Comparison of major medicinal components in the fibrous root of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim

The contents of main medical components in the fibrous root and medicinal materials of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim was compared. The contents of epimedin C and icariin in the fibrous root and other parts of E. brevicornu were determined with RP-HPLC. The results showed that there were high contents of medical components in the fibrous root of E. brevicornu. The content of epimedin C in E. brevicornu fibrous root was obviously higher than that of other parts. The content of icariin in E. brevicornu fibrous root was close to that in the rhizome and apparently higher than that in the stem and petiole. The contents of epimedin C and icariin in the stem (including petiole) were lowest in all parts of E. brevicornu. The fibrous root cut from rhizome when cultivate E. brevicornu should be collected and utilized as medicinal materials. Introduction Epimedium brevicornu Maxim is a perennial herbaceous plant in Berberidaceae (Flora of China 1979). The leaf of E. brevicornu is usually used as a kind of traditional Chinese medicine in China. There are many types of the medicinal chemical components such as icariin, caohuoside, baohuoside, epimedin A, epimedin B and epimedin C (Li et al. 2005, Meng et al. 2010). The leaf of E. brevicornu is named epimedii folium as traditional Chinese medicine with aphrodisiac, anti-rheumatic and tonic effects. Epimedii folium is usually used to cure impotence, emission, osteomalacia, rheumatism, apoplexy and so on (Chinese Pharmacopoeia Committee 2015). E. brevicornu is widely distributed in China specially in Taihang Mountain. It is regulated in Chinese Pharmacopoeia that only the leaf of E. brevicornu can be used as Chinese medicine (Chinese Pharmacopoeia Committee 2015). Medicinal materials growers usually reap the aerial part of E. brevicornu when harvest. Then the leaf of E. brevicornu is processed. Now, the resources of E. brevicornu is insufficient after long time harvest. The cultivation technique of E. brevicornu is in study to satisfy the demand of patient on E. brevicornu. Medicinal materials growers usually dug out E. brevicornu plant, then cut off the fibrous root and withered leaf before ramet cultivation according to the immature cultivation technique. Medicinal materials growers think that cutting off the fibrous root of E. brevicornu promote rhizome rooting and germination. It was found that the weight of dry fibrous root is about 1/2 weight of dry aerial part of E. brevicornu after investigation. There is certainly some medical components in the fibrous root of E. brevicornu. The resources of E. brevicornu would be wasted if the fibrous root is given up. Therefore, in the present study the contents of major medical components in the fibrous root and other parts of E. brevicornu were determined and compared. This will provide references for fully usage of E. brevicornu resources in future. *Author for correspondence: .