Rhodiola
Scientific Name(s): Rhodiola rosea L. Family: Crassulaceae (stonecrops)
Common Name(s): Golden root , roseroot , arctic root
Clinical Overview
Uses of Rhodiola
Limited clinical studies have confirmed R. rosea 's ability to treat fatigue, depression, anemia, GI problems, infections, CNS disorders, fertility problems, cancers, aches, and pains. R. rosea also may possess antioxidant and anticarcinogenic effects.
Rhodiola Dosing
Rhodiola has been examined in a clinical trial for acute lung injury at a 4 g daily dose.
Contraindications
Contraindications have not yet been identified.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Data on safety and appropriateness of R. rosea in pregnancy and lactation are lacking.
Rhodiola Interactions
None well documented.
Rhodiola Adverse Reactions
Research reveals little or no information regarding adverse reactions with the use of this product.
Toxicology
R. rosea was reported safe in acute and subacute toxicity studies.
Botany
Rhodiola rosea is a perennial plant with a thick rhizome and yellow, fragrant flowers. It grows in sandy soil at high altitudes in the arctic areas of Europe and Asia, including eastern Siberia. The plant reaches a height of 30 to 76 cm. Unique compounds set R. rosea apart from the other Rhodiola species. 1
History
The Greek physician Dioscorides first recorded this plant in De Materia Medica , renaming it from Rodia riza to Rhodiola rosea , referring to the rose-like aroma of the freshly cut root. Linnaeus documented use of R. rosea as an astringent to treat hernia, leucorrhea, hysteria, and headache. For centuries, the plant has been used in Russia and Scandinavia, where the bulk of the research has been published. 1
Chemistry
Three cinnamyl alcohol vicianosides (eg, rosavin, rosin, rosarin) have been found to be specific to R. rosea . 2 Another report confirms these 3 substances along with rosiridin and salidroside to be the 5 marker compounds present to reliably identify R. rosea . 3 R. rosea extracts used in most clinical trials were standardized to a minimum of 3% rosavins and 0.8% to 1% salidroside because of this naturally occurring ratio in the plant. 1 The phenylethanol derivatives salidroside (rhodioloside) and tyrosol have been found in the underground part of the plants. 4 Flavonoids in R. rosea include rodiolin, rodinin, rodiosin, acetylrodalgin, tricin, and other catechins and proanthocyanidins. 1 , 5 Monoterpenes present include rosiridol and rosaridin. Triterpenes include daucosterol and betasitosterol. 1 Terpenes and volatile compounds have been isolated from R. rosea as well and include the essential oil components of monoterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene alcohols and straight chain aliphatic alcohols, n-decanol, geraniol (responsible for the rose-like odor), linalool, nonanal, decanal, nerol, and cinnamyl alcohol. 6 Phenolic acids including chlorogenic, hydroxycinnamic, and gallic acids also are present. 1 , 5 , 7
Rhodiola Uses and Pharmacology
Some traditional uses of R. rosea include the following: increasing physical strength and endurance, treating fatigue, depression, anemia, GI problems, infections, CNS disorders, fertility problems, cancers, aches, and pains. 1 , 8 R. rosea has been categorized as an adaptogen by Russian researchers, because of its ability to increase resistance to a variety of stressors. 5
CNS activity of R. rosea has been reported. Earlier studies found the small and medium doses of the plant had stimulatory effects and larger doses had sedative effects. 1 In small and medium doses, it was confirmed by later studies that R. rosea stimulates norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and nicotinic cholinergic effects in the CNS. It also enhances the effects of these neurotransmitters on the brain by increasing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier to precursors of dopamine and serotonin. 9 , 10 , 11 All of these studies collectively suggest R. rosea 's usefulness in increasing energy and decreasing mental fatigue.
Other areas in the CNS where R. rosea may be of benefit include cerebral circulation 12 and psychoses.
