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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2012, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (2): 286-293.

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Research progress on “desert ginseng”- Cistanche deserticola and Cynomeorium songaricum

HAO Yuan-yuan1,2, YUE Li-jun1, KANG Jian-jun1, WANG Suo-min1   

  1. 1.State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China;
    2. School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
  • Received:2011-01-04 Online:2012-02-25 Published:2012-04-20

Abstract: Cistanche deserticola and Cynomeorium songaricum are parasitic higher-plants distributed in desert regions of China. They are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine as famous tonics. Currently, their new pharmacological roles have been developed and corresponding pharmacological components isolated. Exploitation of C. deserticola and C. songaricum requires preliminary industrialization and their products include drug, health foods and food additives. However, wild C. deserticola and C. songaricum have been classed as world endangered species because of frequent human activity and deteriorating environmental conditions in native regions. At present, artificial inoculation methods of C. deserticola and C. songaricum breeding have achieved preliminary success and interrelations between them and their hosts are clearer thus bringing an opportunity for the conservation and sustainable utilization of C. deserticola and C. songaricum. In this review, recent advances on their morphological characteristics, habitat and distribution, economic value, exploitation and utilization, and artificial breeding as well as effects on host plant growth are summarized. The future directions in this field are also discussed.

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