Cistanche
Encyclopedia
Cistanche is a worldwide genus of holoparasitic
desert plants in the family Orobanchaceae
. They lack chlorophyll
and obtain nutrients and water from the host plants whose roots they parasitize.
is the primary source of the Chinese herbal medicine cistanche (Chinese: 肉苁蓉, pinyin
ròucōngróng). The main sources of cistanche are Cistanche salsa and Cistanche deserticola, although it may also be obtained from Cistanche tubulosa, Cistanche sinensis, and Cistanche ambigua. The drug, known in Chinese as suosuo dayun, is collected in spring before sprouting, by slicing the stems of the plant. Cistanche deserticola has been placed on CITES Appendix 2, a list of endangered species not banned from trade but requiring monitoring. With increased consumption of cistanche, the population of the species has decreased and its area of distribution has shrunk. Aside from over-collection or indiscriminate collection, an important factor in the diminished supply of cistanche is a loss of the saxaul host, Haloxylon ammodendron
, which is widely used for firewood.
Cistanche has been used as a medicine for about 1800 years and is recorded in the Shennong Bencao Jing and Bencao Gangmu as a tonic. In modern-day Chinese herbalism, cistanche is used for the treatment of male impotence, seminal emission, general lassitude of the loins and knees, constipation
and infertility
. Most of these claims have never been evaluated through clinical testing, and some (such as menopausal relief) have not been supported in controlled medical studies (e.g.)
Cistanche demonstrates immunomodulatory effects, 'promoteing the phagocytic and secretory functions of the phagocytic ability of peritoneal macrophage'.
Cistanche salsa enhanced antibody production in human lymph node lymphocytes.
Cistanche may delay aging, which may be related to antagonizing free radical injury and enhancing immunity of aging mice.
Anti-fatigue properties have been shown in mice. Cistanche 'appeared to enhance the swimming capacity of mice by decreasing muscle damage, delaying the accumulation of lactic acid and by improving the energy storage."
A recent clinical study found memory enhancing properties in
Cistanche; (it) "significantly enhanced learning and memory, as demonstrated by passive avoidance test and novel object recognition test. These results suggest that CHE is useful for improving memory function via its action in upregulating NGF
The pharmaceutically active ingredients of cistanche include acteoside, echinacoside
, and cistanoside.
Parasitic plant
A parasitic plant is one that derives some or all of its sustenance from another plant. About 4,100 species in approximately 19 families of flowering plants are known. Parasitic plants have a modified root, the haustorium, that penetrates the host plant and connects to the xylem, phloem, or...
desert plants in the family Orobanchaceae
Orobanchaceae
Orobanchaceae, the broomrape family, is a family of flowering plants of the order Lamiales, with about 90 genera and more than 2000 species. Many of these genera were formerly included in the family Scrophulariaceae sensu lato...
. They lack chlorophyll
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light...
and obtain nutrients and water from the host plants whose roots they parasitize.
Uses
Along with other members of the genus, Cistanche deserticolaCistanche deserticola
Cistanche deserticola is a holoparasitic member of the Orobanchaceae family of plants.It is a perennial herb tall. The plant lacks chlorophyll and obtains its nutrients and water from the saxaul and white saxaul , whose roots it parasitises.-Distribution:The plant is widely distributed in China's...
is the primary source of the Chinese herbal medicine cistanche (Chinese: 肉苁蓉, pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
ròucōngróng). The main sources of cistanche are Cistanche salsa and Cistanche deserticola, although it may also be obtained from Cistanche tubulosa, Cistanche sinensis, and Cistanche ambigua. The drug, known in Chinese as suosuo dayun, is collected in spring before sprouting, by slicing the stems of the plant. Cistanche deserticola has been placed on CITES Appendix 2, a list of endangered species not banned from trade but requiring monitoring. With increased consumption of cistanche, the population of the species has decreased and its area of distribution has shrunk. Aside from over-collection or indiscriminate collection, an important factor in the diminished supply of cistanche is a loss of the saxaul host, Haloxylon ammodendron
Haloxylon ammodendron
The saxaul, black saxaul, sometimes sacsaoul or saksaul , is a plant belonging to the Amaranthaceae.-Description:The saxaul ranges in size from a large shrub to a small tree, 2-8 m tall. It has a brown trunk 4-10 cm in diameter. The wood is heavy and coarse and the bark is spongy and water-soaked...
, which is widely used for firewood.
Cistanche has been used as a medicine for about 1800 years and is recorded in the Shennong Bencao Jing and Bencao Gangmu as a tonic. In modern-day Chinese herbalism, cistanche is used for the treatment of male impotence, seminal emission, general lassitude of the loins and knees, constipation
Constipation
Constipation refers to bowel movements that are infrequent or hard to pass. Constipation is a common cause of painful defecation...
and infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
. Most of these claims have never been evaluated through clinical testing, and some (such as menopausal relief) have not been supported in controlled medical studies (e.g.)
clinical studies
Cistanche "exhibits hypocholesterolemic activity in diet-induced hypercholesterolemia mice."Cistanche demonstrates immunomodulatory effects, 'promoteing the phagocytic and secretory functions of the phagocytic ability of peritoneal macrophage'.
Cistanche salsa enhanced antibody production in human lymph node lymphocytes.
Cistanche may delay aging, which may be related to antagonizing free radical injury and enhancing immunity of aging mice.
Anti-fatigue properties have been shown in mice. Cistanche 'appeared to enhance the swimming capacity of mice by decreasing muscle damage, delaying the accumulation of lactic acid and by improving the energy storage."
A recent clinical study found memory enhancing properties in
Cistanche; (it) "significantly enhanced learning and memory, as demonstrated by passive avoidance test and novel object recognition test. These results suggest that CHE is useful for improving memory function via its action in upregulating NGF
The pharmaceutically active ingredients of cistanche include acteoside, echinacoside
Echinacoside
Echinacoside is a natural phenol. It is a caffeic acid glycoside from the phenylpropanoid class. It is constituted from a trisaccharide consisting of one glucose and two rhamnose moieties glycosidically linked to one caffeic acid and one dihydroxyphenylethanol residue at the centrally situated...
, and cistanoside.