An internal loop airlift bioreactor with sifter riser (ILABSR) was composed of a bubble column and a draught-tube rolled with 40-mesh sifter that placed 5 cm above the bottom at the center of the column. A 2 L ILABSR was used for the suspension cultivation of Cistanche deserticola cells and its performance was compared with shake flask culture and a bubble column. Under the optimum culture conditions with the air flowrate of 0.075 m(3)/h and the inoculation size of 4.7%, about one-fifth cells were attached to the sifter draught-tube. PeG content in these cells was 16.3%, which was 104% higher than that of suspension cells. The production of phenylethanoid glycosides reached 0.85 g/L, which was 102 and 4% higher than those cultured in a 2 L bubble column and shake flasks respectively under their optimal culture conditions. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.