Optimization of the preparation of Herba Epimedii ethanol extracts by cause-effect relation investigation

Abstract

As the herbal item Herba Epimedii is well-known as an efficient remedy for male sexual dysfunction, and of which, the two major bioactive flavonoids are Epimedin C and icariin, the Herba Epimedii extracts were prepared with special respect to the yield of epimedium and icariin. To optimize the extraction procesS, the cause-effect relations were investigated. Ten experiments were designed to estimate the effects of 3 selected independent variables (ethanol concentration, solvent/material ratio, extraction times) on 3 chosen dependent variables (the extraction yield, epimedin extraction yield and icariin extraction yield) by BCPharSoft OPT software. For this, epimedin C and icariin were quantitavely analyzed by HPLC. All the 3 independent variables (solvent/material ratios, extraction times and ethanol concentration) were found to remarkably affect all the 3 dependent variables (the extraction yield, epimedin extraction yield and icariin extraction yield). Finally, the ethanol concentration, solvent/material ratios, extraction times were optimized as 20 %; 15 and x3, respectively