Semen cuscutae - Tu Si Zi 101

Do you sell Semen cuscutae (Tu Si Zi) extract?

We sell Semen cuscutae in a 100 gram size (50 servings) as HURRAH! Hormonal Balance Support. We also sell Semen cuscutae in larger 200 gram to 1,000 gram sizes. In addition, Semen cuscutae is one of five nootropic extracts in our BrainStorm Nootropic Brain Health Kits. You can check out these options by visiting our online store.

Are Tu Si Zi, Semen cuscutae, and Dodder Seed the same?

Yes! Tu Si Zi also goes by the names Semen cuscutae, Dodder Seed, and the “longevity herb.” Other names include Atermoyer, Beggarweed, Chinese Dodder, Cuscuta, Cuscuta chinensis, Cuscuta epithymum, Cuscutae, Cuscute, Cuscute chinoise, Cuscute à Petites Fleurs, Cuscute du Thym, Devil’s Guts, Dodder of Thyme, Hellweed, Japanese Dedder, Lesser Dodder, Petite Cuscute, Scaldweed, Semen cuscutae chinensis, Strangle Tare, and Tu Sizi.

What are Tu Si Zi health benefits?

It’s the seed of a vine used in traditional Chinese medicine to invigorate the kidneys, nourish the liver, improve eyesight, and stop diarrhea. Semen cuscutae exhibits an immunosuppressive effect on dendritic cells and attenuates dendritic cell function, which suggests it has potential in the treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Semen cuscutae is a nootropic, and it has a high flavonoid content and strong antioxidant properties. Studies suggest that therapeutic uses include support for brain health and central nervous system health, sexual health, and a healthy reproductive system.

So it provides well-rounded support?

Yes. Properties found statistically significant include adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-senescence, cardio-protective, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, neurotrophic, nootropic, and osteogenic.

Its long list of health benefits suggests that it supports a healthy lifestyle approach related to issues with kidney disease, reproductive and sexual problems, the immune system, the endocrine system, vision and eye health, and liver and spleen health. There is good reason to believe that a lifestyle-related approach to optimal health will benefit from support with Tu Si Zi as a health supplement.

How did you choose your Tu Si Zi supplier?

For each of the products we sell, company owner Michael Van der Linden and members of our team do substantial research, visit the source, and meet with the collectors and processors personally. We back up our faith in our source and our processors with testing.

Is it a nootropic? Can it help with healthy brain function?

Yes. It’s a nootropic, and it has a high flavonoid content and strong antioxidant properties. Semen cuscutae is also one of five nootropics extracts in our BrainStorm Nootropic Brain Health Kits. 

Does it support liver health and spleen health?

Yes. It’s valued for its healing and rejuvenating powers. Therapeutic uses include invigorating the kidneys, as well as nourishing the liver and spleen.

Can it provide immune system support?

It exhibits an immunosuppressive effect on dendritic cells and attenuates dendritic cell function, which suggests that it has potential in the treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Does it support kidney health?

It’s traditionally used to treat ailments caused by a kidney deficiency. These ailments include symptoms such as lower back pain, erectile dysfunction, urinary frequency, and leucorrhea.

Does it support reproductive and sexual health?

Traditional uses include support for a healthy reproductive system. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Semen cuscutae is known as a kidney yang tonic and is widely used to remedy sexual problems like impotence, nocturnal emission, premature ejaculation, and low sperm count that arise from kidney yang deficiency.

Does it support vision and eye health?

It’s often used to help improve eyesight. It is used to treat blurred vision and decreased visual acuity caused by insufficient nourishment of the eyes due to liver and kidney deficiencies.

Does it provide energy support and athletic performance support?

Semen cuscutae, in turn, may help some people exercise longer and harder before they feel exhausted, which makes it a great athletic performance tea. Researchers investigated the effect of Semen cuscutae on anti-fatigue and anoxia tolerance on mice. Their studies, published in The Journal of Ethnopharmacology and The Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine, showed that all-natural Semen cuscutae herbal extract may prolong swimming time and improve the ability to tolerate cellular oxygen depletion.

Are Tu Si Zi health benefits backed by science?

The short answer is “yes.”

Here’s what major scientific publications have to say about Semen cuscutae health benefits:

• Dodder seeds have the effects of immune enhancement, anti-fatigue and anoxia tolerance. The polysaccharide in dodder seeds is one of the effective materials to improve the immune system.”
• It offers neuroprotective effects.
• It may suppress allograft rejection via distinct immune mechanisms.
• It has the potential to invigorate the reproductive system and reproductive endocrine function.
• The total flavones from Semen cuscutae reverse the reduction of testosterone level and the expression of androgen receptor gene in kidney-yang deficient mice.

Can you describe the plant?

It’s a parasitic “twinning” vine in the family Cuscutaceae. The stems are very thin and thread-like. It has yellow or white flowers and no leaves. The plant contains some chlorophyll in the buds, fruits, and stems, but it has no roots and requires a host plant for nourishment. It grows mainly in the Jiangsu, Liaoning, Jilin, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan provinces of China.

How do I consume Tu Si Zi extract?

Does it contain caffeine?

No.

What phytochemicals does it include?

Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants. They help plants thrive or thwart competitors, predators, or pathogens.

Flavonoids: luteolin, apigenin, hyperoside, d-pinoresinol, quinic acid astragalin, quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, βsitosterol, sesamin, hexadecanoic acid, mixture of hexadecanoic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, astragloside, hyperoside, caffeic acid, quercetin 3 O β D galactopyranosyl, arbutin, chlorogen

Lignans: (2 1)β D apiopyranoside. d-sesamin, (R)-hydroxy-d-sesamin, cuscutosides A and B

Alkaloids: cuscutamine

Sterols: cholesterol, campesterol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and beta-amyrin

Other: anthraquinones, coumarin tannic acid, caffeic acid, myristic acid, and several cuscutic acids

What if I have more questions?

You can read more scientific studies by visiting the National Center for Biotechnology Information website. Also feel free to reach out!

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