Cistanche Deserticola, The Whitening Code Hidden in Traditional Chinese Medicine

The magical veil of Cistanche deserticola
(1) Introduction
Cistanche deserticola is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with a history of over two thousand years of use. It mainly grows in desert areas such as Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia in China, and is also known as the "Desert Ginseng". As early as in the "Shennong Bencao Jing", it was recorded and listed as a top grade. It is a dried fleshy stem with scaled leaves of Cistanche deserticola or Cistanche tubulosa, a plant in the family Rhamnaceae. It is a unique parasitic herb in the northwest region of China. From the appearance, Cistanche deserticola is covered in scales resembling fish scales, with small purple flowers growing at the ends. It looks like a super sized asparagus and has a unique appearance. And it has a soft and juicy taste like asparagus, and some locals even use Cistanche deserticola to make lamb soup.

desert ginseng

(2) Overview of Overall Efficacy
The benefits of Cistanche deserticola are quite diverse, not just limited to whitening. One of its most well-known effects is kidney tonifying and yang strengthening, which can nourish kidney yang and nourish essence and blood. It has a good effect on some male diseases such as impotence, premature ejaculation, and low sexual function. It can also have a certain therapeutic effect on infertility caused by insufficient kidney yang in women. Taking Cistanche deserticola can also improve the symptoms of lower back pain, lower limb weakness, and other conditions caused by insufficient kidney yang in the general population. At the same time, Cistanche deserticola also has the function of moistening the intestines and promoting bowel movements, which is particularly suitable for elderly people with constipation caused by insufficient kidney yang and deficiency of essence and blood. In addition, modern pharmacological research has also proven that Cistanche deserticola has anti fatigue, anti-aging, immune enhancement, and memory enhancement effects, making it a highly valuable traditional Chinese medicine.
Exploring the Whitening Ingredients of Cistanche deserticola
(1) Phenylethanoid glycosides
Among the main active ingredients of Cistanche deserticola, phenylethanolic glycosides are a crucial class of natural glycoside compounds. In the mechanism of whitening, it plays an important role. You should know that tyrosinase is the main rate limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of melanin in the skin, and phenylethanolic acid can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase and also inhibit the production of melanin in human epidermal melanocytes, fundamentally controlling melanin and playing a whitening role, which greatly helps us pursue fair skin.

Phenylethanol glycoside is the main active component of Cistanche deserticola

(2) Total glycosides of Cistanche deserticola
The total glycosides of Cistanche deserticola are also a powerful "assistant" for its whitening effect. Experimental data shows that when the concentration of total glycosides in Cistanche deserticola is within the range of 0.5-3.0 mg · mL-1, it has an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity, and a good dose-response relationship is also observed within the range of 0.5-2.0 mg · mL-1. It is worth mentioning that when the concentration of total glycosides in Cistanche deserticola increases to 1.5mg • mL-1, its inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity is even stronger than the well-known arbutin. Arbutin is widely recognized by beauty experts around the world as a leading skin decolorizing component today. As a compound isolated from the natural Chinese medicine plant Cistanche deserticola, the total glycosides of Cistanche deserticola can effectively inhibit skin melanin deposition by significantly downregulating tyrosinase activity. It has obvious advantages in inhibiting skin melanin deposition and has excellent whitening and beauty effects.
(3) Verbascoside
The antioxidant capacity of verbascoside in Cistanche deserticola is quite outstanding. Its antioxidant capacity is 15 times higher than resveratrol, 8 times higher than lycopene, and 5 times higher than vitamin C. Don't underestimate its antioxidant capacity, which plays an important role in the whitening related effects of Cistanche deserticola. It can help the skin resist skin aging, keep the skin young, and also assist the overall whitening mechanism, allowing the skin to present a better whitening effect during the antioxidant process.
(4) Other ingredients assist
In addition to the ingredients directly related to whitening mentioned above, other ingredients such as polysaccharides are also silently helping to whiten the skin in Cistanche deserticola. Polysaccharides and other ingredients have the characteristics of moisture absorption and retention. Although they do not directly act on melanin to achieve whitening, they can keep the skin in a hydrated and healthy state at all times. The skin has sufficient moisture, and the moisture content of the stratum corneum is maintained at a relatively ideal level, which improves the overall skin quality. This indirectly benefits the better presentation of skin whitening effects, allowing the skin to radiate a fair and radiant glow from the inside out.

