Icariin

The cyclic nucleotide second messenger guanosine 3 -5 -cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) is an important mediator of signal transduction and hence a wide range of cellular processes. It is generated by soluble-  and particulate-type guanylyl cyclase and degraded  via  members of the phosphodiesterase (PDE) protein family. Icariin, the active component of the Chinese medicinal plant  E. brevicornum, is an inhibitor of human recombinant PDE5 with an IC50  value of 5.9  ‚ µM.1 It is a prenylated flavonol that has been used to treat  and has been shown to have  and antioxidant activity.2  At a concentration of 1 x 107  mol/L, icariin induces differentiation of cardiomyocytes and upregulates the expression of cardiac genes.3  At 20  ‚ µg/ml, icariin increases the proliferation and differentiation of cultured human osteoblasts, which appears to be mediated in part by upregulating bone morphogenetic protein 2 mRNA.4

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Formal Name

3-[(6-deoxy- ±-L-mannopyranosyl)oxy]-7-( ²-D-glucopyranosyloxy)-5-hydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-8-(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one

CAS Number

489-32-7

Molecular Formula

C33H40O15

Formula Weight

676.6

Purity

 97%

Formulation

A crystalline solid

SHIPPING & STORAGE

-20 °C

Shipping

Room temperature  in continental US; may vary elsewhere

Stability

  2 years