Leonurus cardiaca L. (Lamiaceae) is used traditionally for its sedative, hypotensive and cardiotonic effects. Due to the lack of clinical data regarding its effect in patients, a study was carried out to assess the clinical efficacy of Leonurus oil extract (LOE) in patients with arterial hypertension stages 1 and 2, accompanied by anxiety and sleep disorders. Fifty patients were treated for 28 days with 1200 mg LOE per day. Positive effects of LOE on psycho-emotional status and arterial blood pressure in patients with stage 1 hypertension were observed 1 week earlier than in patients with stage 2 hypertension. According to the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, a significant improvement in the symptoms of anxiety and depression was observed in 32% of patients, a moderate improvement in 48% and a weak effect in 8%; 12% of patients did not respond to therapy. Side effects were minimal in all groups. Leonurus oil extract may therefore be a potentially effective therapeutic agent for patients with arterial hypertension and concurrent psycho-neurological disorders.

Dry extracts of the aerial parts of Epimedium koreanum were quantified by HPLC and high performance TLC (HPTLC). A gradient HPLC method was used for the quantification of the prenylflavone glycoside icariin at 270 nm. A direct HPTLC assay was developed for the determination of icariin at 270 nm. The UV detection of both analytical assays were used to examine the purity of icariin peaks and compared with the standards. The assays provide good accuracy, reproducibility, and selectivity for the quantitative analysis of icariin. The icariin contents of five different dry extracts were compared by HPLC and HPTLC densitometry. The quantitative results of both analytical methods did not show any statistically significant differences between them, although a trend to slightly lower mean values could be found for the HPLC method.

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