What Is The Magic Of The Calm And Composed Cistanche Deserticola?

The ancients said: A thousand-year-old fairy grass, Cistanche has a miraculous effect. The name Cistanche deserticola is derived from its "calm" and "gentle" characteristics. According to Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica", "this substance (Cistanche deserticola) is nourishing but not harsh, so it is called" calm "." The Road to Health "also reported on Cistanche deserticola, stating that it has a" mild Yang tonifying effect and is suitable for long-term use ", indicating its value.

Cistanche deserticola

Understanding Cistanche deserticola

Cistanche deserticola is a dry, fleshy stem with scaly leaves of the Cistanche deserticola or Cistanche tubulosa, a plant of the Orobanchaceae family. Dig and remove the stem tips when the seedlings are first unearthed in spring or before the frozen soil in autumn. Cut into sections and dry in the sun. The taste is sweet, salty, and warm. Gui Kidney and Large Intestine Meridian. Tonifying kidney yang, nourishing essence and blood, moistening intestines, and promoting bowel movements. Used for deficiency of kidney yang, deficiency of essence and blood, impotence, and infertility, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, weakness of muscles and bones, intestinal dryness, and constipation.

Cistanche deserticola has been used as medicine for a long time. During the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty, "Daozang" listed Cistanche deserticola as one of the nine immortal herbs in China, on par with Tian Shan Xue Lian, San Liang Zhong Ginseng, Hundred and Twenty-Year-Old Polygonum multiflorum, Cordyceps sinensis, etc. It is a very precious nourishing medicine. Famous doctors such as Hua Tuo, Zhang Zhongjing, Sun Simiao, Zhu Danxi, and Wang Haogu all used Cistanche deserticola to treat patients. It is sweet and warm, salty and moist in texture, not dry in yang, not greasy in yin, and has a miraculous therapeutic effect.

cistanche herb

Cistanche deserticola cannot be directly used for medicine or consumption after harvesting or purchasing. Like most traditional Chinese medicinal materials, it needs to be processed to better exert its effects. In "The Treatise on the Preparation of Cistanche by Lei Gong", it is mentioned that "every envoy (Cistanche deserticola) must first soak it in sake overnight, then use a brown brush to remove the sand and floating armor, split the center, and remove a layer of white films, like bamboo, silk, and grass. With this, the qi in front of the human heart can be separated and not dissipated, making people feel angry. Steam it in a steamer, take it out from noon to you, and then use crispy roasting to obtain the result.".

Efficacy and Classic Prescriptions

Cistanche deserticola is first recorded in the "Shennong Materia Medica Classic" and is classified as a top-grade herb: "It has a sweet and slightly warm taste, grows in valleys. It can treat five labor and seven injuries, nourish the middle, eliminate cold and hot pain in the stem, nourish the five organs, strengthen yin, benefit essence and qi, have many offspring, and alleviate female symptoms and fatigue. After long-term consumption, it can lighten the body." The "Materia Medica Preparation" proposes: "It can nourish the vital energy, nourish the five organs, nourish the marrow and tendons, treat five labor and seven injuries, eliminate yang stagnation, eliminate yin infertility, lower back and knee cold pain, collapse, and nocturnal emission."

Modern scientific research has shown that the main components of Cistanche deserticola include phenylethanol glycosides, iridoids, and their glycosides, sugars, volatile components, as well as amino acids and trace elements. The development prospects of the medicinal value of Cistanche deserticola are promising, with effects such as anti-aging, anti-dementia, anti-fatigue, intestinal laxity, immune regulation, liver protection, improvement of sexual function, regulation of the central nervous system, regulation of the endocrine system, improvement of memory ability, prevention of senile dementia, anti-osteoporosis, and promotion of bone formation.

Cistanche deserticola slices

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The core pharmacological mechanisms of Cistanche deserticola are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. The antioxidant effects of carbohydrates are more prominent, and the anti-aging effects of glycosides are more clear. The ischemic protection, liver protection, and reproductive improvement effects of phenylethanolamine glycosides are particularly significant [5].

Ancient doctors often used Cistanche deserticola combined with different traditional Chinese medicines to treat diseases such as constipation, impotence, and nocturnal emissions. Paired with Angelica sinensis and Ox Knee (Ji Chuan Jian in the Ming Dynasty's Jing Yue Quan Shu: water for one and a half minutes, decoction for seven or eight minutes, taken before meals), it is used to treat elderly kidney deficiency, constipation, lower back pain, and soft feet. Paired with yam (from the Tang Dynasty's "Essential Prescription for Urgent Qian Jin", incomparable yam pills: the top twelve flavors are the end, honey pills are like Suzi, take 20 pills with wine before eating, add up to 30 pills, and then add them daily), it is mainly used to treat kidney qi deficiency and fatigue, waist soreness and tinnitus, nocturnal emission, and night sweating, or cold discharge. It is compatible with Cuscuta chinensis (Cistanche Pill in the Song Dynasty's Taiping Shenghui Prescription: the upper part is the end, and honey refining is the pill, such as the Chinese parasol tree seed. Every 30 pills taken, the hollow warm wine is sent, and then taken before dinner), mainly for impotence and fatigue [3].

Famous traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Li Furen believes that the fundamental cause of elderly constipation lies in the gradual decline of vital energy and the low function of the five organs. Therefore, the basic principle of treatment is to support the body and strengthen the foundation, and the "Runtong" method is proposed. Cistanche deserticola is commonly used to tonify the liver, benefit the kidneys, and protect vital energy. It is combined with goji berries, hemp seeds, and licorice to strengthen the vital energy, preserve the original vital energy, and achieve the goal of eliminating evil without harming the vital energy.

