1. Aliases

Ground hair ball, rust iron rod, lock tightly son, anti-aging medicine, yellow bone wolf, sheep lock not pull.
2. Plant morphology
Perennial fleshy parasitic herb, 30-60 centimeters tall, with a brownish red color throughout the plant. The stem is cylindrical, mostly buried in sand, slightly swollen at the base, with alternate scales. The fleshy inflorescence is terminal, round and columnar in shape, dark purple red in color, and has a variety of flowers. The fruit is nutty in shape. The seed has an endosperm. The flowering period is from May to June, and the fruiting period is from August to September.
3. Origin distribution
Born in desert areas, it mostly parasitizes on the roots of plants such as Nitraria sibitica Pall in the Tribulus family. Distributed in Inner Mongolia and various regions in the northwest.
4. Harvesting and processing
Harvest in spring, remove inflorescences, cut into sections, and dry in the sun.
5. Characteristics of medicinal herbs
Flat cylindrical, slightly curved, 5-15 centimeters long, with a diameter of 1.5-5 centimeters. The surface is reddish brown or brownish brown, rough, with obvious longitudinal grooves and irregular depressions, and some residual triangular black brown scales. Weight, hard texture, difficult to break, with a light brown or brownish cross-section and yellow triangular vascular bundles. Qi is subtle, slightly sweet and astringent.
6. Nature, taste, and meridian tropism
Warm in nature and sweet in taste. Guipi Meridian, Kidney Meridian, and Large Intestine Meridian.
7. Effect and function
Tonifying kidney yang, nourishing essence and blood, moistening intestines and promoting bowel movements. A Yang tonifying medicine belonging to the subcategory of tonifying deficiency medicine.
8. Clinical applications
Dosage 5-9 grams. Used to treat waist and knee weakness, impotence, slippery semen, intestinal dryness and constipation. It can be used in combination with Cuscuta chinensis and Cistanche deserticola to treat impotence, premature ejaculation, and female infertility caused by insufficient kidney yang. Paired with turtle shell, ripe earth, ox knee, etc., it can nourish the kidneys and essence, strengthen tendons and bones, and treat waist and knee weakness and muscle and bone weakness caused by kidney deficiency and essence deficiency. Commonly used in modern times for the treatment of primary thrombocytopenic purpura.
9. Pharmacological research
It has an impact on immune function, has the effects of clearing free radicals, hypoxia resistance, anti platelet aggregation, and promotes gastrointestinal peristalsis.
10. Chemical composition
Contains tannins, triterpenoid saponins, acetyl ursolic acid, cynomolgin, carotenoids, (+) - catechins, 2,6-diethyl-3-methylpyrazine, 3-sitosterol, 3-sitosterol oleate, and other components.
11. Taboos for use
Yin deficiency, fire excess, and yang symptoms are prone to occur, and it is prohibited for those with spleen deficiency, diarrhea, and excess heat constipation. Long term consumption can also cause constipation.
12. Compatibility prescription
① Treatment of impotence: 12 grams each of Cynomorium, Cistanche, Goji berries, and Walnut kernels, 9 grams of Dodder seed, and 15 grams of Epimedium. Boiled in water. (National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine)
② Treatment for kidney deficiency and slippery semen, weak waist and knees: 9 grams of lock yang, mulberry cuttlebone, and Poria cocos each, and 3 grams of dragon bones. Boiled in water. (National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine)
③ Treatment for vaginal discharge: 15 grams of lock yang and 9 grams of sand jujube bark. Boiled in water. (Selected Chinese Herbs from Shaanxi Gansu Ningxia Qing)
④ Treatment for women with uterine prolapse: 15 grams of lock yang, 9 grams of Mutong, 9 grams of Cheqianzi, 9 grams of licorice, 9 grams of Schisandra, and 3 Chinese dates. Boiled in water. (Medicinal Plants in Desert Regions)
⑤ Treatment of gastric ulcer: 9 grams each of Cynomorium and Polygonum multiflorum. Boiled in water. (Selected Chinese Herbs from Shaanxi Gansu Ningxia Qing)
The content of the article is for clinical reference only. Non professionals in traditional Chinese medicine are not allowed to try medication.