Icariin is a flavonoid that is found in high concentrations in the plant Herba epimedii. Icariin is considered to be the active ingredient in the plant that is responsible for the biochemical effects of extract of the plant in humans and animals. In traditional medicine, Herba epimedii can be used to treat reproductive problems and improve sexual function, although the exact mechanism for this is not known. Evidence from studies shows that icariin significantly increases sperm count in male rats and can significantly increase testosterone levels. One explanation for this may be the role of icariin in increasing mRNA expression of the genes that code for the benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), both of which may be involved in the production of testosterone. In addition, icariin may also increase expression of follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and claudin-11 mRNA expression in sertoli cells of the testes, which may be the mechanism by which icariin increases sperm count.
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