The Nutrition And Health Properties And Application Of Cistanche Deserticola
Dec 05, 2021
Abstract： Cistanche deserticola, which is a health food material, has already obtained more recognition and acceptance. Besides, professors and team groups had to pay more attention to its characteristics and product development. Moreover, the resource characteristics, nutrition, functional properties, processing, and application of Cistanche deserticolawere completely clarified. This study will provide the basis for future study and development of Cistanche deserticola.
Keywords：Cistanche deserticola; Resource characteristics; Nutrition and health properties
Cistanche is a perennial parasitic herb. Also known as Cistanche, Goblin, Jiangyin, Dayun, Cunyun, or Jinsun, etc. It has the functions of improving immunity, anti-aging, improving impotence and premature ejaculation, anti-fatigue, protecting the liver, protecting cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, moistening intestines, and detoxification. The medicinal value is extremely high, and it is a traditional precious Chinese medicinal material in our country. In addition, Cistanche has extremely high health value, and it has received more and more attention from people and the government, making Cistanche begin to develop from medicine to healthy food and food.
In 2010, Cistanche Huangjing tea, which has the function of relieving fatigue and health care, was approved and certified by the State Food and Drug Administration with the approval number G20090540; in 2016, the expert review committee of the National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) followed legal procedures The review concluded that, based on the hygiene and toxicology tests and related safety data of the samples of Cistanche, Alashan Desert Cistanche meets the food safety requirements. Since then, Cistanche has entered the food field and started the development and application of cistanche in the food processing industry.
For more information please contact: Joanna.jia@wecistanche.com
Cistanche tubulosa prevents kidney disease, click here to get the sample
1. Resource characteristics of Cistanche
Cistanche is a perennial parasitic herb in desert areas. Its host varies by region and plant species, mainly deserts, desert sand-fixing plants Haloxylon, Tamarix, etc. Cistanche has played an important role in protecting the ecological environment of arid desert areas. effect.
Since the end of the 20th century, due to the peculiarities of the parasitic growth and reproduction of Cistanche , and its high medicinal value, it has been dug indiscriminately by humans. Its host Haloxylon trees have been felled and destroyed in large numbers, resulting in a sharp decrease in the resources of Cistanche, and some areas have included it. Rare plant protected species, among which desert Cistanche has been listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. In recent years, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and other local governments have established large-scale Haloxylon conservation areas focusing on the protection of Cistanche. The logging of Haloxylon is strictly prohibited and the economy of Cistanche has been actively developed. Benefits make the protection of the ecological environment a conscious behavior of mankind. At the same time, artificial reproduction is actively carried out to expand its distribution area. The Ulan Buhe Desert in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has returned farmland to forests to establish a protected area of approximately 133 333.33 hm2 and artificial forest land of 26 666.67 hm2, specifically for planting Cistanche. Make Cistanche planting a kind of desert economic industry, and provide sufficient raw material resources for its development.
1.1. Resource distribution of Cistanche
At present, most of Cistanche in the world is distributed in the warm and dry regions of the northern hemisphere, from the Iberian Peninsula in Europe, through northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula in Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern India, Central Asia, and Mongolia to the northwest of my country. All regions are distributed.
The genus Cistanche in my country is mainly distributed in Northwest deserts and desert areas such as Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Shaanxi Province, Gansu Province, and Qinghai Province. It passes through six desert belts: Ulan Buhe Desert, Tengger Desert, Badain Jaran Desert, Hexi Corridor Sandy Land, Taklimakan Desert and Gurbantungut Desert [1]. Because it mainly grows in desert areas, it is called "desert ginseng". The production area of Cistanche in Inner Mongolia is the administrative area of the four league cities of Alxa League, Wuhai City, Bayannaoer City, and Ordos City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. On December 29, 2015, the former General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine approved the implementation of geographical indication product protection for "Inner Mongolia Cistanche". In 2016, the output and quality of Cistanche in Inner Mongolia ranked first in China. Among them, Alexa has 9 666 666.67 hm2 of natural cistanche forest suitable for inoculation of Cistanche. The newly-built Cistanche industrial base is 33,733.33 hm2, and the annual output of Cistanche is more than 1,000 tons. 1.2 Classification of Cistanche varieties At present, there are about 22 Cistanche varieties in the world. According to the records in the key to the family and genera of higher plants in China, there are currently 5 species of Cistanche in my country. They are desert cistanche, cistanche tube flower, cistanche salina, cistanche sand and cistanche lanzhou. In addition, most domestic studies have shown that there are 4 species and 1 variety of Cistanche in China [2], including Cistanche, Cistanche tubulosa, Cistanche salsa, Cistanche salsa, and 1 variant of Cistanche salsa-Cistanche white flower.
(1) Cistanche deserticola .
The host is a Haloxylon plant, which, as the name suggests, mainly grows in desert dunes with an altitude of 200 to 1 000 m. Mainly distributed in Alxa League and Bayannaoer City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Zhongwei City, Zhangye City, and Jiayuguan in the Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia, 8 areas in Gansu Province and the desert zone in northern Xinjiang [3-4]
(2) Cistanche salsa.
