Cistanche sinensis
Cistanche sinensis, commonly known as desert stembroom, is a parasitic medicinal plant highly valued in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Renowned for its rejuvenating properties, it is frequently used to enhance vitality, support kidney function, and combat aging. This potent herb offers significant therapeutic potential for cognitive health and physical longevity.
- Scientific name: Cistanche sinensis
- Family: Orobanchaceae
- Native range: Asia-Temperate
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Lamiales and the family Orobanchaceae. Its specific taxonomic designation is placed within the genus Cistanche, specifically as the species Cistanche sinensis.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Orobanchaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cistanche | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Cistanche sinensis, is widely recognized by several common names depending on the linguistic context. In Chinese, it is referred to as 沙苁蓉 (zh), which is also the standard representation in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans) and specifically within mainland China (zh-cn).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh | 沙苁蓉 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 沙苁蓉 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 沙苁蓉 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known scientifically as Cistanche sinensis, exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several key regions of China. It can be found growing in the northern territories within Inner Mongolia. The species is also widely documented across the China North-Central region. Furthermore, its presence extends westward into the Xinjiang province. These locations highlight the plant's preference for the arid and semi-arid environments found in these parts of the country.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | Inner Mongolia | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| China | Xinjiang | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Cistanche sinensis, is a unique holoparasitic species that lacks chlorophyll and does not perform photosynthesis. Because it does not need to capture sunlight, it lacks traditional green leaves and instead relies on its specialized fleshy stems for survival. These succulent, thickened stems serve as the primary structure for nutrient and water absorption, which the plant extracts from the roots of its host plants. These fleshy stems are also the part most commonly harvested for medicinal use, as they store the bioactive compounds used in traditional therapies.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| fleshy stems | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Cistanche sinensis has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include acteoside, echinacoside, 6-deoxycatalpol, 8-epi-loganic acid, Echinacoside.
- Total chemicals
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 12
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| acteoside | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| echinacoside | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 6-deoxycatalpol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 8-epi-loganic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Echinacoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| betaine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cistanoside A | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| isoacteoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| mannitol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sucrose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cistanche sinensis has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include impotence, infertility.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| impotence | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infertility | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |