Horny Goat Weed Herbal Information

NAME
Horny Goat weed


LATIN NAME
Epimedium sagittatum

ALSO KNOWN AS
Barrenwort, Herba Epimedii, Horny Goat Weed, Japanese Epimedium, Xian Ling Pi, Yin Yang Huo.

ORIGIN
Western, and Eastern Asia and the Mediterranean

PARTS USED
Leaves.


TRADITIONAL HERBAL USES AND MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
In Traditional Chinese Medicine Horny Goat weed is used for disorders of the kidneys, liver, joints, impotence and back pain.
It appears to have a testosterone building effect and it stimulates sexual activity in men, it increases sperm production, sexual desire, libido and sensory nerves. So it does appear to have all the right qualities to be an aphrodisiac.
It is also known to alleviate fatigue and remedy adrenal exhaustion and stress. It increases blood flow to the genital area thus enhancing sexual function and awareness. It also lowers blood pressure and nurtures and restores the energy within the kidneys. In women it is known to increase sexual desire.


FOLKLORE AND HISTORY
The Chinese refer to the herb as Yin yang huo, which means "licentious goat plant." The use of Epimedium as a medicinal herb dates back thousands of years. Epimedium is one of the most valued ingredients in their tonics. Epimedium first recorded use dates back to the ancient text, Shen Non Ben Cao Jing (ca. 200 B.C..-100 A.D.) were it was used as a warming herb that improved male fertility. The herb received its more common name, horny goat weed, when goats grazing on the herb were observed to have significantly increased sexual drive.


CONSTITUENTS
Flavanoids, icariin, lignans, Fats, saponins, and essential oil, with trace amounts of epimedins, epimedosides, icariin, magnflorin, and quercetin.


TYPICAL PREPARATIONS
AND SUGGESTED DOSAGE

Horny Goat Weed Herbal tincture-
Extraction Ratio 1:3
Alcohol Vol. 45%
Take 3ml -10ml per day, Spread over the day

Horny Goat Weed Cut Leaf Herb
1-2 desertspoons per cup of hot water up to 3 or 4 times a day. Taken as Tea
Or as recommended by a herbal practitioner.

PRECAUTIONS
If Horny Goat weed is not combined in the traditional way of Chinese medicine with a Yin herb then it can cause aggressiveness, irritability, fever and other "hot symptoms".
Can raise blood pressure in excessive amounts.