How to identify the authenticity of Cistanche deserticola

Cistanche has always been one of the more precious Chinese medicinal herbs. It grows in the desert and is also known as ginseng. Cistanche deserticola is a slightly curved, flat cylindrical object with a brown surface, scaly leaves arranged in a shingle-like pattern, and is not easily broken. The cross section of Cistanche deserticola has dot-like vascular bundles with wavy ring patterns. The fake Cistanche deserticola's cross-section has irregularly arranged dot-like vascular bundles and is dark brown in color. The real Cistanche has high medicinal value and can treat many diseases. The fake Cistanche tubulosa does not have the medicinal properties of the authentic Cistanche tubulosa and cannot replace the authentic one.

Salt-raw Cistanche deserticola: cylindrical, with scale leaves ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 1 to 2.5 cm long and 4 to 8 cm wide. The inflorescence spike is cylindrical, with short, ovate-lanceolate bracts. The epidermis is yellowish brown with adventitious stomata, hard and inflexible, and the cross section has light brown vascular bundles arranged in chrysanthemum-like patterns. It has a faint smell and tastes slightly salty and bitter.

Cistanche deserticola: The stem is single, straight, 15 to 35 cm long, 0.5 to 1 cm in diameter, dark yellow-brown or brown, with longitudinal grooves and short white hairs. The leaves are alternate, scaly or lanceolate, slightly wrinkled, 0.8 to 1.5 cm long, and yellowish brown. The upper part of the stem is a spike inflorescence, 5 to 10 cm long and covered with hairs. The flowers in the lower part are relatively sparse, while the flowers in the upper part are dense. The flowers shrink and become lip-shaped when flattened. They are 1.5 to 1.8 cm long and yellowish brown or lavender in color. Some panicles have capsules at the bottom, which are oval, about 1 cm long and brown. It is hard and brittle, easy to break, the cross section is white, and there is an irregular

Brown ring pattern. Odorless, light taste.

Cistanche deserticola is warm in nature and can nourish the kidney and replenish essence, moisten the intestines and treat male impotence, female infertility, irregular menstruation and other symptoms. However, Cistanche is a product of nature. With the increasing demand for it, it is becoming increasingly scarce and its price is rising. In order to seek profits, many unscrupulous vendors use Cistanche tubulosa, which has no medicinal effect, as the real thing. When using it, be careful to identify it.