xian ling pi, yin yang huo, Epimedium grandiflorum, Complementary and Alternative Healing University
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xian ling pi

yin yang huo 淫羊藿

Edited by: Joe Hing Kwok Chu

Pharmaceutical name: Herba Epimedii
Biological name: Epimedium grandiflorum Morr., Epimedium brevicornum Maxim., Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc.) Maxim., Epimedium pubescens Maxim., Epimedium wushanense T. S. Ying, Epimedium koreanum Nakai
Pron. in Japanese: inyokaku, also called
Pron. in Korean: umyanggwak
Pron. in Cantonese: yam yong fok
Common Name: epimedium
Distribution: Shaanxi, Liaoning, Shanxi, Hubei, Sichuan
Properties (characteristics) Acrid, sweet, warm
Channels (meridians) entered: Kidney, Liver

入 肝 、 腎 經

Actions & Indications: Tonifies the kidneys and fortifies the yang: for deficient kidney yang patterns with such symptoms as impotence, spermatorrhea, frequent urination , forgetfulness, withdrawal, and painful cold lower back and knees due to kidney yang deficient.

Expels wind-damp-cold: for wind-damp-cold painful obstruction (pain and water retention) with such symptoms as spasms or cramps in the hands and feet, joint pain, and numbness in the extremities due to bad circulation.

Tonifies the yin and yang and harnesses ascendant liver yang: for lower back pain, dizziness, and menstrual irregularity from deficient liver and kidneys (shenxu) and subsequent ascendant liver yang (gan yang).

Hypertension during menopause.

陽 萎 早 泄 , 腰 膝 無 力 , 筋 骨 酸 痛 ,

婦 女 更 年 期 高 血 壓 。

Medical Function: Medical Function:
  • 1.Improve endocrine system. Improve axle: hypothalamus, pituitary,  sex hormones and adrenal cortex .
  • 2. Improve DNA metabolism.
  • 3. Improve immune system.
  • 4. Anti-aging effect.
  •  5. Improve circulatory system.  a. Improve function of the heart. b. Lower blood pressure by dilution of peripheral blood vessels.
  • 6. Improve the blood system. a.. Prevent platelet coagulation.  b. Lower viscosity of the blood. c. Improve production of white blood cells.
  • 7. Improve ability to resist lack of oxygen.
  • 8. Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. 9. Lower lipoprotein and cholesterol.
  • 10. It inhibits asthma caused by increased histamine.
  • 11. Small amount: promotes urination
  • 12. Large amount: inhibits urination
  • 13.Reduces the number of estrogen receptors, prevent spreading of cancer cells, and destroy cancer cells.
  • 14. Prevents and reverses bone loss
Chemical ingredients: The main ingredients are flavone type of compounds, fat, saponins and essential oil. 

Ceryl alcohol, hentriacontane, phytosterol, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, bilobanol, magnoflorin, glucose, fructose, icariin, icariside I ), Icariside II (epimedoside A).

 Epimedin A, Epimedin B, Epimedin C, Epimedokoreanoside I, Epimedokoreanoside II, Epimedoside A, I-karisoside A, (quercetin), 4'-methoxy-5-hydroxy-8-3, 3-dimethylallylflavone-3-glucosyl (1--2) rhamnoside-7-glucoside), 4'-methoxy-5-hydroxy-8-3, 3-dimethylallylflavone-3-xylosyl (1--2) rhamnoside-7-glucoside), 4'-methoxy-5-hydroxy-8-3, 3-dimethylallylflavone-3-rham-nosyl (1--2) rhamnoside-7-glucoside.

Isoquercetin, icaritin-3-O-α-rhamnoside, hyperin, sagittatoside A, sagittatoside B, sagittatoside C, sagittatin A, sagittatin B, Anhydroicaritin-3-O-α-rhamnoside, Icariside E6, Icariside E7, Icaride A1, Icaride A2,  Icariside D3, Icariside H1, Icariside B9.

Epimedoside C, baohuoside VI, baohuoside I,  rouhuoside.

Wushanicariin.

Dosage: 6-15 g. 
Samples of formulae: With  wu wei zi, gou qi zi, and sha yuan ji li for deficient Kidney impotence and infertility.

With sang ji sheng for painful obstructions, especially paralysis and pain of the lower extremities, or muscular contraction and numbness of the extremities.

With xian mao, Huang bai, and  zhi mu for menopausal symptoms such as facial pallor, lower back pain, nocturia, menstrual irregularity, and dizziness from deficient Liver and Kidney yin and subsequent ascendant Liver yang. This combination is also used for the abovementioned ascendant Liver yang symptoms in men.

Source of above formula: Bensky and Gamble.

 

Today's Usage: 1. For impotence:
  • A. Use yin yang huo 15 g. with Tu si zi 15 g. Grind into powder. 5 g a day in  3 servings. To be taken with yellow rice wine. 20 days is one treatment.  Take every day first thing in morning and before bed.  Massage the perineal area from left to right and right to left about 10 times .
  • B.  Every night use chuan xiong 15 g and xi sin 15 g. Boil a decoction and put in bathtub and sit for 20 minutes. Avoid intercourse for 100 days. Avoid overexertion and getting chilled. 7 days is one treatment. 

Total cases: 38. 8 cases got better. 20 cases completely healed. After 2 years, no patients had recurring problems. Total effectiveness: 92 per cent.

2. For white patches of vagina.

3. For neurasthenia .

4. For coronary disease.

5. For viral infections of the heart muscle.

6. For chronic bronchial infection and asthma.

7. For treating the decrease of white cells.

8. For treating inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord.

Modern Research: Often steeped in wine for both kidney yang deficiency and painful obstruction.  Traditional preparation by stir frying with fat of goat is an effective method. Although stir frying with goat fat does not increase the total saponin in the leaves but the total saponin that dissolves by boiling in water increases; thus , improve the efficacy of the herb.
Cautions: Contraindicated in patients with fire from yin deficiency.  This herb should not be taken as a decoction, over prolonged periods. This herb can damage the yin. In some people, ingesting it can lead to dizziness, vomiting, dry mouth, thirst, and nosebleeding

 

 

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Last update: Nov 19, 2003; 10:00 a.m. LA

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