Cistanche deserticola

　　Cistanche deserticola is the fleshy stem with scaly leaves of Cistanche deserticola YCMa, a plant in the family Cistancheae. Mainly produced in Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai and other places. In spring, dig the seedlings before they emerge or when they have just emerged, and remove the inflorescences. Slice it raw or use it in wine.

　　[Medical properties] Sweet, salty, warm. Returns to the kidney and large intestine meridians.

　　[Efficacy] Tonify the kidneys, support yang, moisturize the intestines and relieve constipation.

　　【application】

　　1. Deficiency of kidney yang and insufficient essence and blood can lead to impotence and premature ejaculation, cold uterus and infertility, soreness of waist and knees, impotence and weakness. The taste of this medicine is sweet and tonifying, sweet and warm to support yang, moist and nourishing in texture, and salty to enter the kidneys. It is a good medicine for tonifying kidney yang and replenishing essence and blood. It is often used together with Semen Cuscuta, Sichuan Branch and Eucommia ulmoides to treat men's five kinds of labor and seven injuries, impotence and persistent urination, such as Cistanche deserticola pills ("Yi Xin Prescription"); it can also be used with Eucommia ulmoides, Morinda citrifolia, and Zihe Che to treat kidney deficiency and bone impotence, such as inability to start, such as King Kong Pills ("Zhang's Medical Treatment").

　　2. Dry intestines, dry body fluid and constipation. The sweet and salty nature of this product can moisten the large intestine and relieve constipation. It is often used with agarwood and hemp seeds to treat constipation caused by sweating and body fluid depletion, such as Runchang Pills ("Jisheng Prescription"); or it can be used with angelica root, achyranthes root and Alisma to treat weak kidney qi, obstructed stool, long clear urine, backache and cold back, such as Jichuan Jian "Jingyue Complete Book".

　　[Usage and Dosage] Decoction and take, 10~15g.

　　[Usage Note] This product can help yang and smooth the intestines, so it should not be taken by those with yin deficiency and excessive fire and diarrhea. It is also not suitable to take it if you have excessive heat in the stomach or intestines or have constipation.

　　[Abstract from ancient books]

　　1. "Shen Nong's Materia Medica": "It treats five kinds of labor and seven injuries. It nourishes the middle, removes cold, heat and pain in the stems, nourishes the five internal organs, strengthens yin, replenishes essence and qi, leads to more children and women. Long-term use can lighten the body. ”

　　2. "Rihuazi Materia Medica": "Cures men without yang and yin without childbirth, moistens the five internal organs, grows muscles, warms the waist and knees, and cures ejaculation, blood in urine, discharge and pain in men." ”

　　3. "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Boiled with white wine and eaten with a meal, it can cure dryness and constipation in the elderly. ”

　　【Modern Research】

　　1. Chemical composition: The fat-soluble components of Cistanche deserticola were identified as 6-methylindole and 3-methyl-3ethylhexane by GC-MS. Water-soluble N, N-dimethylglycine methyl ester and betaine are obtained from Cistanche deserticola.

　　2. Pharmacological effects: Cistanche deserticola water extract administered to mice can significantly increase the weight of the spleen and thymus, enhance the phagocytic capacity of peritoneal macrophages, and increase the lymphocyte transformation rate and delayed hypersensitivity index. Cistanche deserticola has an adjusting effect on the decrease and increase in nucleic acid content in the liver and spleen of animals with yang deficiency and yin deficiency. It has the effect of activating the adrenal gland and releasing corticosteroids, which can enhance the luteinizing function of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary, improve the pituitary gland's response to LRH and the ovary's response to LH, without affecting the endocrine balance of the natural reproductive cycle. Cistanche deserticola ethanol extract can significantly inhibit the production of peroxidized lipids in rat brain, liver, heart, kidney, and testicular tissue homogenates in an in vitro incubation system, with a good dose-effect relationship.

　　3. Clinical research: Effective in treating uterine fibroids (Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1993, 28, (1): 20)