Purpose Based on the theory of "there is a cause but no death", the effects of Korean epimedium on liver function in rats with kidney yang deficiency, kidney yin deficiency and normal rats were observed, and the relationship between Korean epimedium-induced liver damage and body symptoms was explored. method A total of 72 male SD rats were divided into a normal group, a kidney yang deficiency group, and a kidney yin deficiency group by random number table method. The rats in the kidney yang deficiency group were intramuscularly injected with hydrocortisone injection (20 mg/kg) daily to establish the kidney yang deficiency syndrome model, and the rats in the kidney yin deficiency group were gavaged with thyroid tablet suspension (160 mg/kg) daily to establish the kidney yin deficiency syndrome model for 14 consecutive days. After the model was successfully established, the rats were divided into a normal group, a low-dose and high-dose Korean epimedium group, a kidney yang deficiency group, a kidney yang deficiency + low-dose Korean epimedium group, a kidney yin deficiency group, and a kidney yin deficiency + low-dose Korean epimedium group. The animals in the drug group were continuously gavaged with the corresponding drugs, with the dose of Korean epimedium low-dose group being 0.26 g/kg and the dose of Korean epimedium high-dose group being 0.77 g/kg. The other groups were given drinking water once a day for 28 consecutive days. The changes in body weight of rats were monitored during the administration period. After the administration, the serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), direct bilirubin (DBil), indirect bilirubin (IBil) and total bilirubin (TBil) levels of rats in each group were detected by biochemical analyzer. The liver weight of rats in each group was measured, and the organ-to-body ratio and organ-brain ratio were calculated. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the liver of rats in each group. result Compared with the normal group, the body weight of rats in the high-dose Korean epimedium group decreased and IBil increased on the 21st day of administration (all P < 0.05); the body weight of rats in the kidney-yang deficiency group decreased at each measurement time point from the 3rd to the 28th day, ALP increased, and liver weight decreased (all P < 0.05). Compared with the kidney-yang deficiency group, the ALP of rats in the kidney-yang deficiency + high-dose Korean epimedium group decreased (all P < 0.05), the pathological damage of liver tissue in rats in each kidney-yang deficiency group was improved, the fat vacuoles decreased, and the pathological score showed a downward trend. Compared with the kidney-yin deficiency group, the IBil of rats in the kidney-yin deficiency + high-dose Korean epimedium group increased and the organ-brain ratio decreased (all P < 0.05). in conclusion Within the studied dosage range, Korean epimedium had little effect on the liver function of rats with kidney yang deficiency, but had a certain liver-injury effect on normal rats and rats with kidney yin deficiency. There may be a correlation between Korean epimedium-induced liver damage and the syndrome. Objective This study explored the effects of Epimedium koreanum Nakai (EK) on liver function in normal, kidney yang deficiency (KYANGDS), and kidney yin deficiency (KYINDS) rats based on the theory of "You Gu Wu Yun." The study also investigated the connection between EK-induced liver injury and symptoms. Methods Seventy-two male SD rats were divided into normal, KYANGDS, and KYINDS groups using the random number table method. The KYANGDS model was established through intramuscular injection of 20 mg/kg of hydrocortisone, whereas the KYINDS model was established through daily gavage of 160 mg/kg of thyroid tablet suspension for 14 consecutive days. After successful modeling, the rats were divided into the normal, EK low-dose, EK high-dose, KYANGDS, KYANGDS + EK low-dose, KYANGDS + EK high-dose, KYINDS, KYINDS + EK low-dose, and KYINDS + EK high-dose groups using the random number table method. Animals in the drug groups were administered low (0.26 g/kg) and high (0.77 g/kg) EK extract doses through continuous gavage. The other groups received drinking water once a day for 28 consecutive days. Changes in body mass were monitored during the administration period, and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase(ALT), aspartate transaminase(AST), direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin (IBil), and total bilirubin (TBil) were measured at the end of administration using biochemical analyzers. The liver weight, visceral body ratio, and visceral brain ratio were measured. Hematoxylin and eosin staining were performed to observe the pathological changes in the liver. Results Compared with the normal group, the EK high-dose group showed a decrease in body weight on the 21st day during the drug administration period and an increase in IBil (P<0.05); the KYANGDS group had lower body weight at each measurement time point from the third to the 28th day, higher ALP, and lower liver weight (P<0.05). Compared with the KYANGDS group, the KYANGDS + EK high-dose group had decreased ALP levels (P<0.05). The pathological damage of liver tissue in each KYANGDS administration group improved, the presence of fat vacuoles were reduced, and pathological scores show a decreasing trend. Compared with the KYINDS group, KYINDS+ EK high-dose group exhibited a higher IBil level and a lower visceral brain ratio(P<0.05). Conclusion EK has a small effect on the liver function of rats with KYANGDS within the dose range; however, it has a specific hepatogenic impact on normal and KYINDS rats, and EK-induced liver injury and the symptoms may be associated with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]