Icariin enhances the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells but has no effects on the differentiation of newborn calvarial osteoblasts of rats.

Since the total flavonoid extract (TFE) of Epimedium herb was found to prevent osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy in rats, we have been attempting to identify the exact compound responsible for the bone-strengthening activity. In this experiment, four flavonoid extracts were obtained from Epimedium sagittatum (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim, which contained 25.3%, 51.2%, 82.3% and 99.2% icariin respectively. They were separately supplemented into the...