Mainly parasites on plants such as salt claw, pearl wood, and Achnatherum splendens. There is a variant of this species: white flower salt cistanche. Most of them are concentrated in desert steppe areas, lake basin lowland areas in desert areas, and heavy saline-alkali areas. The living altitude range of Bossica sativus is wider, about 700-2 500 meters. Mainly distributed in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Gansu and Ningxia
(3) Cistanche Sinensis.
The host is Red Sand (Reaumuria soongaria). Such plants are endemic to China, and the main producing areas are my country's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Gansu Province and the Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia [7]. It mainly lives in desert grassland areas and sandy land, gravel, or hills in desert areas, with an altitude of 1 000 to 2 000 m.
(4) Cistanche tubulosa.
The host is Tamarix, a plant of the genus Tamarix. It is mainly found in the southern part of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, such as the Tarim Basin. It is mostly parasitic on the roots of Tamarix plants.
(5) Lanzhou Cistanche.
The host is Red Sand (Reaumuria soongaria). It was first discovered in Lanzhou City, and its specimen plants are preserved in Lanzhou University. It is mainly distributed in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province and grows on hillsides. Some scholars have suggested that Lanzhou Cistanche should be classified as Sand Cistanche [8-9]
2. The nutritional value and functional characteristics of Cistanche
2.1 Nutritional characteristics
Cistanche's nutritional components include fat, sugar, and water compounds, vitamins and minerals, etc., which contain 18 kinds of amino acids, multiple polyunsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins. The mineral elements of Cistanche have high potassium, sodium, and iron content (see Table 1), and they are also rich in selenium [10].
2.2. Health benefits
2.2.1 Anti-aging effect
Cistanche is a precious tonic traditional Chinese medicine. Its anti-aging and longevity effects are second only to ginseng, ranking second. Studies have found that the anti-aging effect of Cistanche is closely related to its various active ingredients. Among them, the ethanol extract of Cistanche can significantly increase the SOD activity in mice [11].
2.2.2 Regulate intestinal function
Chinese medicine believes that Cistanche has a good moisturizing and laxative effect. The water decoction of drugs can improve the peristalsis of the small intestine, inhibit the absorption of water in the large intestine, and shorten the defecation time. Studies have found that the laxative effect of Cistanche is stronger than that of products [12].
2.2.3 Anti-fatigue effect
Cistanche has obvious effects on strengthening physical strength and anti-fatigue for patients with yang deficiency. Observation of mice fed with Cistanche Decoction showed that mice with yang deficiency increased their body weight and the number of voluntary activities, and prolonged swimming time, and at the same time reduced the accumulation of blood lactic acid and urea acid after exercise, and the serum urea nitrogen content was significantly reduced, The results show that Cistanche has the effects of enhancing physical strength and anti-fatigue[13]
2.2.4 Nourishing kidney and nourishing essence
Cistanche has the effects of nourishing kidney yang and nourishing essence and blood. Cistanche extract can affect the metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus and directly or indirectly participate in mediating the function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonads. This may be the mechanism by which Cistanche has the effect of nourishing the kidney and strengthening the yang [14].
2.2.5 Other functions
Studies have found that in addition to the above-mentioned functions, Cistanche granules have protective effects on the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra and striatum of the Parkinson’s disease rat model [15], that is, it has a neuroprotective effect; Cistanche extract can enhance ATP Enzyme activity maintains cell mitochondrial membrane potential, improves liver's antioxidant effect, reduces lipid peroxidation products, protects liver cells [16], and plays a role in protecting the liver. Studies have found that cistanche polysaccharides can significantly improve consolidating memory impairment and recurring memory impairment in mice, and its mechanism is related to the promotion of protein synthesis in the brain [17]. Therefore, Cistanche cistanche polysaccharide also has the effect of improving reproducible memory impairment.
2.3 Medical value
Cistanche is one of the most widely used Chinese herbal medicines. Cistanche crude extract medicine, sweet and salty, slightly bitter and lukewarm. Clinically, it is mostly used for impotence, infertility, weakness of waist and knees, weak muscles and bones, dry intestines and constipation caused by insufficient kidney yang and deficiency of essence and blood.
3. Processing and application of Cistanche
3.1 Application development process
In the "Shen Nong's Materia Medica" in the early Eastern Han Dynasty, Cistanche was listed as the top grade, used for treatment or as a tonic. Since then, there are many records in the classical "Materia Medica Sutra", "Materia Medica Huiyan", and "Yuehuazi Materia Medica". According to historical records, Cistanche has been used as medicine for more than 1,000 years.
According to the records of "Wu Pu's Materia Medica" in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Cistanche is a small individual and is produced in sparsely populated arid or semi-arid areas. At the same time, it grows underground most of the year and is only unearthed during the reproductive growth period. Ancient people, It is also found during the flowering period of the wild Cistanche desert (April to June in the Gregorian calendar), and its fleshy stems are dug up for medicine.
