How to start the business of Cistanche deserticola?

June 14, 2024

Cistanche deserticola, a mysterious treasure in desert oases, has unique characteristics and rich medicinal properties. The development of ordinary fast-moving consumer food has not yet been fully opened up.

In November 2023, the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly announced that Cistanche deserticola, as well as nine other substances such as Codonopsis pilosula and Dendrobium officinale, will be included in the traditional list of substances that are both food and traditional Chinese medicine. This means that Cistanche deserticola has the dual identity of food and traditional Chinese medicine.

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What is the current situation of "Desert Gold" Cistanche deserticola?

Cistanche deserticola is a parasitic herbaceous plant that parasitizes the roots of desert plants such as the shuttle tree. It mainly grows in desert and semi desert areas, such as Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, and Xinjiang. Its medicinal value is recorded in ancient books such as the Compendium of Materia Medica.
Varieties of Cistanche deserticola
There are four main varieties of Cistanche deserticola in China, namely desert Cistanche deserticola, salted Cistanche deserticola, tubular Cistanche deserticola, and sand Cistanche deserticola. Before the 2000 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, desert deserticola was mainly included. Starting from the 2005 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Guanhua deserticola was also included as a source of deserticola in the pharmacopoeia. Due to the imminent depletion of wild resources such as Cistanche deserticola, it has been listed as a protected species in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
But there is no need to worry about its supply. With the research and technological promotion of Cistanche deserticola, after 30 years of development, the artificial cultivation of Cistanche deserticola and its host plants has achieved outstanding achievements.

According to the data from the 11th International Symposium on Cistanche deserticola and Desert Medicinal Plants, as of 2021, more than 6 million mu of Haloxylon ammodendron and Tamarix have been promoted for cultivation in deserts of provinces and regions such as Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Qinghai, and more than 2.3 million mu of Cistanche deserticola have been inoculated. The annual production of medicinal herbs exceeds 7500 tons, completely solving the problem of shortage of Cistanche deserticola medicinal resources. The annual output value of the Cistanche deserticola related industry has also grown from less than 1 billion yuan in the 1990s to over 20 billion yuan in 2020.

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How to start the business of Cistanche deserticola?

The bioactive components of Cistanche deserticola, including Cistanche deserticola glycosides A, B, C, H, Actoside, and Echinacetin, as well as betaine, β - sitosterol, triacontanol, mannitol, and polysaccharides, as well as about 15 amino acids, play important roles in various bodily functions through different biological pathways.
Modern research has shown that the aging and fatigue mechanisms of Cistanche deserticola involve multiple aspects, including free radical theory, telomere theory, immune theory, brain gut axis theory, as well as theories related to cell repair, calorie restriction, and traditional Chinese medicine. These mechanisms work together, making the potential of Cistanche deserticola in healthy aging promising.

The pharmacological effects of Cistanche deserticola have been widely applied and recognized in traditional Chinese medicine. Modern pharmacological research has also confirmed the various health benefits of Cistanche deserticola. Currently, there are 3029 Chinese articles and 834 foreign articles on the topic of Cistanche deserticola on CNKI, indicating that Cistanche deserticola has become a research hotspot in the fields of medicine and health.

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What are the cultural highlights of Cistanche deserticola?

Cistanche deserticola, as a traditional Chinese medicine with profound cultural heritage, has a profound cultural impact on its development. Cistanche deserticola was once one of the three major tonics in China, on par with ginseng and deer antler, highlighting its importance and preciousness in traditional Chinese medicine culture.
In ancient times, Cistanche deserticola was regarded as a tonic with magical effects, and its name itself carries a mysterious and noble color.
There is a legend that goes like this: in 1190 AD, there was a brave warrior named Temujin who led his army to engage in fierce battles with enemies in the desert. Unfortunately, he encountered difficulties and was trapped in the desert. Faced with the threat of hunger and thirst, the situation is critical. At this moment, a divine horse appeared and jumped into the Haloxylon ammodendron forest in the desert, using its hooves to carve out a magical plant - Cistanche deserticola. After consuming Cistanche deserticola, the soldiers quickly regained their strength, successfully broke through, and ultimately achieved victory. This story endows the Cistanche deserticola with cultural connotations of resilience, vitality, courage, and wisdom.

