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'Horny goat weed' stands up to Viagra: study
Canwest news service
Monday, September 29, 2008
Italian researchers are testing a promising alternative to Viagra that they're calling 3,7-bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-icaritin -- or more simply put, "horny goat weed."
In lab experiments, a semi-synthetic
derivative of the active compound in Epimedium brevicornum, an ancient Chinese herbal remedy for impotence, performed as well as Viagra, but with the potential for fewer side-effects, scientists say.
The study, scheduled for the Oct. 24 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Natural Products, is written by Mario Dell-Agli, from the department of pharmacological sciences at Milan University. The modified compound hasn't been tested in humans, but is a candidate worthy of further studies Mr. Dell-Agli says.
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Natural Viagra? 'Horny Goat Weed' Shows Promise
ScienceDaily (Sep. 30, 2008) — Move over, Viagra! Researchers in Italy report that an ancient Chinese herbal remedy known as "horny goat weed" shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The study, which provides scientific evidence supporting the herb's well-known use as a natural aphrodisiac.
In the new study, Mario Dell'Agli and colleagues point out that Viagra (sildenafil) and several other prescription drugs are now available for ED, or male impotence. ED affects an estimated 18 million men in the United States alone. Studies show, however, that these drugs may cause side effects such as headache, facial flushing, stomach upset, and visual disturbances.
To find better treatments, the scientists studied herbal extracts reputed to improve sexual performance. Scientists exposed the substances to an enzyme that controls blood flow to the penis and whose inhibition results in an erection.
Of the extracts tested, "horny goat weed" was the most potent inhibitor of the enzyme. By chemical modification of icariin, the active ingredient purified from the extract, the scientists obtained a derivative with activity similar to Viagra and a potential for fewer side effects because it targeted the protein more precisely than sildenafil.
Journal reference:
1. . Potent Inhibition of Human Phosphodiesterase-5 by Icariin Derivatives. Journal of Natural Products, (in press) DOI: 10.1021/np800049y
Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society.
Canwest news service
Monday, September 29, 2008
Italian researchers are testing a promising alternative to Viagra that they're calling 3,7-bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-icaritin -- or more simply put, "horny goat weed."
In lab experiments, a semi-synthetic
derivative of the active compound in Epimedium brevicornum, an ancient Chinese herbal remedy for impotence, performed as well as Viagra, but with the potential for fewer side-effects, scientists say.
The study, scheduled for the Oct. 24 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Natural Products, is written by Mario Dell-Agli, from the department of pharmacological sciences at Milan University. The modified compound hasn't been tested in humans, but is a candidate worthy of further studies Mr. Dell-Agli says.
some more info
Invalid Link Removed
Natural Viagra? 'Horny Goat Weed' Shows Promise
ScienceDaily (Sep. 30, 2008) — Move over, Viagra! Researchers in Italy report that an ancient Chinese herbal remedy known as "horny goat weed" shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The study, which provides scientific evidence supporting the herb's well-known use as a natural aphrodisiac.
In the new study, Mario Dell'Agli and colleagues point out that Viagra (sildenafil) and several other prescription drugs are now available for ED, or male impotence. ED affects an estimated 18 million men in the United States alone. Studies show, however, that these drugs may cause side effects such as headache, facial flushing, stomach upset, and visual disturbances.
To find better treatments, the scientists studied herbal extracts reputed to improve sexual performance. Scientists exposed the substances to an enzyme that controls blood flow to the penis and whose inhibition results in an erection.
Of the extracts tested, "horny goat weed" was the most potent inhibitor of the enzyme. By chemical modification of icariin, the active ingredient purified from the extract, the scientists obtained a derivative with activity similar to Viagra and a potential for fewer side effects because it targeted the protein more precisely than sildenafil.
Journal reference:
1. . Potent Inhibition of Human Phosphodiesterase-5 by Icariin Derivatives. Journal of Natural Products, (in press) DOI: 10.1021/np800049y
Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society.
