What are the effects of the Chinese herbal medicine Cistanche deserticola?

As people in modern society pay more and more attention to Chinese medicinal materials, many friends have clearly realized that when they are sick, they should use Chinese medicine to better regulate their bodies, so as to better achieve the effect of treating both the symptoms and the root cause. Therefore, they will do more research on Chinese medicinal materials in their spare time. So what are the effects of the Chinese medicinal material Cistanche deserticola? In response to this question raised by everyone, let me join you in reading the following content.

Pharmacological Action

Anti-aging effects

“Cistanche deserticola has a certain degree of anti-aging effect. It can significantly enhance the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in mouse erythrocytes and significantly reduce the content of lipofuscin in mouse myocardium. It can also prolong the average lifespan, median lethal day and maximum lifespan of fruit flies. Oral administration of 8g/kg of Cistanche deserticola decoction to mice can significantly increase the activity of Na+ and K+-ATPase in erythrocyte membranes, which may be one of the mechanisms of its tonic effect. [3]

Regulate endocrine, promote metabolism and strengthen the body

Cistanche deserticola has a regulating effect on the decrease and increase of nucleic acid content in the liver and spleen of animals with yang deficiency and yin deficiency; it has the effect of activating the adrenal glands and releasing corticosteroids. Its mechanism of action may be to enhance the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian luteinizing function. This effect is not due to their direct stimulation of the secretion of pituitary luteinizing hormone, but to increase the responsiveness of the pituitary to LRH and the responsiveness of the ovary to LH. It is suggested that the main significance of Chinese medicine in tonifying the kidney lies in improving the regulatory mechanism in the body and playing a positive therapeutic role by restoring the body's own internal functions. Through the study of the effect of Cistanche on the DNA synthesis rate of "yang deficiency" animals, it was found that hydroxyurea inhibits the reduction reaction of nucleotides at the diphosphorylation level, which leads to a decrease in the DNA synthesis rate, and the protein and energy metabolism disorders cause "yang deficiency"; Cistanche may contain a biologically active factor that activates ribonucleotide reductase, and thus can significantly increase the DNA synthesis rate of "yang deficiency" animals, promote RNA synthesis; improve protein nucleic acid metabolism; and add its dilute ethanol extract to the drinking water to feed rats, which has the effect of promoting growth and development. [3]

Role of the immune system

Oral administration of 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg of Cistanche deserticola water extract to mice can significantly increase the weight of the spleen and thymus, and significantly enhance the phagocytic ability of peritoneal macrophages, increase hemolysin and PFC values, improve lymphocyte transformation rate and delayed hypersensitivity reaction index, and also increase cAMP levels, reduce cGMP levels, and increase the cAMP/cGMP ratio, which may be one of the reasons why it enhances the phagocytic function of peritoneal macrophages. The mice were gavaged with 1.25g/kg and 2.5g/kg of Cistanche ethanol extract (equivalent to 5.61g/kg and 11.21g/kg of crude drug) for 8 consecutive days. On the 5th day, they were sensitized with sheep red blood cells, which could significantly inhibit the number of plaques in spleen cells. Cistanche deserticola extract and total flavonoids from Epimedium have an additive effect on promoting lymphocyte metastasis in immunosuppressed mice and can enhance the immune capacity of model mice. [

The above paragraphs introduce us in detail some of the effects of the Chinese medicinal material Cistanche deserticola. I believe that as long as friends read the above content carefully, they will have a deeper understanding and more proficient mastery of these effects. Of course, I still want to remind everyone that Cistanche, as a tonic Chinese medicine, does have many benefits for our body, but it should not be consumed in excess.