삼지구엽초의 번식과 재배법을 개발하여 자생지에서의 남획과 자연 소멸을 막는 동시에 양질의 삼지구엽초 생약을 확보하긴 위한 일련의 실험중 채취시기 및 생산지에 따른 주요성분의 함량차를 비교 검토하였던바 채취시기에 따라서는 여름보다는 가을(9월 증순)에 채취한 것이 icariin성분이 월등히 높았고, 재배산과 자연산간에는 자연산이 약간 높은 경향이었다. 한편 철원지역에서 채취한 지구엽초(0.94%)에 비해 중국산(0.4%)의 icariin함량은 절반수준에 불과하여 삼지구엽초는 채취시기 및 장소에 따라 품질의 차이 가 큰 것으로 사료된다.
As a first step for improvement of breeding and productivity of Epimedii Herba, the patterns of components and the difference in icariin, a main component of this plant, in compliance with seasons and places of collection were evaluated by HPLC. As a result, the patterns of components in samples collected in July-September were shown to be markedly increased compared to those collected in May. Corresponding to the alternations of the pattern, the amount of icariin, which was estimated to be 0.017% in May was found to be increased markedly up to 0.82% in September. The samples collected at Chul-won district showed the highest icariin contents (0.94%), however, those collected in China was only 50% level (0.4%) of domestic ones. These results strongly suggest that the quality of Epimedii Herba might be quite different with respect to the seasons and places of the collection.
