RHODIOLA ROSEA
Rhodiola Rosea is a member of the family Crassulaceae, a family of plants native to the arctic regions of Eastern Siberia. It grows at altitudes of 11,000 to 18,000 feet above sea level. As an herb, it grows approximately 2 1/2 feet high and has yellow flowers, whose smell is similar to that of roses, thus imparting its name.
Rhodiola would be classified as an adaptogen meaning that it has a
nonspecific ability to assist the body to withstand stress and maintain normalcy
even when threatened with pathological conditions. As such it is similar to a number of
other herbs classified as adaptogenic including: Siberian ginseng, Reishi mushroom,
Ginseng, Codonopsis and Ashwagandha. In Siberia it is said that "those who drink
rhodiola tea regularly will live more than 100 years." Chinese emperors always
looking for the secret to long life and immortality sent expeditions into Siberia to
collect and bring back the plant. Being one of the most popular medicinal herbs of middle
Asia, for many years Rhodiola was illegally trafficked across the Russian border to China.
In Siberia it was taken regularly especially during the cold and wet
winters to prevent sickness. In Mongolia it was used for the treatment of tuberculosis and
cancer. Formerly regarded as a scarce plant, researchers from Tomsk State
University found significant stands of this valuable herb growing wild in
Siberia at
elevations of 5000 to 9000 feet above sea level. Subsequent research has
substantiated high life giving biological activity with no toxicity.
For the treatment of depression extracts of rhodiola, namely rosavin
and salidroside, in animal studies seem to enhance the transport of serotonin precursors,
tryptophan, and 5-hydroxytryptophan into the brain. Serotonin is a widely studied brain
neurotransmitter chemical that is involved in many functions including, smooth muscle
contraction, temperature regulation, appetite, pain perception, behavior, blood pressure
and respiration. When balanced, it imparts a a sense of contentment and mental ease.
Either too much or too little serotonin on the other hand has been linked to various
abnormal mental states such as clinical depression. Thus rhodiola has been used by Russian
scientists alone or in combination with antidepressants to boost one's mental state, a
boon in countries and seasons where one is deprived of adequate sun over prolonged periods
of months. This leads to a condition known as SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder, common to
Northern European countries.
Rhodiola has also been shown to be effective for cardiac problems
caused or aggravated by stress. Its action for these conditions is in its ability to
decrease the amount of catecholamines and corticosteroids released by the adrenal glands
during stress. The abnormal presence of these stress hormones will subsequently raise
blood pressure, cholesterol, potassium levels and increase risk factors for heart disease.
Rhodiola has been found to decrease harmful blood lipids and thus decrease the risk of
heart disease. It also decreases the amount of cyclic-AMP (c-AMP) released into cardiac
cells. Cyclic AMP is related to ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body's primary energy
molecule. C-AMP acts as a 'second messenger' or liaison between the outer and inner
environments of the cell. It assists in the uptake of more intracellular calcium into the
heart thus promoting a greater potential for heart muscle contraction. Rhodiola thus
regulates the heart beat and counteracts heart arrhythmias.
As an adaptogen, rhodiola both stimulates and protects the immune
system by reinstating homeostasis (metabolic balance) in the body. It also increases
natural killer cells (NK) in the stomach and spleen. This action may be due to its ability
to normalize hormones by modulating the release of glucocorticoid into the body.
Rhodiola has potent antioxidant properties. By limiting the adverse
effects of free radical damage, it is able to combat all the diseases associated with
aging. The presence of free radicals is associated with cell mutagenicity, the immediate
cause of cancer. Again, Russian researchers have found that the oral administration of
rhodiola inhibited tumor growth in rats 39 percent and decreased metastasis by 50 percent.
It improved urinary tissue and immunity in patients suffering with bladder cancer. In
other experiments with various types of cancer, including adenocarcinoma (cancer of
glandular tissue such as breast cancer) and lung carcinoma, the use of extracts of
rhodiola rosea resulted in significant increased survival rate.
Like Siberian ginseng, rhodiola is routinely used by athletes to
improve performance. While the mechanism is not completely understood, rhodiola seems to
improve the ratio of muscle-fat and increases hemoglovin and erythrocytes levels in the
blood. Many other benefits from the use of Rhodiola has been found including
its ability to improve hearing, to regulate blood sugar levels for diabetics and protect the liver from
environmental toxin.
Nearly 200 different rhodiola species have been identified. Only 14
have been subjected to biochemical study and it has been found that the chemical
composition and pharmacological activity of rhodiola is definitely species related. In
general rhodiola contains phenylpropanoids, proanthocyanidins and flavonoids. The most
uniquely active chemical constituents are the phenylpropanoids, rosavin (the most active),
rosin, rosarin, rhodiolin, salidroside, and its aglycon, p-tyrosol. Only Rhodiola rosea
contains rosavin, rosin and rosarin.
Essentially rhodiola rosea counteracts the effects of stress that
ultimately underlies the evolution of most diseases. The raw supplier of rhodiola rosea is
Pharmline, Inc., 41 Bridge Street, PO Box 291,
Florida, NY, 10921.Tel (914) 651-4443, Fax (914) 651-6900. They are the suppliers of
Rosavin which is a standardized form of Rhodiola rosea. Currently rhodiola is a
featured single herb Planetary Formulas product.
Rhodiola Rosea is available from Planetary Formulas Online Store
Reference: Arctic Root (Rhodiola Rosea): The Powerful New Ginseng Alternative by Carl Germano, R.D., C.N.S. L.D.N. and Zakir Ramazanov, Ph.D. published by Kensington Health Books