Cistanche increases glycogen storage and helps diabetes

[Mauritio]

Another win for the power-herb cistanche. This study showed that it increases glycogen content in muscles of diabetic Rats by over 50% and in their liver by over 40%.
Given that the glycogen content didn't exceed the value of normal control groups, it'd rather call it a "normalization" of glycogen stores.
But if you think about how many peole these days live in (pre-)diabetic state,they might very well be in a similar situation as the rats.

The study also found benefits of various markers of blood sugar-/pancreas-health and insulin sensitivity. Like a lowering of the long term blood sugar measurement Hba1c.
They also found an increase in anti-oxidants like SOD (superoxide dismutase).


"Pharmacological tests indicated that TGCT significantly reversed STZ-induced weight loss (11.1%, 200 mg/kg); decreased FPG (56.4%, 200 mg/kg) and HbA1c (37.4%, 200 mg/kg); ameliorated the OGTT, AUC-G and insulin sensitivity; increased glycogen content (40.8% in liver and 52.6% in muscle, 200 mg/kg) and the activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes; regulated lipid profile changes and the activities of antioxidant enzymes; diminished serum markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05)."

(Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of total glycosides of Cistanche tubulosa in diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats - PubMed)

 

[dukesbobby777]

Did you find a good source for cistanche?

 

[Mauritio]

Did you find a good source for cistanche?

I think I ordered one of the cheapest and its alright I guess.

 

[Lokzo]

Great find @Mauritio

Guess I’ll have to update my Cistanche video!


View: https://youtu.be/Ml48DDL6Rew

 

[area51puy]

https://applications.emro.who.int/imemrf/Pak_J_Pharm_Sci/Pak_J_Pharm_Sci_2016_29_2_557_562.pdf

It seemed to help with erections and shorten refractory , but also seem some article about it increasing estrogen?
Effects of Cistanche deserticola extract on penis erectile response in castrated rats
DISCUSSION
Our results demonstrated that castration significantly prolonged the penis erectile latency and shortened the erectile duration, with remarkable accessory organs atrophy. However, CD extract facilitated the penis erectile response and modulated the serum LH level to some extent in castrated rats.
The spontaneous erection is mainly stimulated and maintained by androgen via cellular, molecular, and physiologic mechanisms, involving the relaxation of cavernosal smooth muscle (Traish et al. 2007, Talha et al. 2007). Insufficient testosterone levels lead to a decrease in its relaxation (McClure 1988), which accordingly results in impotence in male (Bivalacqua et al. 2000). Specially in rats, it is maintained by a wide range of systemic testosterone concentrations as 10-12%, below which the erectile response is attenuated in a dose-dependent manner (Armagan et al. 2006). In present study, the testosterone concentration in circulation was too low to meet the sensitivity limit (0.02ng/ml) in all castrated rats (the data were not showed in the results). However, CD extract significantly shortened the penis erectile latency at three dosages and prolonged the erectile duration at 0.90 g/kg and 1.8 g/kg. It was probably the consequence of androgen-like effect of CD mentioned in some previous studies (He et al. 1996a, He et al. 1996b).
Some accessory organs, such as the prostate and seminal vesicle, are androgen dependent, thus the weight changes may reflect the alterations in endocrine status (Trisomboon et al. 2007, Jang et al. 2011). It existed a
560
threshold level of testosterone, below which the metabolism of these organs was inhibited (Trachtenberg 1985). It was confirmed in our study that castration induced the accessory reproductive organs weight decreased due to the testosterone deficiency.
Testosterone is primarily secreted by testis Leydig cell and regulated by hypophysial hormones, such as luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which play an important role in maintaining the penis function of the castrated animals (Robert et al. 2004). As the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis is a closed loop feedback control mechanism, low gonadal hormone levels can regulate the secretion of LH and FSH in turn (Morales et al. 2004). Our study has investigated that the serum LH level was significantly increased in castrated rats and then descended to the normal levels by CD extract at 0.90 g/kg, which was agreed with the previous conclusion that increased LH level was associated with a higher risk of erectile dysfunction (Kupelian et al. 2006). In testis, LH stimulates synthesis and release of testosterone, the feedback control of which is relatively consistent, while FSH directly acts on the Sertoli cells for nourish with the feedback control complex (Hellqvist et al. 2008). These findings offered more support for the surmise that CD expressed androgen-like effect, which might be mainly responsible for the reduction of serum LH more than FSH.
In current observation, the influence of castration on body weight development in male rats was similar to the findings in previous study (Christoffersen et al. 2006), while contrary to the results in female rats (Pantaleão et al. 2010). CD extract was unable to significantly improve the body weight, which was probably due to the insufficient treatment duration or the complex impacts on overall health status.
In conclusion, castration prolonged the penis erectile latency and shortened the duration significantly, with serum LH increase and accessory sex organs atrophy.
Pak. J. Pharm. Sci., Vol.29, No.2, March 2016, pp.557-562

However, CD extract facilitated the penis erectile response by shortening the erectile latency and prolonging the erectile duration in castrated rats. These effects were probably due to the androgen-like effect, which was supported by observation that CD extract normalized the serum LH concentrations especially at the dosage of 0.90 g/kg. However, additional evidences are needed to demonstrate the effect of CD extract against ED at hypothalamic and limbic levels and more attention could be gained to this valuable traditional medicine in modern

 

[area51puy]

Great find @Mauritio

Guess I’ll have to update my Cistanche video!