The usefulness of R. rosea as an antioxidant and anticarcinogenic agent has been demonstrated in a number of studies. Several antioxidant compounds have been identified in the plant. These include p-tyrosol, organic acids, and flavonoids. Free-radical scavenging activity has been shown for alcohol and water extracts of R. rosea . 7 Rhodiola therapy may protect hypoxia-induced pancreatic injury by its antioxidant activity. 13 R. rosea alters functional activity of murine bone marrow cells, 14 inhibits adenocarcinoma growth, 15 and demonstrates activity in cancer cells. 16 R. rosea extracts are antimutagens because of their ability to raise efficiency of intracellular repair mechanisms. 17
Cardiac protection is another effect of R. rosea . One report found R. rosea to prevent stress-induced cardiac damage. It also prevented the decrease in adrenal catecholamines during stress.
Animal dataIts use in Ayurvedic medicine for its marked adaptogenic properties has been studied. 18 R. rosea protected eggs of freshwater snail ( Lymnaea stacinalis ) against induced stressors, including heat shock and oxidative and heavy metal stress. For example, at least 90% of snail larvae preincubated with R. rosea survived vs 9% of control population. 19 Injections of the plant extract administered to rats prevented stress-induced elevations of beta-endorphins, ACTH, cortisol, insulin, thyroxin, and triiodothyronine. 20 Similarly, R. rosea given to rats increased swimming time up to 159% and improvement continued throughout the supplementation period. 21
Improvement in learning and memory retention was observed in rats given certain doses of extract. 10 , 22 Closely related topics in the area of neurotransmitters include sleep studies.
R. rosea as adjuvant therapy with cyclophosphamide potentiated antitumor and antimetastatic effects in mice with lung carcinoma. 23 A decrease in cyclophosphamide hepatotoxicity by R. rosea extract in mice tumor also was observed. 24 R. rosea inhibited tumor dissemination in mice in another report. 25 Several studies, also from the same authors, confirm the ability of R. rosea to exert anticarcinogenic actions and include the following: R. rosea inhibits growth rate of Ehrlich tumor and Pliss lymphosarcoma 26 and protects myelopoietic tissue from cyclophosphamide toxicity. 27
Several articles investigated antiarrhythmic effects of R. rosea extract in animal models. 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 This effect may be due to an ability to induce opioid biosynthesis, 28 and may be related to stimulation of peripheral kappa-opioid receptors. 29 , 30 Rats pretreated with R. rosea did not experience a decrease in cardiac contractility leading to stability in contractility of heart tissue after cold stress was induced. 34
Other effects of R. rosea include the following: increase in fertility maturation markers such as follicular growth and uterine lining proliferation in mice. 35
Clinical dataRussian researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of R. rosea in foreign students during a stressful examination period. Improvement was seen in the treated group in the areas of physical fitness, mental fatigue, and neuromotor tests. 36 Rhodaxon , an adaptogen preparation based on R. rosea extract, was tested by the same authors in Russian high school students. It also demonstrated positive effects upon their physical and intellectual working capacity. 37 In a double-blind, crossover study of R. rosea extract administered to 56 young, healthy physicians experiencing fatigue during night duty, improvement was seen in overall levels of mental fatigue, including complex perceptive and cognitive cerebral functions. 38
Improved sleep patterns were demonstrated under the area of “adaptogenic effects.” 36 , 37 , 38 In addition, Rhodiola was effective in modulating sleep architecture and improving sleep quality in men living at high altitudes. 39
Psychostimulant effects of R. rosea were studied in 53 healthy patients and 412 with neuroses and asthenic syndromes. Fatigue, lack of appetite, irritability, and other symptoms responded favorably to R. rosea 50 mg doses 3 times/day. 40 In a 128-patient study, R. rosea alleviated fatigue, distractibility, headache, and other vegetative symptoms in 64% of cases. 41 In schizophrenic patients whose anticholinergic medications failed to relieve parkinsonian symptoms, R. rosea was found to be of benefit. 40 , 41
R. rosea extract administration improved certain parameters in superficial bladder carcinoma in a 12-patient study. 42
Other effects of R. rosea include the following: restoration of normal menses in 25 of 40 women suffering from amenorrhea, 35 improvement in 26 of 35 men with erectile dysfunction and/or premature ejaculation given R. rosea 150 to 200 mg/day for 3 months, 43 , 44 and efficacy of the plant to treat odontogenic inflammatory disease. 45
Dosage
Rhodiola has been examined in a clinical trial for acute lung injury at a 4 g daily dose. 46
Pregnancy/Lactation
Data on safety and appropriateness of R. rosea in pregnancy and lactation are lacking. 5
Interactions
None well documented.
Adverse Reactions
Research reveals little or no information regarding adverse reactions with the use of this product.
Toxicology
R. rosea has a very low level of toxicity in rats. The LD 50 was calculated to be approximately 3.4 g/kg (equal to 235 g in a 70 kg person). 47 Clinical doses are commonly 200 to 600 mg/day. 1 R. rosea was reported safe in acute and subacute toxicity studies. 18 No side effects were reported in a 56-patient study. 38
Bibliography
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3. Ganzera M, Yayla Y, Khan IA. Analysis of the marker compounds of Rhodiola rosea L. (golden root) by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Chem Pharm Bull . 2001;49:465-467.
4. Linh PT, Kim YH, Hong SP, Jian JJ, Kang JS. Quantitative determination of salidroside and tyrosol from the underground part of Rhodiola rosea by high performance liquid chromatography. Arch Pharm Res . 2000;23:349-352.
5. Kelly GS. Rhodiola rosea : a possible plant adaptogen. Altern Med Rev . 2001;6:293-302.
6. Rohloff J. Volatiles from rhizomes of Rhodiola rosea L. Phytochemistry . 2002;59:655-661.
7. Lee MW, Lee YA, Park HM, et al. Antioxidative phenolic compounds from the roots of Rhodiola sachalinensis A. Bor. Pharm Res . 2000;23:455-458.
8. Germano C, Ramazanov Z. Artic Root (Rhodiola rosea): The Powerful New Ginseng Alternative . New York: Kensington Health Books; 1999.
9. Kurkin VA, Zapesochnaya GG. Chemical composition and pharmacological properties of Rhodiola rosea . Chem Pharm J . 1986;20:1231-1244.
10. Petkov VD, Yonkov D, Mosharoff A, et al. Effects of alcohol aqueous extract from Rhodiola rosea L. roots on learning and memory. Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg . 1986;12:3-16.
11. Saratikov A, Marina TF, Fisanova LL. Effect of golden root extract on processes of serotonin synthesis in CNS. J Biol Sci . 1978;6:142.
12. Pogorelyi VE, Makarova LM. Rhodiola rosea extract for prophylaxis of ischemic cerebral circulation disorder [in Russian]. Eksp Klin Farmakol . 2002;65:19-22.
13. Ip S, Che CT, Leung PS. Association of free radicals and the tissue renin-angiotensin system: prospective effects of Rhodiola , a genus of Chinese herb, on hypoxia-induced pancreatic injury. JOP . 2001;2:16-25.
14. Udintsev SN, Shakhov VP, Borovskoi IG, Ibragimova SG. The effect of low concentrations of adaptogen solutions on the functional activity of murine bone marrow cells in vitro [in Russian]. Biofizika . 1991;36:105-108.
15. Udintsev SN, Shakhov VP. The role of humoral factors of regenerating liver in the development of experimental tumors and the effect of Rhodiola rosea extract on this process. Neoplasma . 1991;38:323-331.
16. Udintsev SN, Shakhov VP, Borovskoi IG. Mechanism of differential effect of low dose adaptogens on the functional activity of normal and transformed cellular elements in vitro [in Russian]. Biofizika . 1991;36:624-627.
17. Salikhova RA, Aleksandrova IV, Mazurik VK, Mikhailov VF, Ushenkova LN, Poroshenko GG. Effect of Rhodiola rosea on the yield of mutation alterations and DNA repair in bone marrow cells [in Russian]. Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter . Oct-Dec 1997;22-24.
18. Rege NN, Thatte UM, Dahanuker SA. Adaptogenic properties of six rasayana herbs used in Ayurvedic medicine. Phytother Res . 1999;13:275-291.
19. Boon-Niermeijer EK, van den Berg A, Wikman G, Wiegant FA. Phyto-adaptogens protect against environmental stress-induced death of embryos from the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis . Phytomedicine . 2000;7:389-399.
20. Lishmanov IuB, Trifonova ZhV, Tsibin AN, Maslova LV, Dement'eva LA. Plasma beta-endorphin and stress hormones in stress and adaptation [in Russian]. Biull Eksp Biol Med . 1987;103:422-424.
21. Azizov AP, Seifulla RD. The effect of elton, leveton, fitoton and adapton on the work capacity of experimental animals [in Russian]. Eksp Klin Farmakol . 1998;61:61-63.
22. Lazarova MB, Petkov VD, Markovska VL, et al. Effects of meclofenoxate and Extr. Rhodiolae roseae L. on electroconvulsive shock-impaired learning and memory in rats. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol . 1986;8:547-552.
23. Razina TG, Zueva EP, Amosova EN, Krylova SG. Medicinal plant preparations used as adjuvant therapeutics in experimental oncology [in Russian]. Eksp Klin Farmakol . 2000;63:59-61.
24. Udintsev SN, Schakhov VP. Decrease of cyclophosphamide hematotoxicity by Rhodiola rosea root extract in mice with Ehrlich and Lewis transplantable tumors. Eur J Cancer . 1991;27:1182.
25. Udintsev SN, Krylova SG, Fomina TI. The enhancement of the efficacy of adriamycin by using hepatoprotectors of plant origin in metastases of Ehrlich's adenocarcinoma to the liver in mice [in Russian]. Vopr Onkol . 1992;38:1217-1222.
26. Udintsev S, Shakhov VP. Decrease in the growth rate of Ehrlich's tumor and Pliss' lymphosarcoma with partial hepatectomy [in Russian]. Vopr Onkol . 1989;35:1072-1075.
27. Udintsev SN, Shakhov VP. Changes in clonogenic properties of bone marrow and transplantable mice tumor cells during combined use of cyclophosphane and biological response modifiers of adaptogenic origin [in Russian]. Eksp Onkol . 1990;12:55-56.
28. Lishmanov IuB, Maslova LV, Maslov LN, Dan'shina EN. The anti-arrhythmia effect of Rhodiola rosea and its possible mechanism [in Russian]. Biull Eksp Biol Med . 1993;116:175-176.
29. Maimeskulova LA, Maslov LN, Lishmanov IuB, Krasnov EA. The participation of the mu-, delta- and kappa-opioid receptors in the realization of the anti-arrhythmia effect of Rhodiola rosea [in Russian]. Eksp Klin Farmakol . 1997;60:38-39.
30. Maslov LN, Lishmanov IuB, Naumova AV, Lasukova TV. Do endogenous ligands of peripheral mu- and delta-opiate receptors mediate anti-arrhythmic and cardioprotective effects of Rhodiola rosea extract [in Russian]? Biull Eksp Biol Med . 1997;124:151-153.
31. Lishmanov IuB, Naumova AV, Afanas'ev SA, Maslov LN. Contribution of the opioid system to realization of inotropic effects of Rhodiola rosea extracts in ischemic and reperfusion heart damage in vitro [in Russian]. Eksp Klin Farmakol . 1997;60:34-36.
32. Maimeskulova LA, Maslov LN. The anti-arrhythmia action of an extract of Rhodiola rosea and of n-tyrosol in models of experimental arrhythmias [in Russian]. Eksp Klin Farmakol . 1998;61:37-40.
