This study evaluated the effects of epimedium polysaccharide(EPS) on the solubility of icariin and baohuoside Ⅰ so as to preliminary explore its solubilization function and the underlying mechanism. The solubility of these two insoluble flavonoids in water and polysaccharide solutions was compared by high performance liquid chromatography, and the mechanism was investigated by diffe-rential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and critical micelle concentration determination. The results indicated that their solubilization in crude EPS solutions was concentration-dependent. The solubility of icariin and baohuoside Ⅰ in 20 mg·mL~(-1) EPS-1-1 was 9.05 times and 5.76 times that in water, respectively; while their solubility in 20 mg·mL~(-1) EPS-2-1 was 10.55 and 8.39 times that in water, respectively. The change of the DSC thermograms suggested the formation of new complexes from icariin and baohuoside Ⅰ with polysaccharides. The critical micelle concentrations proved the micellar properties of both EPS-1-1 and EPS-2-1. In short, EPS can significantly increase the solubility of icariin and baohuoside Ⅰ, the mechanism of which may be related to the formation of micellar complexes between EPS and insoluble flavonoids.
Epimedium ; Flavonoids ; Polysaccharides ; Solubility

OBJECTIVETo study the biomass structure of Epimedium acuminatum Franch in the different ecological environments for the development and protection.

METHODThrough the scientific investigation in four typical habitats, the sampling spots were set up, the functional modules' biomass structure and relationship of E. acuminatum were researched.

RESULTThe average of rhizome, as the largest biomass, and the average total biomass had the same pattern: the open areas of forest edge > shrub lumber > shrub-weed > stream drains. The ratio of the functional modules' biomass had different rates under different habitat conditions. By analyzing and combining investigation, the aerial part of E. acuminatum in the shrub-weed were comparative advantage, and the roots of nutrient accumulation of E. acuminatum in the open areas of forest edge were the highest efficient. Under different ecological condition, the distribution of water metabolism was different strategies.

CONCLUSIONIn the open areas of forest edge, E. acuminatum growing well, followed by shrub-weed. These two habitats are the ideal ecological environments while the rhizome or the whole plant used as medicine, but also the protection of E. acuminatum.

The aim of this paper was to find out the active components of Epimedium brevicornum using network pharmacology, and find the potential targets and mechanisms. The TCMSP database was used to screen the active ingredients, and TTD and DrugBank databases were used to predict the potential targets with the literature mining. The pathway annotation was used to enrich and analyze the active ingredients and potential targets of E. brevicornum. The results showed that E. brevicornum had34 potential target active ingredients, including 21 flavones components, such as icariin, epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C, Yinyanghuo A, Yinyanghuo C and so on, 2 lignans involved in (+)-cycloolivil and olivil, 3 sterols consisting of sitosterol, 24-epicampesterol and poriferast-5-en-3beta-ol. The main predicted targets included Ptgs2, NCOA6, RANK, OPG, WNT9B, PTH1R, BMPs, SMAD4A and so on. There were 88 signaling pathways involved in 10 signaling pathways which was related to inflammation, such as NF-kappa B signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway and 10 pathways which was related to cancer included breast cancer, bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer and so on, and estrogen related signaling pathways included estrogen signaling pathway. This laid the foundation for the discovery of the active components of Epimedium and the study on its mechanism of action.
Epimedium ; classification ; metabolism ; Estrogens ; Flavonoids ; Signal Transduction

In this study, the growth index including plant height, compound leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf water content, number of branches, and leaf biomass per plant and the icariin flavonoids such as epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C and icariin of Epimedium pseudowushanense were determined on 30 d and 60 d under light intensity(18.2±2.5) μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)(L1) and(90.9 ±2.5) μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)(L2), and white light as control, red light, blue light and yellow light were used as three light quality treatments, to study the effect of light quality on the growth and flavonoids accumulation of E. pseudowushanense. The E. pseudowushanense was sui-table for growth under L1 light intensity, the blue light treatment significantly reduced the leaf area, but had little effect on the stem height, the red light treatment and the yellow light treatment had no obvious effect on the stem height and leaf area, but the yellow light treatment significantly increased the germination of new branches, and had a sustained promoting effect, and the biomass was significantly higher than the white light treatment at 60 d. The content of icariin flavonoids in red light, blue light and yellow light treatment was higher than that in white light treatment at 30 d and 60 d under L1 light intensity, while yellow light treatment promoted the synthesis of icariin flavonoids to the largest extent, which was 1.8 and 1.9 times of white light treatment(30 d and 60 d).Under L2 light intensity, the effect of strong light on promoting stem germination became the main factor, while the yellow light treatment showed no significant effect on promoting stem germination, and the red light treatment exhibited a significant effect on reducing leaf area. Icariin flavonoids under red light, blue light and yellow light treatment were all lower than that under white light treatment, that is, the effect of white light treatment on the synthesis of icariin flavonoids is better than red light, blue light and yellow light treatment. When the time of strong light treatment was longer, the degradation range of icariin flavonoids in other light treatment appeared, while red light treatment promotes the synthesis of icariin flavonoids. Therefore, the influence of light quality on E. pseudowushanense is quite different under different light intensity, no matter from growth index or flavonoid content index. The results support that the biomass and icariin flavonoid content can be increased by providing appropriate red and yellow light.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Epimedium ; Flavonoids ; Plant Leaves

