Description
A prenylated flavonol glycoside isolated from Epimedium species (yin yang huo, horny goat weed), the principal pharmacopoeial marker compound for epimedium and a documented PDE5 inhibitor with osteogenic activity in pre-clinical models.
Light yellow to yellow free-flowing powder. Limited water solubility; freely soluble in dimethyl sulfoxide and warm pyridine.
We supply food-grade Icariin from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.
Common market grades include Icariin 10 percent / 20 percent / 50 percent / 60 percent / 80 percent / 98 percent (the dominant commercial purities), Total Flavones 20 percent and 40 percent (epimedium standardized extracts for traditional positioning), and Icariins 50 percent (the total-icariin-family fraction including icariin, epimedin A/B/C, and baohuoside I for premium supplement applications).
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering icariin content (HPLC), total flavones, related epimedins, residual solvents, heavy metals, and microbiology.
Introduction
Epimedium has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 1,500 years for kidney-yang tonification, with traditional applications spanning sexual-function support, joint and bone complaints, and fatigue. The Chinese common name yin yang huo (translated approximately as 'licentious goat plant') reflects ancient folk observations of behavior in goats consuming the herb, which is also the source of the English common name horny goat weed.
Industrial production proceeds by hot-water and ethanol extraction of dried Epimedium aerial parts, followed by extensive chromatographic purification to yield isolated icariin at purities up to 98 percent. Yields are low (typically 0.5 to 1 percent of dried herb), which sets the commercial price.
Recognized as a permitted ingredient by the U.S. FDA, the European Food Safety Authority (under specific authorization), and equivalent regulators worldwide. Listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
Strategic positioning targets the men's-health supplement category (where icariin competes with tongkat ali, fenugreek, and tribulus) and the bone-health segment where pre-clinical evidence supports osteoblast-stimulating activity.
Where it is used
- Men's-health dietary supplements: libido and sexual-function positioning (the dominant commercial application)
- Bone-health and osteoporosis-support supplement formulations
- Cognitive-support and neuroprotection-positioned supplements
- Sports nutrition: testosterone-support and recovery formulations
- Traditional Chinese Medicine: yin yang huo formulations
- Premium anti-aging and longevity supplements
- Pharmaceutical research: PDE5 inhibitor research, osteoporosis, and neuroprotection
- Veterinary applications: breeding-stock fertility formulations
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Light yellow to yellow free-flowing powder |
| Icariin (HPLC) | 10% / 20% / 50% / 60% / 80% / 98% |
| Total flavones (UV, when applicable) | 20% / 40% |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 5.0% |
| Residual solvents | meets ICH Q3C limits |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Total plate count | ≤ 1000 cfu/g |
| Source | Epimedium brevicornum or related Epimedium species |
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