33. Maslov LN, Lishmanov IuB, Maimeskulova LA, Krasnov EA. Mechanism of the anti-arrhythmic effect of Rhodiola rosea extract [in Russian]. Biull Eksp Biol Med . 1998;125:424-426.
34. Afanas'ev SA, Alekseeva ED, Bardamova IB, Maslova LV, Lishmanov IuB. Cardiac contractile function following acute cooling of the body and the adaptogenic correction of its disorders [in Russian]. Biull Eksp Biol Med . 1993;116:480-483.
35. Gerasimova, H. Effect of Rhodiola rosea extract on ovarian functional activity. Proceedings of Scientific Conference on Endocrinology and Gynecology, Sverdlovsk, Russia. 1970 Sept. 15-16 . Kemerovo-city, Russia: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 46-48.
36. Spasov AA, Wikman GK, Madrikov VB, Mironova IA, Neumoin VV. A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of the stimulating and adaptogenic effect of Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 extract on the fatigue of students caused by stress during an examination period with a repeated low-dose regimen. Phytomedicine . 2000;7:85-89.
37. Spasov AA, Mandrikov VB, Mironova IA. The effect of the preparation rodakson on the psychophysiological and physical adaptation of students to an academic load [in Russian]. Eksp Klin Farmakol . 2000;63:76-78.
38. Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, Gabrielian E, Wikman G, Wagner H. Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue—a double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine . 2000;7:365-371.
39. Ha Z, Zhu Y, Zhang X, et al. The effect of Rhodiola and acetazolamide on the sleep architecture and blood oxygen saturation in men living at high altitude [in Chinese]. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi . 2002;25:527-530.
40. Krasik ED, Petrova KF, Rogulina GA, Shemetova LYa, Shuvayeva. New data on the therapy of asthenic conditions (clinical prospects for the use of Rhodiola extracts). Proceedings of All-Russia Conference: Urgent Problems in Psychopharmacology, 1970 May 26-29 . Sverdlovsk, Russia: Sverdlovsk Press 1970;215-217.
41. Krasik ED, Morozova ES, Petrova KP, Ragulina GA, Shemetova LA, Shuvaev VP. Therapy of asthenic conditions: clinical perspectives of application of R. rosea extract (golden root). Proceedings Modern Problems in Psycho-Pharmacology . Kemerovo-city, Russia: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences: 1970;298-330.
42. Bocharova OA, Matveev BP, Baryshnikov AIu, Figurin KM, Serebriakova RV, Bodrova NB. The effect of a Rhodiola rosea extract on the incidence of recurrences of a superficial bladder cancer (experimental clinical research) [in Russian]. Urol Nefrol . Mar-Apr 1995;46-47.
43. Saratikov AS, Krasnov EA. Clinical studies of Rhodiola . In: Saratikov AS, Krasnov EA, eds. Rhodiola rosea Is a Valuable Medicinal Plant (Golden Root) . Tomsk, Russia: Tomsk State University Press; 1987;216-227.
44. Saratikov AS, Krasnov EA. Stimulative properties of Rhodiola rosea. In: Saratikov AS, Krasnov EA, eds. Rhodiola rosea Is a Valuable Medicinal Plant (Golden Root) . Tomsk, Russia: Tomsk State University; 1987;69-90.
45. Alekhova TM, Iaremenko AI, Lobanov SA, Belozub EA. The experimental evaluation of the efficacy of using a Rhodiola rosea extract for treating odontogenic inflammatory diseases [in Russian]. Stomatologiia . 1996; Spec No: 42-43.
46. Xu KJ, Zhang SF, Li QX. Preventative and treatment effect of composite Rhodiolae on acute lung injury in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension during extracorporeal circulation [in Chinese]. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi . 2003;23:648-650.
47. Kurkin VA, Zapesochinaya GG. Chemical composition and pharmacological characteristics of Rhodiola rosea [review]. J Med Plants . 1985;1231-1445.
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