Coix ; Epimedium ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; Plant Leaves

Eleven compounds were isolated from the leaves of Epimedium pubescens by means of various chromatographic techniques such as silica gel, MCI, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified as anhydroicaritin (1), icariside II (2), 2'''-O-rhamonosyl-icariside II (3), desmethylanhydroicaritin (4), baohuosaide II (5), epimedokoreanin B (6), acuminatin (7), tricin(8), kaempferol (9), daidzein (10) and 4-hydroxy ethyl benzoate (11) on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data analysis. Among them, compound 11 was isolated from Epimedium species for the first time, and other compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time.
Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the in vitro embryo culture of Epimedium wushanense and provide scientific basis for large scale production of tissue culture.

METHODCullus and buds were induced from embryo of E. wushanense on a MS medium supplemented with different 2,4-D,6-BA, NAA, IBA.

RESULTThe optimal compositions of medium that induced callus and buds from embryo were the MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D 2 mg x L(-1), IBA 2 mg x L(-1) and NAA 0.5 mg x L(-1) and the MS medium supplemented with IBA 2 mg x L(-1) and 6-BA 0.5 mg x L(-1), respectively. The optimum medium for callus differentiation was MS + 6-BA 1 mg x L(-1) + NAA 0.5 mg x L(-1) + IBA 1 mg x L(-1), and MS +6-BA 1.0 mg x L(-1) + NAA 0.5 mg x L(-1) for shoots proliferation.

CONCLUSIONUsing embryo as explants, the method of induction and culture of E. wushanense was established by the callus and buds, and the embryo of E. wushanense can be quickly propagated.

In order to evaluate the characteristics of the spray drying of total flavonoids of Epimedium extracts assisted with soybean polysaccharide, a certain percentage of soybean polysaccharide or polyvidone were added to the total flavonoids of Epimedium extract to conduct the spray drying. The effect of soybean polysaccharides against the wall sticking effect of the spray drying was detected, as well as the powder property of total flavonoids of Epimedium spray drying powder and the dissolution in vitro behavior of the effective component. Compared with the total flavonoids of Epimedium spray drying powder, soybean polysaccharide revealed a significant anti-wall sticking effect. The spray drying power which had no notable change in the grain size made a increase in the fluidity, improvement in the moisture absorption and remarkable rise in the dissolution in vitro behavior. It was worth further studying the application of soybean polysaccharide in spray drying power of traditional Chinese medicine.
Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Particle Size ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; Powders ; Soybeans ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the absorption mechanism of icariin by using Caco-2 monolayer model.

METHODCaco-2 cell monolayer model was used to study the bi-direction transport of icariin. The effects of time, drug concentration and inhibitor on the absorption of icariin were studied. The concentration of icariin in cell culture medium was measured by UPLC and the apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) was calculated.

RESULTThe amount of icariin which was transported increased linearly with the time (14 hr). The ratio of PBA/PAB was larger than 4. Verapamil, the P-glycoprotein inhibitor, could cause significantly effect on transport of icariin, PAB increased, the ratio of PBA/PAB decreased.

CONCLUSIONThe reason for low absorption of icariin in Caco-2 cell model may be the secretion of the P-gp transporter.

OBJECTIVETo research on the variation regularity of the five main flavonoids contents in Epimedium and processed Epimedium.

METHODThe contents of Epimedin A, Epimedin B, Epimedin C, Icariin and Baohuoside I in Epimedium and processed Epimedium were determined, respectively.

RESULTThere were varieties in the contents of Epimedin A, Epimedin B, Epimedin C, Icariin and Baohuoside in Epimedium and processed Epimedium. There were different variety tendencies in different species and different batches.

CONCLUSIONThe variety tendencies of the contents of five main flavonoids depend on the processing technology and the flavonoids proportion in Epimedium and processed Epimedium.