Cynomorium, Suo Yang, 锁阳

Scarlet Mushroom, Maltese Mushroom
Suo Yang (TCM)
Tarthuth, Tarathith (Unani)

Cynomorium coccineum
Kerner von Marilaun, Hansen, & Pflanzenleben:
Erster Band: Der Bau und die Eigenschaften der Pflanzen (1887-1891)

Cynomorium coccineum
(Photo by gailhampshire) (Wikimedia)

Whole Suo Yang root (Adam, 2017)

Botanical name:

Cynomorium spp.

1. C. songaricum (syn. Cynomorium coccineum var. songaricum)
2. C. coccineum (Maltese Mushroom)

Parts used:

Fleshy stem
“Tarathith. consists of pieces of twisted wood which are as thick as a finger but are smaller in length”. (Avicenna)

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, dry. Sweet.

Classifications:

N. Yang Tonics

Uses:

1. Tonifies Kidneys, Increases Yang:

-Impotence, Infertility (TCM, Unani)
-Urinary frequency, Spermatorrhea, Premature ejaculation
-Chronic pain and weakness of the lower back and knees
-“tones up loose and flabby organs”. (Avicenna)
-“It serves to cure Sexual dysfunction and weakness”. (Li Shi Zhen)

2. Nourishes Liver Yin, Nourishes Essence and Blood:

-Weakness and Atrophy disorders
-pain and weakness of the Lower Back and Knees
-Nourishes and increases Sperm
-Apoplexy, Hypertension (Unani)
-Uterine Bleeding and other types of Bleeding (Unani)
-“useful in the atony of the Stomach and Liver”. (Avicenna)
-“It massively supplements Yin Qi. It boosts Essence (Jing) and Blood”. (Li Shi Zhen)
-“It moistens dryness and nourishes the sinews”. (Li Shi Zhen)

3. Moisten the Intestines:

-Constipation from Blood or Qi deficiency, or from dryness
-in Unani for obstruction of the Bile duct

4. Stops Bleeding:

-hemorrhagic diarrhea, postpartum mucous discharge from the womb. (Avicenna)

5. Externally:

-for Itchiness (Unani)
-Hemorrhoids (Unani)
-used topically in tooth powders

Dose:

1. ‘the best way to take it is to add the drug to rice porridge’. (Zhu Zhen Heng)
2. “Its oral intake with hot goat milk is constipatory, styptic and stops hemorrhagic diarrhea and post parturition mucous discharge from the womb”. (Avicenna)
Decoction: 9–15 grams
Powder: 2–4 grams
It has occasionally been used in the West in doses of 1 dram (3 grams), primarily as an astringent.

Comment:

1. The drug has ‘twice the efficacy of Cistanches Rou Cong Rong‘. (Li Shi Zhen)
2. C. coccineum was introduced by Avicenna after the siege of Malta. In Unani it has been more used as an astringent and to stop Bleeding, but perhaps is better in cases with deficieny. Avicenna noted it for ‘flabby organs’ and ‘atony of the Stomach and Liver’, indicating a tonic action.

Substitute:

Cistanches Rou Cong Rong

Main Combinations:

1. To strengthen Kidney Yang:
i. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Eucommia Du Zhong, Epimedium Yin Yang Huo, Cinnamon
ii. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Mirabilis himalaica, Gymnadenia (Tibet)
2. Infertility and Impotence:
i. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Cistanches Rou Cong Rong.
ii. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Ginseng, Deer Horn, Rehmannia Shu Di Huang, Eucommia Du Zhong, Epimedium Yin Yang Huo, Dang Gui, Cinnamon, Licorice (as in Nan Bao)
iii. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Withania (Unani)
3. Chronic lower back pain and weakness:
i. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Eucommia Du Zhong, Achyranthes Niu Xi, Rehmannia Shu Di Huang.
ii. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong), Turtle Shell (Gui Ban), Rehmannia Shu Di Huang.
4. Nocturnal Emissions, Cynomorium Suo Yang with Cistanches Rou Cong Rong. Poria Fu Ling, Praying Mantis Egg Case (Sang Piao Xiao)
5. Weakness, Atrophy, Paralysis, Motor Impairment, Cynomorium Suo Yang with Achyranthes Niu Xi, Rehmannia Shu Di Huang.
6. Weakness and wasting of the Sinews and Bones, Cynomorium Suo Yang with Mistletoe (Sang Ji Sheng), Dang Gui
7. Premature Ejaculation, Incontinence, frequent Urination from Yang deficiency, Cynomorium Suo Yang with Praying Mantis Egg Case (Sang Piao Xiao)
8. Constipation from dryness and deficiency:
i. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Honey
ii. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Sesame seed
iii. Cynomorium Suo Yang with Mulberry fruit (Sang Zi)