cistanche deserticola ma-whitening

The specific mechanism of whitening effect of Cistanche deserticola
(1) Inhibit melanin production
The key to why Cistanche deserticola can play a role in whitening is that its related components can "act" on tyrosinase. You should know that tyrosinase is the main rate limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of melanin in the skin. It can hydroxylate tyrosine, the main raw material for melanin production in the body, to produce L-dopa, which is then oxidized to dopaquinone. After a series of metabolic processes, it finally binds with proteins to form melanin, which causes browning. The phenylethanolic glycosides in Cistanche deserticola belong to natural glycoside compounds, which can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase and also inhibit the production of melanin in human epidermal melanocytes, thus controlling melanin from the root. There is also total glycosides of Cistanche deserticola, which have inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity when its concentration is within the range of 0.5-3.0 mg · mL-1, and show a good dose-response relationship within the range of 0.5-2.0 mg · mL-1. Moreover, when its concentration increases to 1.5 mg • mL-1, the inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity can be stronger than that of arbutin, effectively inhibiting skin melanin deposition. Through the action of these ingredients on tyrosinase, Cistanche deserticola can fundamentally inhibit melanin production, taking the first step towards skin whitening.
(2) Anti oxidation and anti-aging
Cistanche deserticola also has excellent antioxidant capacity, which is equally significant for skin whitening. In daily environments, the skin is constantly attacked by free radicals, which accelerate cell aging and affect the state of the skin, causing it to become dull, loose, lose its original luster and elasticity, and naturally difficult to present a fair state. The antioxidant capacity of verbascoside in Cistanche deserticola is 15 times higher than that of resveratrol, 8 times higher than that of lycopene, and 5 times higher than that of vitamin C. Compounds such as phenylethanolic glycosides also have the effect of clearing free radicals, increasing superoxide dismutase activity, and reducing malondialdehyde content. Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides also have the effect of delaying organ physiological degeneration and cell morphological transformation. They can help eliminate free radicals, delay cellular aging, and maintain the skin in a healthy and youthful state. This skin environment is more conducive to the long-lasting display of whitening effects, allowing the skin to always maintain a good state and emit a fair glow from the inside out.

Desert living cistanche-Antioxidant

(3) Moisturizing and locking in water
In terms of moisturizing and water locking, Cistanche deserticola is also a "good hand". The extract of Cistanche deserticola has excellent water holding capacity. Studies have shown that applying 30% alcohol extract of Cistanche deserticola to the skin can significantly reduce water evaporation, so it can effectively maintain the moisture content of the skin. Moreover, Cistanche deserticola contains classic moisturizing ingredients such as mannitol, as well as polysaccharides that have the characteristics of moisture absorption and retention. Together, they can keep the skin in a hydrated and good state at all times. The skin has sufficient moisture, and the moisture content of the stratum corneum is maintained at a relatively ideal level. The overall skin quality improves, and the skin looks more moisturized and delicate. This indirectly benefits the skin whitening effect to be better presented, making the skin look fairer and more attractive.
Application of Cistanche deserticola in whitening related products
(1) Cosmetics field
The application of Cistanche deserticola in the field of cosmetics is quite extensive, especially in whitening related products where it has excellent performance. For example, in face cream products, many brands will add the extract of Cistanche deserticola to reduce the production of melanin by using the inhibitory effect of phenylethanol glycosides, total glycosides of Cistanche deserticola and other ingredients on tyrosinase activity, so that the skin will slowly become white and bright in daily maintenance. For example, some lotion with whitening effects are also blended with the essence of Cistanche deserticola. When applied to the skin, it can not only supply the skin with the necessary water and nutrients, but also control the melanin at the root. After long-term use, the dull condition of the skin will be significantly improved, and the overall skin color will be more uniform and white.
And in terms of sunscreen, it has unique advantages. A whitening sunscreen developed with Cistanche deserticola phenylethanol total glycosides as the main active ingredient, with a uniform and delicate texture, easy to apply, non irritating, and stable properties. It can effectively reduce the damage of ultraviolet radiation to the skin, and the phenylethanolic glycoside component not only absorbs ultraviolet radiation, but also has antioxidant, DNA repair, and cell apoptosis reducing effects. For example, relevant studies have replicated pathological animal models of skin damage through ultraviolet irradiation, and compared them, it was found that mice using whitening sunscreen containing Cistanche deserticola showed significantly less damage to their skin appearance. So, this type of sunscreen with added Cistanche deserticola ingredients can help whiten the skin while providing sun protection, which can be said to be killing two birds with one stone.
(2) In terms of internal service products
In addition to external cosmetics, Cistanche deserticola also has significant whitening effects in oral products. The representative product of such products is the original paste of Cistanche deserticola, which is like the Joyful Miracle and the calm and natural color. For modern people, taking it orally is a very convenient way of health and beauty preservation. The original pulp of Cistanche deserticola contains abundant flavonoids, polysaccharides, glycosides and other components, which exert their effects through internal regulation.
Taking the total glycosides of Cistanche deserticola as an example, experimental data shows that when its concentration is in the range of 0.5-3.0 mg · mL-1, it has an inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity, and shows a good dose effect relationship in the range of 0.5-2.0 mg · mL-1. When its concentration increases to 1.5 mg • mL-1, its effect is even stronger than that of arbutin, which can effectively inhibit skin melanin deposition and make the skin glow white from the inside out. At the same time, most of the polysaccharides in Cistanche deserticola have the characteristics of moisture absorption and retention, which can keep the skin in a hydrated and good state at all times. Flavonoids not only have a certain degree of moisture absorption, but also help the skin maintain elasticity and luster, enhance the moisturizing effect of the skin, and synergistically help whiten the skin from multiple aspects, so that the skin can be improved from the inside out, presenting a healthy, fair, and vibrant state.

