Epimedium
Epimedium also known as Horny Goat Weed is used for the maintenance of sexual health. Its use as an aphrodisiac is attributed to its reported ability to increase levels of nitric oxide, which relaxes smooth muscle (1) .In clinical settings the active substituent Icariin has shown to have activity comparable to the widely used medication sildenafil in terms of PDE-5 (phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibition (2). The use of epimedium to support sexual function and health is a burgeoning field of research with very promising results.
References
Chiu JH, Chen KK, Chien TM et al. Epimedium brevicornum Maxim extract relaxes rabbit corpus cavernosum through multitargets on nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate signaling pathway. Int J Impot Res. 2006;18:335-42.
Ning H, Xin ZC, Lin G et al. Effects of icariin on phosphodiesterase-5 activity in vitro and cyclic guanosine monophosphate level in cavernous smooth muscle cells. Urology 2006;68:1350-4
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