Cautions:

1. Not used for Kidney Yin deficiency with Heat signs (Yin-deficient Heat)
2. Not for Diarrhea from Spleen deficiency or Constipation from excess Heat. “Persons whose stool is not dry and knotted must not use it”. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

Toxicity:

It has low toxicity
–[Subchronic toxicity test of songaria cynomorium herb aqueous extract in rat].
–Toxicity Assessment of Chinese Herbal Medicine Cynomorium songaricum Rupr.

Click the above Tabs for more information on this medicine

“According to Tao Jiucheng’s Chuo geng lu, ‘Suo Yang grows on fields in the Tartar region. When the sperm of wild horses or flood dragons drops down and enters the ground, after a long time Suo Yang develops and rises like bamboo shoots. It is thick above and thin below. It has scales lying close to each other and interconnected sinew vessels. It very much resembles a male yang member (i.e.,
penis). It belongs to the same group as Cistanche Rou Cong Rong. Some say, when it is inserted into a lustful woman’s vagina it will unite with her and she is given yin qi and will experience a violent, lengthy orgasm. The locals dig up the root, wash it, remove the skin, cut it into thin slices, dry them in the sun and offer them as a pharmaceutical ware. Its strength is a hundred times superior to that of Cistanche Rou Cong Rong.’

I, Li Shizhen suspect that it is just one kind within a group that also includes Cistanche deserticola and skyblue Broomrape, and it does not necessarily grow where horses and flood dragons lose their Sperm”. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

GENERAL / REVIEW
–The Modern Use of an Ancient Plant: Exploring the Antioxidant and Nutraceutical Potential of the Maltese Mushroom (Cynomorium Coccineum L.).
–Chemical constituents and pharmacologic actions of Cynomorium plants.
–The genus Cynomorium in China: an ethnopharmacological and phytochemical review.
–[Studies on chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of the stem of Cynomorium songaricum Rupr].
ANTIFUNGAL
–Antifungal activity of extracts from Cynomorium coccineum growing wild in Sardinia island (Italy).
ANTIVIRAL
–Isolation and antiviral activity of water-soluble Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. polysaccharides.
–[Inhibitory effects of some traditional medicines on proliferation of HIV-1 and its protease].
ANTIOXIDANT
–Glycoside constituents with various antioxidant effects from fresh Cynomorium songaricum.
ASTRINGENT
–Astringent drugs for bleedings and diarrhoea: The history of Cynomorium coccineum (Maltese Mushroom).
CARDIOPROTECTIVE
–Evaluation of the potential cardioprotective activity of some Saudi plants against doxorubicin toxicity.
HYPOTENSIVE
–Hypotensive agent from Cynomorium coccineum.
ANTIDEPRESSANT
–Effect of Cynomorium total flavone on depression model of perimenopausal rat.
–Effect of cynomorium flavonoids on morphology of perimenopausal depression mice model.
NEUROPROTECTIVE
–Structures and neuroprotective activities of triterpenoids from Cynomorium coccineum subsp. songaricum (Rupr.) J. Leonard.
MEMORY IMPAIRMENT
–Cynomorium songaricum Extract Alleviates Memory Impairment through Increasing CREB/BDNF via Suppression of p38MAPK/ERK Pathway in Ovariectomized Rats.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
–Extract of Cynomorium songaricum ameliorates mitochondrial ultrastructure impairments and dysfunction in two different in vitro models of Alzheimer’s disease.
ANTI-AGEING
–The Yang-Tonifying Herbal Medicine Cynomorium songaricum Extends Lifespan and Delays Aging in Drosophila.

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