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

Cistanche deserticola, a word that is not unfamiliar to us, is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine, known as the "desert ginseng". It has extremely high medicinal value and is a traditional precious Chinese medicinal material. So, what are the effects of such a precious medicinal material? Today, let us learn about the efficacy of the Chinese herbal medicine Cistanche deserticola.

Cistanche deserticola, also known as Xinjiang Yun, Cun Yun, Cistanche, and Chagan Gaoya (Mongolian), is an endangered species. Tall herbs, 40-160 cm tall, mostly underground. The flowering period is from May to June, and the fruiting period is from June to August. It is mainly produced in Xinjiang and Alxa League of Inner Mongolia, and is also distributed in Gansu and Ningxia.

Cistanche deserticola is a parasitic plant that lives on the roots of the desert tree Haloxylon ammodendron, absorbing nutrients and water from its host. It is known as the "desert ginseng" and has extremely high medicinal value. It is a traditional precious Chinese medicinal material. In history, Cistanche deserticola has been regarded as a precious tribute to the imperial court by the Western Regions. It is also one of the most frequently used tonic medicines in kidney-tonifying and yang-strengthening prescriptions throughout the ages.

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

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. This suggests that the main significance of Chinese medicine in tonifying the kidney lies in improving the body's regulatory mechanism and playing a positive therapeutic role by restoring the body's own intrinsic 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 DNA synthesis rate, and 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 and promote RNA synthesis; increase protein nucleic acid metabolism; and adding its dilute ethanol extract to the drinking water to feed rats has a growth-promoting effect.

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 water extract, ethanol-water extract and ethanol extract of Cistanche deserticola have antihypertensive effects on anesthetized dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. Cistanche deserticola can promote salivation and cause respiratory paralysis in mice. The component that promotes salivation is a certain organic acid-like substance, and the component that causes respiratory paralysis may be glycosides.

The kidneys store essence, control bone and marrow production, are the innate foundation, and are the driving force and source of physical strength. Prolonged exercise and excessive fatigue are the main factors that cause the body's athletic ability to decline and the recovery process to prolong when blood testosterone drops. Cistanche can prevent and treat the decrease of blood testosterone caused by exercise, promote the secretion of pituitary sex hormones, accelerate fatigue recovery, and improve athletic ability. It can also reduce the accumulation of blood lactic acid after quantitative load exercise, accelerate its clearance, and improve the body's acid resistance.

Well, today, let’s stop here for the question about the efficacy of the Chinese herbal medicine Cistanche. Cistanche can resist aging and enhance immunity. Such a medicine can be called a tonic and it is rare. Of course, we can’t eat too much of it. If we overdo it and end up losing more than we gain, it’s not worth it.