View: https://youtu.be/Ml48DDL6Rew

I just ordered some from Amazon, how were the results for you?

 

[Mauritio]

https://applications.emro.who.int/imemrf/Pak_J_Pharm_Sci/Pak_J_Pharm_Sci_2016_29_2_557_562.pdf

It seemed to help with erections and shorten refractory , but also seem some article about it increasing estrogen?
Effects of Cistanche deserticola extract on penis erectile response in castrated rats
DISCUSSION
Our results demonstrated that castration significantly prolonged the penis erectile latency and shortened the erectile duration, with remarkable accessory organs atrophy. However, CD extract facilitated the penis erectile response and modulated the serum LH level to some extent in castrated rats.
The spontaneous erection is mainly stimulated and maintained by androgen via cellular, molecular, and physiologic mechanisms, involving the relaxation of cavernosal smooth muscle (Traish et al. 2007, Talha et al. 2007). Insufficient testosterone levels lead to a decrease in its relaxation (McClure 1988), which accordingly results in impotence in male (Bivalacqua et al. 2000). Specially in rats, it is maintained by a wide range of systemic testosterone concentrations as 10-12%, below which the erectile response is attenuated in a dose-dependent manner (Armagan et al. 2006). In present study, the testosterone concentration in circulation was too low to meet the sensitivity limit (0.02ng/ml) in all castrated rats (the data were not showed in the results). However, CD extract significantly shortened the penis erectile latency at three dosages and prolonged the erectile duration at 0.90 g/kg and 1.8 g/kg. It was probably the consequence of androgen-like effect of CD mentioned in some previous studies (He et al. 1996a, He et al. 1996b).
Some accessory organs, such as the prostate and seminal vesicle, are androgen dependent, thus the weight changes may reflect the alterations in endocrine status (Trisomboon et al. 2007, Jang et al. 2011). It existed a
560
threshold level of testosterone, below which the metabolism of these organs was inhibited (Trachtenberg 1985). It was confirmed in our study that castration induced the accessory reproductive organs weight decreased due to the testosterone deficiency.
Testosterone is primarily secreted by testis Leydig cell and regulated by hypophysial hormones, such as luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which play an important role in maintaining the penis function of the castrated animals (Robert et al. 2004). As the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis is a closed loop feedback control mechanism, low gonadal hormone levels can regulate the secretion of LH and FSH in turn (Morales et al. 2004). Our study has investigated that the serum LH level was significantly increased in castrated rats and then descended to the normal levels by CD extract at 0.90 g/kg, which was agreed with the previous conclusion that increased LH level was associated with a higher risk of erectile dysfunction (Kupelian et al. 2006). In testis, LH stimulates synthesis and release of testosterone, the feedback control of which is relatively consistent, while FSH directly acts on the Sertoli cells for nourish with the feedback control complex (Hellqvist et al. 2008). These findings offered more support for the surmise that CD expressed androgen-like effect, which might be mainly responsible for the reduction of serum LH more than FSH.
In current observation, the influence of castration on body weight development in male rats was similar to the findings in previous study (Christoffersen et al. 2006), while contrary to the results in female rats (Pantaleão et al. 2010). CD extract was unable to significantly improve the body weight, which was probably due to the insufficient treatment duration or the complex impacts on overall health status.
In conclusion, castration prolonged the penis erectile latency and shortened the duration significantly, with serum LH increase and accessory sex organs atrophy.
Pak. J. Pharm. Sci., Vol.29, No.2, March 2016, pp.557-562

However, CD extract facilitated the penis erectile response by shortening the erectile latency and prolonging the erectile duration in castrated rats. These effects were probably due to the androgen-like effect, which was supported by observation that CD extract normalized the serum LH concentrations especially at the dosage of 0.90 g/kg. However, additional evidences are needed to demonstrate the effect of CD extract against ED at hypothalamic and limbic levels and more attention could be gained to this valuable traditional medicine in modern

It has actually been shown to lower estrogen.

 

[BestSinceDAYONE]

I have a strong feeling this is due to the increase in testosterone