Abstract： Epimedium is a traditional Chinese medicine in China. Recent studies have shown that the extracts of epimedium， such as total flavonoids of epimedium， icariin and icariside II， can inhibit the development of atherosclerosis through a variety of mechanisms， including regulating lipid metabolism， protecting vascular endothelium， inhibiting the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells Inhibition of macrophage derived foam cell formation and inflammatory response， this review summarizes the research progress of epimedium extract on atherosclerosis， and provides reference for the development and clinical application of epimedium and its related preparations.