Epimedii Folium
Aliases：Gāng Qián (Rigid Front); Xiān Líng Pí (Immortal Spirit Spleen); Xiān Líng Pí (Immortal Spirit Adjacent); Qiān Liǎng Jīn (Thousand Ounces of Gold); Gān Jī Jīn (Dried Chicken Tendon); Fàng Zhàng Cǎo (Staff-Dropping Herb); Qì Zhàng Cǎo (Staff-Abandoning Herb); Sān Zhī Jiǔ Yè Cǎo (Three Branches, Nine Leaves Herb); Yáng Huò (Goat Weed); Niú Jiǎo Huā (Ox Horn Flower); Tóng Sī Cǎo (Copper Wire Grass); Tiě Dǎ Chǔ (Iron Pestle); Tiě Líng Jiǎo (Iron Water Chestnut); Fèi Jīng Cǎo (Lung Meridian Herb).
Yin Yang Huo (Epimedium Herb) is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is the dried leaf of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim., Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb.et Zucc.) Maxim., Epimedium pubesens Maxim., or Epimedium koreanum Nakai., plants of the Berberidaceae family. The leaves are harvested in summer and autumn when the stems and leaves are luxuriant, then impurities are removed and dried in the sun or in the shade.
Efficacy & Actions
Tonifies Kidney Yang, strengthens bones and muscles, and dispels wind-dampness.
Indications
Used for impotence and spermatorrhea due to Kidney Yang deficiency, weakness and flaccidity of bones and muscles, rheumatic bi pain, and numbness with spasm. It is also used for menopausal hypertension, cold pain in the lower back and knees, and infertility due to uterine coldness in women.
Modern Pharmacology
Hormonal effects: Exhibits androgen-like activity, promotes testosterone synthesis and secretion, improves spermatogenesis microenvironment; a key herb for warming kidney and strengthening yang. Bone metabolism regulation: Prevents and treats osteoporosis, femoral head necrosis, and other skeletal disorders. Immunomodulation: Possesses immunomodulatory effects. Anti-fatigue: Exhibits anti-fatigue activity. Cardiovascular protection: Resists myocardial ischemia and atherosclerosis. Antitumor: Active components inhibit tumor cell proliferation and induce apoptosis; shows inhibitory effects on cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, etc. Neuroprotection: Shows intervention effects on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cerebral ischemia, etc.
Ingredients
It mainly contains flavonoids, such as icariin, baohuoside I and II, icariside I and II, epimedin A, sagittatoside A, B, C, hyperoside, etc.; it also contains polysaccharides, lignans, alkaloids, volatile oils, and trace elements like zinc and manganese.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Decoction, the standard dosage is 3–9g; larger doses up to 15g may be used. It may also be steeped in wine, prepared as an extract, or made into pills or powder. Topical Application: Decocted in water for gargling.
Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with Yin deficiency and fire excess: This herb is pungent, warm, and drying, and may easily generate fire and damage Yin. Contraindicated in cases of external heat disease or internal excess heat. Not suitable for long-term, high-dose use in patients with hypotension: This herb has blood pressure-lowering effects. Not suitable for long-term, high-dose use in patients with hypoglycemia. Use with caution during pregnancy: Not suitable for long-term, high-dose use. Infants should avoid long-term, high-dose use: The icariin it contains has androgen-like effects. Contraindicated in the acute phase of urinary tract infections.
Selected Formulas
For wandering wind pain (Taiping Shenghui Fang, Xianlingpi San) Take 30g each of Xianlingpi (Epimedium), Weilingxian (Clematis), Chuanxiong (Ligusticum), Guixin (Cinnamon), and Cangerzi (Xanthium). Grind into fine powder. Take 3g each time, with warm wine, at any time. For hemiplegia and limb dysfunction (Taiping Shenghui Fang) Take 500g of Xianlingpi, finely cut, place in a raw silk bag, and soak in 2 dou (approx. 20L) of unstrained wine (wuhui jiu). Seal and steep for 3 days in spring/summer, or 5 days in autumn/winter. Each day, warm and drink according to tolerance, keeping mildly tipsy but not heavily drunk. For blurred vision and corneal opacity (Shengji Zonglu) Take equal parts of Xianlingpi and raw Wanggua (red small Trichosanthes fruit). Grind into powder. Take 3g each time with tea, twice daily. For menopausal hypertension (empirical formula) Take 9g each of Yinyanghuo (Epimedium), Xianmao (Curculigo), Danggui (Angelica), Bajitian (Morinda), Zhimu (Anemarrhena), and Huangbai (Phellodendron). Decoct in water and drink.
Daily Consumption
For seminal emission, impotence, dribbling urination, female infertility, numbness of limbs, and flaccidity of sinews and bones due to dual deficiency of yin and yang with decline of vital gate fire (empirical formula) Take 60g of Yinyanghuo (Epimedium), 30g each of Jinyingzi (Rosa laevigata fruit) and Jinmaogouji (Cibotium barometz rhizome). Wash and drain, place in a gauze bag and tie securely. Put the bag into a container, add 500ml of white liquor (baijiu), and steep for 7 days. Take warm once in the morning and once in the evening, 10-15ml each time.
Medicinal Parts
Dried leaf.
Selection & Storage
Store in a well-ventilated, dry place. Protect from moisture, mold, and insects.