The Collected Notes of Materia Medica by Tao Hongjing in the Southern and Northern Dynasties described the characteristic morphology of Cistanche for the first time. It is believed that Cistanche was grown when the semen of wild horses fell on the ground during mating. Although this argument is absurd, it shows that this plant is different from it. The rootless and parasitic growth characteristics of most plants, the book also records that this species grows in the desert zone of Northwest Doma. The Cistanche cistanche recorded by Tao Hongjing should be the desert cistanche and the salted cistanche, and he believes that the former has a better texture. The Tang Dynasty "Materia Medica Supplements" recorded: "Three coins of Cistanche, three fried and one system, served with a hot drink, the penis will last forever". Modern medicine also proves that Cistanche contains a lot of amino acids, cystine, vitamins, and minerals, which are rare nourishing and nourishing ingredients, which have great nourishing effects on the male kidney, testis, penis, and cavernous body, and other sexual organs, and can improve sperm motility and quality.
The Song Dynasty "This Sketch Book" also gave a more detailed description of Cistanche. It has been recognized that the fleshy quality of Cistanche when the stems bloom is slightly reduced and dry, and the skill is greatly reduced. It should be harvested in March when the fleshy stems are just unearthed.
Since the 1980s, a large number of studies have been conducted on the components of Cistanche at home and abroad. Among them, Japan started earlier. With the rapid development of separation, extraction, and detection technology, many types of substances have been isolated, including phenylethanol total glycosides. It is the main active ingredient in Cistanche, which has the functions of improving male sexual function, treating female uterine cold infertility, anti-oxidation, anti-aging, improving immunity, and enhancing memory.
In 1993, at the Geneva Annual Conference of the International Medical Association, it was revealed that the Chinese Alashan League Chaganshire was among the world's longevity towns, with an average life expectancy of 87.5 years. The investigation and research of Chinese and foreign expert groups found that this is related to the diet structure of local residents, mainly because the local residents have the habit of eating Cistanche. For example, putting Cistanche in stewed lamb, drinking homemade cistanche wine, etc., have aroused widespread concern in the medical field for Cistanche [18]
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Cistanche has been highly valued by the country and related people, and Cistanche and its products have been continuously developed.
3.2 Current status of Cistanche application
As a Mongolian medicine, Uyghur medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine, Cistanche has the functions of improving immunity, anti-aging, improving impotence and premature ejaculation, anti-fatigue, protecting the liver, protecting cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, and detoxifying intestines. It is mainly researched and used in the medical field. The traditional processing methods of Cistanche include soaking, roasting, boiling, cutting, boiling, steaming, thinly cutting, and using it fresh. Among them, most of the soaking auxiliary materials are wine, and some are soaked in water and rice swill, and the slices are basically thin. Most of the auxiliary materials used in the processing are wine. The types of wine include sake, shochu, ashless wine, etc. The processing time includes wine immersion for one night, wine immersion for one night, wine immersion for three days, and wine steaming from noon to unitary and boiled, etc. . The notable feature of the processing of Cistanche is that it is processed with wine. The historical pharmacopeia also contains the wine preparation method, which shows that Cistanche has a wide range of clinical applications and has the effect of improving curative effect.
In recent years, with the increase of artificial planting output, the research on Cistanche has been more in-depth, and a lot of research has been done in terms of chemical composition and pharmacological effects. Up to now, 34 phenethyl alcohol glycosides have been isolated and purified from Cistanche, including 22 diglycosides, 10 triglycosides, and 2 monoglycosides[18]. At present, the products that have been circulated in the market include Cistanche wine, cistanche health liquid, nourishing kidney liquid, cistanche oral liquid, cistanche tea, cistanche capsules, cistanche tablets, cistanche granules, and cistanche decoction pills, etc. Health products. Cistanche is also often used as food and health products in people's diets. The more common ones are Cistanche porridge, Cistanche hemp kernel paste, Cistanche wine, Cistanche medlar wine and Cistanche dodder wine. At the same time, in terms of food processing, there are also products such as Cistanche Drinks, but they are less developed and utilized.
4. Prospects and prospects of Cistanche
Cistanche , as a national secondary protected plant, has extremely high medicinal and health value. It is one of the famous Chinese medicinal materials in northwestern my country. In recent years, gratifying achievements have been made in the artificial cultivation, chemical composition, and pharmacological effects of Cistanche. The medicinal value of Cistanche is very high, but it is currently limited to basic research, and its development and application in the fields of new drugs, health products, food, and beverages are relatively lacking. With the development of science and technology and the deepening of people’s understanding of Cistanche, it is necessary to conduct more extensive and deeper research on the basis of medicinal use in the future to expand the application range of Cistanche, so that this precious resource of Cistanche has a more considerable development prospect, and thus Promote the further development of Cistanche.
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