A Brief Introduction To Cistanche

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Herba Cistanches (Roucongrong)

Roucongrong (Herba Cistanche), the dried succulent stems of the Cistanche plants (Orobanchaceae) the so-called ‘Ginseng of the deserts’, has been considered as a superior tonic and used for the treatment of kidney deficiency, impotence, female infertility, morbid leucorrhea, profuse metrorrhagia, and senile constipation. Among Cistanche species, only C. deserticola Y. C. Ma and C. tubulosa (Schrenk) Wight are recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2005 edition). However, in recent years, the wild C. deserticola and C. tubulosa are on the verge of extinction due to overharvesting. Thus, there should be an awareness in protecting C. deserticola and its growing environment; therefore, the plant is considered as one of the Class II plants requiring protection in China.

Studies on Cistanche species started in the 1980s. A number of compounds were isolated from this genus, including the essential oil, phenylethanoid glycosides, monoterpenes, lignans, and other compounds.  regarding the chemical constituents and biological activities of Roucongrong. Recently, they reviewed the chemical constituents and the analysis methods of the Cistanche genus. isolated from C. deserticola and C. tubulosa, which are used officially as Roucongrong in TCM. Phenylethanoid glycosides have been reported to be one type of the major active components and demonstrate antioxidation, neuroprotection, enhancing immune and sexual, hepatoprotection, and antiradiation activities.

Carbohydrates are also found abundantly in Cistanche species, and polysaccharides have been considered as the active principle, which improves body immunity, and possess antiaging and antitumor properties. Nevertheless, galactitol, one of the monosaccharides, has been reported to be the main active component with laxative activity. The model of constipation was established in mice with compound diphenoxylate and then fed with Cistanche deserticola dietary fiber. The results showed that dietary fiber has the effect of moistening the intestine and relieving constipation. Cistanche can significantly improve the speed of the small intestine and shorten the time of defecation. At the same time, it also has a significant inhibitory effect on the absorption of water in the large intestine, thereby promoting the moistening and excretion of feces, and has a real laxative effect.

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β-Sitosterol

β-sitosterol (BSS) is an active ingredient found in Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma (Cistanches Herba), one of the most commonly used Yang-invigorating tonifying herbs in CM. Our previous studies have demonstrated that BSS, which consists of a structural skeleton of 3-hydroxy cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene, can perturb mitochondrial membranes by fluidization. The ability of BSS to increase mitochondrial membrane fluidity stimulates mitochondrial electron transport, as indicated by a significant increase in ATP generation capacity and mitochondrial state 3 respiration observed in both H9c2 cells and C2C12 myotubes as well as in mouse skeletal muscle and rat heart mitochondria ex vivo. In addition, incubation with BSS caused a transient increase in mitochondrial membrane potential, which was paralleled by an increase in mitochondrial ROS production. ROS production induced by BSS was found to trigger glutathione reductase-catalyzed glutathione redox cycling, with resultant protection against oxidant injury, as assessed by hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells in vitro and ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat hearts ex vivo.

Cistanches Herba is an Orobanchaceae parasitic plant, which is included in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for its anti-inflammatory effects. It is authenticated from the dried succulent stems of Cistanche tubulosa and Cistanche deserticola, for its efficiency in inflammation, muscle aches and to reinforce the vital function of the kidney. Pharmacological studies revealed that Cistanoside K, tubuloside B, and acetonide from C.herba have various activities such as anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and antioxidant. The molecular mechanism of anti-inflammatory responses referred to 1) inhibition of AA pathway at multiple steps by activating phospholipase A2, suppressing COX-2 and inhibiting PGE2 3) inhibit ROS generation, and, 4) inhibition of histamine release in neutrophils, macrophages, and mast cells. 4) Furthermore, it inhibits NO and TNFα and induces iNOS expression via blocking AP-1. 5) Additionally, inhibition of histamine and arachidonic acid release by acteoside is related to the down-regulation of Ca/nuclear factor of activated T cells and JNK MAPK signaling pathways and competitive. Primarily it is used to treat kidney deficiency and in restoring the kidney’s normal function, but it is also consistent with recent studies which demonstrated the anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-oxidant, and anti-fatigue activities by the extract of herba Cistanches.

Cistanche tubulosa, family Orobanchaceae, is a perennial parasitic plant, growing in arid areas of Asia and Africa, it has been detected in China, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia (Sakaka desert, Aljouf, KSA). It possesses various common names in Chinese medicine as Desert Hyacinth, Desert ginseng, and Rou Cong Rong, the stem is succulent and fleshy with high water content. Cistanche is familiar with volatile and non-volatile constituents that may include lignans, phenylethanoid glycosides, oligo- and polysaccharides, alkaloids, and iridoids. Due to the great diversity of the phytochemical content and biological activities, Cistanche has acquired a high medicinal value in Chinese folk and traditional medicines. Consequently, it has been used as an aphrodisiac in case of impotence and infertility, laxative in senile constipation, and found to have a neuroprotective effect, especially in case of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and depression, anti-aging, anti-neoplastic, antiplatelet aggregation, antifungal and antibacterial, hepatoprotective, immunostimulant, antioxidant, renal support, and antitumor in colorectal esophageal carcinoma. It is also used in the treatment of psychroalgia of the knees and back, improvement of immunity and cognitive activities, and as an antidepressant. It has been found to have a hypocholesterolemic effect as reported by Shimoda et al.

The literature survey declared the safe use of Cistanche as a non-toxic plant for the long run. Although C. tubulosa was reputed by the high medicinal values, particularly in Chinese traditional medicine, the volatile constituents of which have been scarcely studied, and their chemical compositions haven’t been fully characterized. The previous investigation revealed the characterization of 38 components from C. salsa essential oil, 25 compounds from C. deserticola oil, with the three major components known as methyl 14-methyl pentadecanoate (13.60%), ethyl palmitate (12.40%), and 2,5,6-trimethylolethane (7.61%). The survey also revealed the identification of 21 compounds only from the volatile oil C. tubulosa. Furthermore, the biological activity of the volatile constituents hasn’t been fully investigated. Hence, our aim is to identify the chemical compositions of the volatile constituents of C. tubulosa flowers and estimate their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.

Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Due to lacking chlorophyll this plant grows on the roots of Calotropis species to get nutrients. The use of ripe fruit is effective in hepatitis, constipation, infertility, and body weakness. Several bioactive components like phenylethanoids iridoids and kankanosides are the main hepatoactive constituents isolated from C. tubulosa (Morikawa et al., 2010).

The kidney tonifying potential of 70% alcoholic extract of C. tubulosa was clinically tested for hepatoprotective function. According to the clinical trial the single oral dose of extract at 4470, 4869, 5308, and 6400 mg/kg, p.o. did not produce any hostile effect in mice. The tested dose of plant extract did not produce any abnormal sign of salvation, constipation, nasal liberation, diarrhea, lacrimation, tremors, or death during the observation time.