Cistanche, Broomrape, Rou Cong Rong 肉苁蓉

Rou Cong Rong (TCM)
von Ledebour, Icones plantarum novarum, vol. 4: 1833

Large wild Rou Cong Rong for sale in Chengdu (Adam, 2016)

Bunches of Wild Cistanche at the Chengdu Medicine Market (left), and the Urumqi Medicine Market (right), Xinjiang, China (Adam, 2017)

Cistanche tubulosa
(Photo by Nikola, cropped) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:

Cistanche deserticola is the official species.
Other species used in China include:

1. C. salsa
2. C. sinensis
3. C. tubulosa

Some other members of the Orobanchaceae are used similarly including Boschniakia rossica (Cao Cong Rong).

Parts used:

Fleshy Stem of the parasitic plant.

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, moist. Sweet, Salty

Classifications:

N. Yang Tonic

Uses:

1. Tonifies Kidney Yang, Benefits Essence:
-Impotence, Spermatorrhea, Incontinence, dribbling Urine
-Cold pain in the Back and Knees, Lumbago
-Infertility, Excess Uterine Bleeding and Leukorrhea from Coldness of the Uterus
-‘treats the Five Overstrains and Seven Damages … Nourishes the Five Viscera’ (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-‘long-term use makes one feel happy’. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

2. Moistens the Intestines:
-constipation from intestinal dryness, especially in the weak or elderly.

3. Moves the Blood:
-dissolves hard masses in Women. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Dose:

‘The dosage of the drug should be comparatively big, otherwise it won’t work’. (Kou Zong Shi)
Decoction: 9–20 grams
Powder: 1–4 grams

Comment:

Li Shi Zhen noted that it replenishes very mildly.

Preparation:
Steamed with wine to make it warmer and increase its effects of Warming Yang.

Substitutes:

1. Cynomorium Suo Yang  has ‘twice the efficacy of Cistanches Rou Cong Rong‘. (Li Shi Zhen)
2. Boschniakia rossica is used as Rou Cong Rong in Inner Mongolia. It may actually be a stronger tonic.

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Main Combinations:

1. Impotence:
i. Cistanche Rou Cong Rong decocted with Mutton
ii. and cold pain of the Lower back, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Cynomorium Suo Yang.
iii. with Spermatorrhea, weakness and pain of the Lower Back, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Cuscuta Tu Si Zi and Schisandra Wu Wei Zi.
iv. with dribbling Urine, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Dispacus Xu Duan, Eucommia Du Zhong, Dodder seed (Tu Si Zi)
v. Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Morinda Ba Ji Tian, Eucommia Du Zhong, Placenta
2. Infertility from Blood and Essence deficiency, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Angelica Dang Gui, Deer horn Gelatin Lu Jiao Jiao and prepared Placenta Zi He Cao.
3. Kidney weakness with abundant clear Urine, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Alisma Ze Xie, Achyranthes Niu Xi, Dang Gui
4. Strengthen Kidneys and Essence, and for lower back pain and weakness:
i. Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Cnidium seed (She Chuang Zi), Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Aconitum Fu Zi.
ii. Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Dioscorea Shan Yao, Poria Fu Ling, Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong)
5. Nourish Essence and Blood, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Goji fruit, made into a wine.
6. Nourish the Tendons and Marrow, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Polygonatum Huang Jing
7. Inability to gain weight, despite always hungry, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Cornus Shan Zhu Yu, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi.
8. Constipation:
i. in the elderly, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Cannabis seed Huo Ma Ren.
ii. caused by excess sweating Cistanche Rou Cong Rong with Cannabis seed Huo Ma Ren, and Aloeswood (Chen Xiang)
9. As a tonic food, soak in wine to remove the black juice, then cut into slices and cook with Chinese Yam (Shan Yao) and Mutton.

Major Formulas:

Zan Yu Dan
Tu Si Zi Wan

Cautions:

1. Heavy and moist, so not used in Digestive weakness with loose stool.

CITES listing:
Cistanche deserticola is endangered in the wild, so is listed on CITES.

Main Preparations used:

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GENERAL / REVIEW –The Difference of Chemical Components and Biological Activities of the Raw Products slices and the Wine Steam-Processed Product from Cistanche deserticola. –Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma, “Desert ginseng”: a review. –Cistanches Herba: An overview of its chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics property. –Herba Cistanche (Rou Cong Rong): A Review of Its Phytochemistry and Pharmacology. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY –Antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects of oligosaccharides from Cistanche deserticola extract on spinal cord injury. –Anti-inflammatory iridoids from the stems of Cistanche deserticola cultured in Tarim Desert. IMMUNOSTIMULATORY –Aqueous extracts from cultivated Cistanche deserticola Y.C. Ma as polysaccharide adjuvant promote immune responses via facilitating dendritic cell activation. –The Adjuvant Effects on Vaccine and the Immunomodulatory Mechanisms of Polysaccharides From Traditional Chinese Medicine. –Study on Neuroendocrine-Immune Function of Cistanche deserticola and Its Rice Wine Steaming Products in Glucocorticoid-Induced Rat Model. –Immunostimulatory activity of water-extractable polysaccharides from Cistanche deserticola as a plant adjuvant in vitro and in vivo. ANTI-FATIGUE –Antifatigue activity of phenylethanoid-rich extract from Cistanche deserticola. APHRODISIAC –Effects of Cistanche deserticola extract on penis erectile response in castrated rats. TESTICULAR PROTECTIVE –Cistanche deserticola decoction alleviates the testicular toxicity induced by hydroxyurea in male mice. ANTI-AGEING –Extracts of Cistanche deserticola Can Antagonize Immunosenescence and Extend Life Span in Senescence-Accelerated Mouse Prone 8 (SAM-P8) Mice. –Herba Cistanches: Anti-aging CARDIOPROTECTIVE –Cistanches deserticola PhG-RE through Inhibiting ERS Apoptosis Mechanism to Protect Myocardial Cell Apoptosis from H2O2-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. –Cardioprotective Effects of Phenylethanoid Glycoside-rich Extract from Cistanche deserticola in Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Myocardial Infarction in Rats. HEPATOPROTECTIVE –Echinacoside improves diabetic liver injury by regulating the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway in db/db mice. –Preliminary characterizations, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of polysaccharide from Cistanche deserticola. –Protective effect of Cistanchis A on ethanol-induced damage in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes. CONSTIPATION IN THE ELDERLY –Microbiome-metabolomics deciphers the effects of Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides on aged constipated rats. –Therapeutic effect of Cistanche deserticola on defecation in senile constipation rat model through stem cell factor/C-kit signaling pathway. CATARACT –Effects of Cistanche deserticola on behavior and signs of cataract and retinopathy in senescence-accelerated OXYS rats.

OSTEOPOROSIS –Cistanoside A promotes osteogenesis of primary osteoblasts by alleviating apoptosis and activating autophagy through involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. –Anti-Osteoporotic Activity of an Edible Traditional Chinese Medicine Cistanche deserticola on Bone Metabolism of Ovariectomized Rats Through RANKL/RANK/TRAF6-Mediated Signaling Pathways. –Therapeutic Anabolic and Anticatabolic Benefits of Natural Chinese Medicines for the Treatment of Osteoporosis. –Beneficial Effects of Total Phenylethanoid Glycoside Fraction Isolated from Cistanche deserticola on Bone Microstructure in Ovariectomized Rats –Therapeutic Effect of Cistanoside A on Bone Metabolism of Ovariectomized Mice. –Cistanche deserticola extract increases bone formation in osteoblasts. NEUROPROTECTIVE –Echinacoside Protects Dopaminergic Neurons Through Regulating IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 Pathway in Parkinson’s Disease Model. –Preliminary optimization of a Chinese herbal medicine formula based on the neuroprotective effects in a rat model of rotenone-induced Parkinson’s disease. –Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides protects PC12 cells against OGD/RP-induced injury. NEUROVASCULAR REGENERATION –Total Glycosides of Cistanche deserticola Promote Neurological Function Recovery by Inducing Neurovascular Regeneration via Nrf-2/Keap-1 Pathway in MCAO/R Rats. COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT –Cistanche deserticola polysaccharides alleviate cognitive decline in aging model mice by restoring the gut microbiota-brain axis. –The Antidepressant and Cognitive Improvement Activities of the Traditional Chinese Herb Cistanche. MEMORY ENHANCEMENT –The Mechanism of Memory Enhancement of Acteoside (Verbascoside) in the Senescent Mouse Model Induced by a Combination of D-gal and AlCl3. –Memory Enhancement of Acteoside (Verbascoside) in a Senescent Mice Model Induced by a Combination of D-gal and AlCl3. DEPRESSION –The Antidepressant and Cognitive Improvement Activities of the Traditional Chinese Herb Cistanche. PARKINSON’S DISEASE –Echinacoside Protects Dopaminergic Neurons Through Regulating IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 Pathway in Parkinson’s Disease Model. –Echinacoside protects dopaminergic neurons by inhibiting NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway in MPTP-induced Parkinson’s disease model. –Preliminary optimization of a Chinese herbal medicine formula based on the neuroprotective effects in a rat model of rotenone-induced Parkinson’s disease. SPINAL CORD INJURY –Antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects of oligosaccharides from Cistanche deserticola extract on spinal cord injury. CANCER BREAST –Evaluation of the safety profiles of estrogenic Chinese herbal medicines in breast cancer. COLON –Reduction of inflammatory hyperplasia in the intestine in colon cancer-prone mice by water-extract of Cistanche deserticola.