Hu Jianhua's treatment of chronic nephritic proteinuria is based on the principle of strengthening the spleen and strengthening the kidney. Cistanche deserticola is commonly used to warm and tonify the kidney yang and is combined with Euryx Euryale and Cherry Blossom to strengthen the spleen, tonify the kidney, and solidify the astringency. The combination of various drugs is used to adjust and tonify the heavenly roots, and the dosage of Cistanche deserticola is 12g; To treat menstrual headaches that repeatedly do not heal, use Cistanche deserticola to regulate Chong Ren, combined with Gastrodia elata and Gauteng to calm the liver and extinguish the wind, Red Peony and Curcuma zedoary to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. All drugs are used together to regulate Chong Ren, remove blood stasis, and relieve pain. The dosage of Cistanche deserticola is 12g.

Effects of Cistanche-Immprove  kidney function

Tang Qisheng believes that schizophrenia belongs to the traditional Chinese medicine "madness disease", with phlegm and confusion as the standard and kidney qi deficiency as the foundation. The treatment of schizophrenia, which is mainly characterized by negative symptoms, commonly uses Cistanche deserticola to nourish kidney qi, nourish essence and blood, and is combined with Morinda officinalis to tonify the kidney and essence, assist yang, and increase consciousness. The combination of the two drugs can tonify the kidney and yang, and treat the decline of vital door fire. The dosage of Cistanche deserticola is 15g [3].

It is worth noting that although Cistanche deserticola belongs to the same class of medicinal and edible substances and is widely used in clinical practice, there are no obvious toxic side effects at commonly used doses (6-10g). However, during use, attention should still be paid to the unsuitable population (those with excessive heat, slippery stools, and weak gastrointestinal tract should not take it), and appropriate dosage and combination drugs should be selected to better exert their effects [3].

Identification of Cistanche deserticola

At present, the legal source plants of the traditional Chinese medicine Cistanche deserticola are divided into two types. One is the Haloxylon ammodendron, also known as the soft cloud, scientific name "desert Cistanche deserticola", mainly distributed in western Inner Mongolia, such as Alxa; One type is Red Willow Big Cloud, also known as Hard Big Cloud, scientific name "Guanhua Cistanche", mainly produced in the Hotan area of Xinjiang. Thanks to its unique geographical environment and climatic conditions, the Cistanche deserticola produced in the Alxa region is large and thick in flesh, rich in gum, and of excellent quality. It is the first of its kind and famous both domestically and internationally, known as the "Desert Ginseng". Alxa is also known as the "Hometown of Cistanche deserticola in the World". So, how can the two be distinguished?

Cistanche deserticola is flat cylindrical, slightly curved, 3-15cm long, with a diameter of 2-8cm. The surface is brownish or grayish brown, densely covered with fleshy scales arranged in a tile-like pattern, usually with the tip of the scales broken. Weight, hard texture, slightly flexible, not easily broken, with a brownish cross-section and light brown dotted vascular bundles arranged in a wavy ring pattern. Mild breath, sweet taste, slightly bitter [1].

Tubular Cistanche is spindle-shaped, flat spindle-shaped, or flat columnar, slightly curved, 5-25cm long, and 2.5-9cm in diameter. The surface is brownish to dark brown. The cross-section is granular, gray-brown to gray-brown, with scattered dotted vascular bundles.

In addition, due to the large-scale excavation of Cistanche deserticola in recent years, coupled with the difficulty of reproduction of parasitic plants and a shortage of medicinal resources, there are often mixed products in the market, such as sand Cistanche deserticola, salted meat from Cistanche deserticola, Lanzhou Cistanche deserticola, grass Cistanche deserticola, as well as counterfeit multi pistil snake wild rice, which has vastly different effects and must be carefully identified [6].

Cistanche deserticola slices

Cistanche deserticola dietary therapy formula

Braised Lamb with Cistanche

Prepare 10g of Cistanche deserticola, 100g of lamb, 2g of cinnamon, 10 Sichuan peppercorns, 2g of ginger, 2g of star anise, and 5g of scallions. Put the cleaned spices together in a cloth bag, cut the lamb into pieces, and cut the scallions. Put the cloth bag, Cistanche deserticola, and lamb into a clay pot. Boil over high heat and then turn to low heat to remove any floating foam in a timely manner. When the lamb is half cooked, add scallions and stew until the lamb is cooked. Season with salt.

Effect: Eating Cistanche deserticola with lamb can nourish the kidneys and essence, warm the middle and lower body, moisturize the dryness, and smooth the intestines. It is used for five labor and seven injuries, waist and knee soreness and weakness, middle deficiency and nausea, infertility, kidney yang deficiency syndrome, cold limbs, tinnitus, dizziness, frequent urination, and constipation.

Stewed Chicken Soup with Goji Berry, Cistanche, and Cistanche

Cistanche deserticola slices

Prepare 500g of chicken, 15g of goji berries, 15g of deserticola, and 20g of ginger. Boil the chicken chunks in boiling water and take them out. Take them out and heat the pot. Add water, ginger slices, Cistanche deserticola, and chicken chunks, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add goji berries and simmer for 10 minutes to serve.

Effect: Cistanche deserticola nourishes kidney yang and benefits essence and blood. Goji berries can treat blood deficiency and fatigue, dizziness and fatigue, dizziness and blurred vision.