reduce inflammation and protect the body from damage.

Promote immune organ development

Enhance immune organ function: Icariin has an immune activating effect on immune organs such as the thymus, promotes the proliferation and differentiation of thymocytes, and improves the ability of thymocytes to produce immune factors such as IL-2. This effect helps enhance the function of immune organs and improve the body's overall immunity.

What is icariin used for?

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: The latest research shows that icariin can be used to prepare drugs for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Through animal experiments, icariin was found to have preventive and therapeutic effects on irritable bowel syndrome models and can alleviate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome induced by comprehensive stimulation.

Treatment of bronchial asthma: Icariin has potential application in the preparation of drugs for the prevention and treatment of bronchial asthma. Studies have shown that it can improve lung tissue inflammation in asthmatic rats.

Diseases related to myelin damage in the nervous system: Icariin has new medicinal uses in the treatment, prevention, alleviation and/or relief of diseases and/or conditions related to myelin damage in the nervous system. For example, it can be used to treat nervous system diseases related to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and depression.

Promoting effect on the reproductive system: As one of the effective active ingredients of kidney-tonifying and yang-enhancing drugs, icariin can promote the function of the reproductive system, including improving male and female reproductive function.

Protective effect on the skeletal system: Icariin can promote the formation and activation of osteoblasts, while inhibiting the formation and function of osteoclasts, alleviating osteoporosis. In addition, it also has an estrogen-like effect, promoting the proliferation and activity of osteoblasts.

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