The difference between Cistanchis and Cistanches is mainly reflected in the medicinal source and the attribution of flavors. The functions of the two medicines are similar, with only minor differences.
1. Source: Cistanchis is the dried fleshy stems with scaly leaves of Cistanchis or Cistanchis tubulosa of the family Ledanaceae; Luoyang is the dried fleshy stems of Luoyang of the family Ledanaceae.
2. Sexual flavor and meridian: Cistanchis is sweet, salty and warm in nature. It belongs to the kidney and large intestine meridian; lock yang has sweet flavor and warm knee. It belongs to the liver, kidney and large intestine meridians.
2. Efficacy: Both Cistanchis and Luoyang are effective in tonifying kidney yang, benefiting essence and blood, moistening the intestines and laxatives, and can be used in treating kidney yang deficiency (lack of yang in the kidneys), essence and blood deficiency, impotence, lumbar and knee soreness, and intestinal dryness and constipation. However, Cistanchis is warm but not dry, tonic but not greasy, slippery but not excremental, and is a flat tonic; while Lock-Yang favors yang tonic.
They are different drugs, but have similar efficacy and effect, clinically the two drugs are often used together. It should be noted that the two medicines are not suitable for those who are suffering from yin deficiency and fire exuberance (deficiency of yin and essence in the body and hyperactive fire), loose stools and constipation with heat. If you need to use the medicine, you should use it under the guidance of a doctor, and should not use it on your own.