Cistanche extract

Cistanche tubulosa is a parasitic plant resembling an asparagus. Its stem is fixed by a sucker on the root of the host plant, the tamarix. It feeds by absorbing nutrients from the plant it parasitizes. Its stems are full and thick, cylindrical, without chlorophyll. The leaves are reduced to brownish scales. In China, Cistanche tubulosa is known as a rare ginseng found in the desert and is used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. In Japan, it was classified as a food in 2005. According to the Chinese Pharmaceutical Dictionary, Cistanche tubulosa strengthens kidney function, increases sexual potency and calms the intestine.