Goat weed or horny goat weed is a perennial flowering plant native to countries like Japan, China and Korea. This herb is primarily known for its aphrodisiac properties, however, is also widely used for killing other ailments. Below we have discussed in brief about the most prominent health benefits offered by goat weed.
- As mentioned above goat weed is famous for its
excellent aphrodisiac effects. The herb contains a flavonoid called icariin. Icariin offers the same pharmacological actions as the ones provided by the medicinal drugs used for treating erectile dysfunction. According to a medical study conducted in the year 2006, icariin acts like the PDE5 inhibitors; this means it works by blocking the enzyme responsible for degrading cyclic GMP, an important constituent of the cells forming the lining of corpus cavernosum. Another medical study carried out in the same year suggested that goat weed extracts can reverse erectile dysfunction as it helps in increasing the levels of nitric oxide in or body. Nitric oxide triggers secretion of the enzymes responsible for production of cyclic GMP. - Icariin also makes goat weed a beneficial herb for patients with cardiovascular disorders. This flavonoid helps in enhancing production of nitric oxide in our endothelial cells and as a result also increases the levels of activated NF-kappaB, the protein complex required for responding to the oxidative stress caused by free radicals and increased LDL cholesterol levels and DNA transcription.
- Icariin is also beneficial for preventing the onset of osteoporosis. This flavonoid causes an increase in production of the bone morphogenetic protein-2, which plays the role of the growth factor of osteoblasts (osteoblasts are cells responsible for bone formation). This effect of icariin makes goat weed an effective herb for preventing bone loss in the postmenopausal women.