Precautions for whitening with Cistanche deserticola
(1) Applicable population
Generally speaking, non taboo individuals can consider using Cistanche deserticola to achieve whitening effects. Cistanche deserticola is sweet, salty, and warm in nature. It belongs to the Kidney Meridian and the Large Intestine Meridian, and has the effects of tonifying the kidneys, promoting yang, moistening the intestines, and promoting bowel movements. For those who suffer from kidney yang deficiency, essence and blood deficiency, such as lower back and knee pain, weakness, and poor complexion, it is more suitable to use Cistanche deserticola to improve physical fitness and help with whitening. Like some female friends, if they have menstrual disorders, infertility, warm limbs, dull and dull skin, and long to achieve whitening effects by regulating their bodies, Cistanche deserticola is also a good choice. There are also middle-aged and elderly people who suffer from constipation due to insufficient kidney yang and deficiency of essence and blood, and their skin begins to become rough and dark. Taking Cistanche deserticola can not only improve constipation, but also help whiten the skin from the inside out.
However, it is important to note that patients with yin deficiency and excessive fire (due to a loss of yin essence in the body, resulting in excessive deficiency and fire) and those with loose stools (loose and unformed stool) should avoid taking Cistanche deserticola. Those with constipation caused by heat should also avoid taking it. Because Cistanche deserticola itself has the effects of warming yang and moistening intestines, taking it for this group of people may worsen their original discomfort symptoms. In addition, it is contraindicated for those who are allergic to Cistanche deserticola, and those with allergies should also use it with caution. If you are unsure if you are suitable, it is best to seek guidance from a physician in order to safely and effectively utilize Cistanche deserticola to achieve whitening effects.

cistanche tea

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(2) Dosage used
Whether choosing topical or oral products containing Cistanche deserticola ingredients, it is important to follow reasonable dosage requirements. If taking the decoction of Cistanche deserticola orally, the usual dosage is usually 10 to 15 grams, and the specific dosage needs to be adjusted appropriately according to the severity of the patient's condition, medication compatibility, and other factors. Of course, in some special cases, up to 30 grams can be used at high doses, but this must be done under the guidance of a professional doctor.
If cosmetics containing cistanche for external use, such as whitening face cream, whitening sunscreen, etc., should be used according to the amount and frequency of use suggested in the product manual. Do not overspray for quick whitening, or it may bring burden to the skin and cause allergic and other adverse reactions. For internal consumption of products related to Cistanche deserticola, such as Cistanche deserticola extract, it is also necessary to refer to the specific instructions for taking the product. Do not increase the dosage at will. Overdosing may cause discomfort in the body, affecting health and also hindering the achievement of whitening effects. In short, reasonable dosage control is necessary to better utilize the whitening effect of Cistanche deserticola while ensuring health.