Mario Dell'Agli of the University of Milan, Italy, and colleagues tested four plants which are used as natural aphrodisiacs in traditional cultures but found Epimedium brevicornum, also known as horny goat weed and Bishop's Hat - had an effect.
Also known as "horny goat weed", the soft green heart-shaped leaf shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat ED with fewer side effects. Icariin, a compound found inside the horny goat weed, is a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor.
By chemical modification of icariin, 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. Because PDE5 helps control blood flow to the penis, inhibiting PDE5 promotes male erection.
ED affects an estimated 18 million men in the United States alone. Studies show it may cause side effects such as headache, facial flushing, stomach upset and visual disturbances.
However, the compound extracted from weed will now have to go through lengthy clinical trials before it can be approved as a drug and could be 10 years before it reaches the market. Horny goat weed is found in the wild in China, Asia and Europe. The study is scheduled for the October 24 issue of ACS' Journal of Natural Products, a monthly publication.
