Common Name:

General Information

Cistanche deserticola is a perennial, parasitic plant with an erect, unbranched or 2 - 4 branched, fleshy stem that is 2 - 10cm thick; it can grow from 40 - 160cm tall[].
The plant is often used in traditional Chinese medicine, being harvested from the wild and sold in local markets.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Mongolia, northern China (Gansu, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang)

Habitat

Sandy places; at elevations from 200 - 1,200 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A full parasite, the plant is totally dependant upon its host for food and does not produce its own chlorophyll[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The stems, (known as Rou Cong Rong), are used in Chinese medicine where they are considered to have a sweet, salty and warm taste, and to act upon the kidney and large meridian. Their function is to replenish the kidney yang and to act as a mild laxative. They are used in the treatment of impotence, female infertility, premature ejaculation, frequent micturation and chronic constipation of the old[, ].

The plant is contraindicated for a person with diarrhoea[].

Use of the plant has been shown to lower blood pressure, increase salivation and increase body weight[].
Reports have shown that use of the plant has a beneficial effect upon male fertility, may attenuate tinnitus in patients with chronic nephritis, and can also provide an effective treatment for osteoporosis[]

Other Uses

An extract of the stems is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].

Propagation

Seed -