As one of the ancient tribute offerings, the rarity and preciousness of Cistanche deserticola have made it a symbol of power and status. Cistanche deserticola is not only a precious traditional Chinese medicine, but also a cultural symbol that connects China and various countries in the Western Regions, witnessing the prosperity of the ancient Silk Road and the exchange of diverse cultures. This also provides some clues and fun for its application dissemination today.

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The industry is ready, and the development of Cistanche deserticola has just begun

Xinjiang is the main production area of Cistanche deserticola, with the largest planting area and yield in the country, laying the foundation for the development of the Cistanche deserticola health industry and the cultivation of large varieties.
In recent years, the processing industry of Cistanche deserticola has developed rapidly. According to the approved health food information of the State Food and Drug Administration, there are about 70 domestic and imported health foods containing Cistanche deserticola as raw material; The main types of health food products made from Cistanche deserticola include alcohol, tea, tablets, granules, capsules, oral liquids, etc.
There are many medicinal foods that can be paired with Cistanche deserticola, including commonly used ones such as American ginseng, goji berries, Cornus officinalis, safflower, Ganoderma lucidum, sea buckthorn, Polygonatum sibiricum, sour jujube kernels, jujube, and cassia seed.
In classic ancient prescriptions such as Cistanche Cistanche Pill (Volume 28 of "Taiping Shenghui Formula"), Cistanche Tang (Volume 91 of "Shengji Zonglu"), and Cistanche Powder (Volume 30 of "Taiping Shenghui Formula"), Cistanche Cistanche is the main component of the formula. Its formula is used for regulating health issues such as fatigue and reproductive health.
The traditional processing methods of Cistanche deserticola include soaking, roasting, boiling, steaming, thinly cutting, and using it fresh; Among them, the soaking auxiliary materials are mostly alcohol, such as sake, shaojiu, ashless wine, etc. There are also those soaked in water and rice swill, and the slices are basically thinly cut. The processing time includes soaking in wine overnight, soaking in wine for three days, mixing and steaming with wine, and boiling.
Since being approved as a food and medicine co source, some convenient food formulations have gradually emerged in the market.
Cistanche honey tablets are made through multiple processes such as peeling, cleaning, and slicing, with the addition of honey, which is traditionally secret made, cooked, and microwave sterilized. This allows Cistanche to be consumed directly, unpacked and ready to eat, or soaked in water for drinking.
Cistanche Tablet Candy: extract and concentrate essence ingredients such as Cistanche deserticola, ginseng, maca, polygonatum, oyster peptide, Eucommia ulmoides and other flowers into tablet candies. One capsule contains multiple raw materials, which is convenient for direct consumption.
This herbal supplement is carefully prepared with Cistanche deserticola, ginseng, and other precious natural herbs, mainly focused on fatigue and drowsiness scenarios.
There are over 20000 notes and 1800+products on Xiaohongshu, most of which are still sold in the form of whole roots, slices, health packs, and other agricultural products. There are not many fast-moving consumer goods such as Cistanche deserticola on the market, and the reasons may be as follows:
1. Cistanche deserticola has not been officially included in this catalog for a long time, and consumers may need time to cultivate their awareness and acceptance of it as a food;

2. Product development and market demand have not yet fully shifted towards Cistanche fast-moving consumer goods, which may be a good opportunity for entrants.

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market prospect

Cistanche deserticola has been included in the Catalogue of Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials as well as Food, and its market prospects are very broad. With the increasing emphasis on health and wellness, the market demand for Cistanche deserticola continues to grow. Not only can it be used as traditional Chinese medicine, but it can also be developed into various forms of health products, such as health foods, functional foods, beverages, etc. The market demand will further expand from traditional tonics to ordinary foods.

With the increasing attention and support from the government towards the traditional Chinese medicine industry, Cistanche deserticola, as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, has received a certain degree of policy support. This provides a favorable external environment for the development of the Cistanche industry. Cistanche deserticola mainly grows in desert and semi desert areas. By artificially planting Cistanche deserticola, these marginal lands can be effectively utilized to increase the added value of the land. The deep processing of Cistanche deserticola and the development of high value-added products are important directions for future market development.

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2024-06-14

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