Rhodiola. Anti-Aging-Guide -- Your plan to stay young

Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2004 Jun;14(3):298-307.
Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise performance.
De Bock K, Eijnde BO, Ramaekers M, Hespel P.
Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy in the Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics Laboratory at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of acute and 4-week Rhodiola rosea intake on physical capacity, muscle strength, speed of limb movement, reaction time, and attention. METHODS: PHASE I: A double blind placebo-controlled randomized study (n= 24) was performed, consisting of 2 sessions (2 days per session). Day 1: One hour after acute Rhodiola rosea intake (R, 200-mg Rhodiola rosea extract containing 3% rosavin + 1% salidroside plus 500 mg starch) or placebo (P, 700 mg starch) speed of limb movement (plate tapping test), aural and visual reaction time, and the ability to sustain attention (Fepsy Vigilance test) were assessed. Day 2: Following the same intake procedure as on day 1, maximal isometric knee-extension torque and endurance exercise capacity were tested. Following a 5-day washout period, the experimental procedure was repeated, with the treatment regimens being switched between groups (session 2). PHASE II: A double blind placebo-controlled study (n = 12) was performed. Subjects underwent sessions 3 and 4, identical to Phase I, separated by a 4-week R/P intake, during which subjects ingested 200 mg R/P per day. RESULTS: PHASE I: Compared with P, acute R intake in Phase I increased (p <.05) time to exhaustion from 16.8 +/- 0.7 min to 17.2+/- 0.8 min. Accordingly, VO2peak (p <.05) and VCO2peak (p<.05) increased during R compared to P from 50.9 +/- 1.8 ml x min(-1) x kg(- )1 to 52.9 +/- 2.7 ml x min(-10) x kg(-1) (VO2peak) and from 60.0 +/- 2.3 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1) to 63.5+/- 2.7 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1) (VCO2peak). Pulmonary ventilation (p =.07) tended to increase more during R than during P (P: 115.9+/- 7.7 L/min; R: 124.8 +/- 7.7 L/min). All other parameters remained unchanged. PHASE II: Four-week R intake did not alter any of the variables measured. CONCLUSION: Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise capacity in young healthy volunteers. This response was not altered by prior daily 4-week Rhodiola intake.

Medicina (Kaunas). 2004;40(7):614-9.
Experimental analysis of therapeutic properties of Rhodiola rosea L. and its possible application in medicine.
Kucinskaite A, Briedis V, Savickas A.
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Pharmacy Organization, Kaunas University of Medicine, A. Mickeviciaus 9, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania.
The paper presents a review of the scientific publications on Rhodiola rosea L. known for its adaptogenic characteristics. Biologically active substances salidroside, rosin, rosavin, rosarin and tyrosol, which are mainly found in plant rhizomes, demonstrate therapeutic effect. These active components effect the central nervous system by increasing the ability to concentrate, the mental and physical power; they are efficient in the asthenic states and improve general resistance of the cells and the organism against the harmful outer influence. They also prevent the heart system from stress and arrhythmias, and posses some antioxidant activity. Some data confirm that the Rhodiola rosea L. preparations stop the growth of the malignant tumors and metastases in the liver. Some preclinical and clinical data of the golden root preparations are discussed in the survey. The interaction of the herb with other medicines, its usage and effect, recommended doses, and its side effects are also reviewed in the paper.

Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2003 Sep;23(9):648-50.
Preventive and treatment effect of composite Rhodiolae on acute lung injury in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension during extracorporeal circulation.
Xu KJ, Zhang SF, Li QX.
Department of Cardio-thoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Region of PLA, Lanzhou 730050.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possibility of early prevention and treatment of acute lung injury by using composite Rhodiolae (CR) in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension during extracorporeal circulation. METHODS: Seventy-six patients with severe pulmonary hypertension screened out by color 2D-Doppler ultrasonography were randomly divided into the treated group (n = 40) and the control group (n = 36). The general treatment for the two groups, including preoperational preparation, operational procedure and conventional drug therapy, was the same. To the treated group, CR was administered 4 g every day (half the dose in children) at 7-10 day before and 5-7 day after the operation. The life signs, pulmonary ventilation parameters, arterial blood gas analysis were monitored and blood levels of TXB2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in both groups were determined in the fixed time points. RESULTS: The various parameters in the treated group were all better than those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), the occurrence rate of acute lung injury and its mortality in the treated group were 7.5% (3/40) and 0% (0/3) respectively, while in the control group were 19.4% (7/36) and 43% (3/7) respectively. CONCLUSION: CR has good preventive and treatment effect in treating complicated acute lung injury during extracorporeal circulation (cardiopulmonary bypass) in patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Phytomedicine. 2003 Mar;10(2-3):95-105.
A randomized trial of two different doses of a SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract versus placebo and control of capacity for mental work.
Shevtsov VA, Zholus BI, Shervarly VI, Volskij VB, Korovin YP, Khristich MP, Roslyakova NA, Wikman G.
Centre of Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspection of the R.F. Ministry of Health, Moscow, Russia.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical study with an extra non-treatment group was performed to measure the effect of a single dose of standardized SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract on capacity for mental work against a background of fatigue and stress. An additional objective was to investigate a possible difference between two doses, one dose being chosen as the standard mean dose in accordance with well-established medicinal use as a psychostimulant/adaptogen, the other dose being 50% higher. Some physiological parameters, e.g. pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, were also measured. The study was carried out on a highly uniform population comprising 161 cadets aged from 19 to 21 years. All groups were found to have very similar initial data, with no significant difference with regard to any parameter. The study showed a pronounced antifatigue effect reflected in an antifatigue index defined as a ratio called AFI. The verum groups had AFI mean values of 1.0385 and 1.0195, 2 and 3 capsules respectively, whilst the figure for the placebo group was 0.9046. This was statistically highly significant (p < 0.001) for both doses (verum groups), whilst no significant difference between the two dosage groups was observed. There was a possible trend in favour of the lower dose in the psychometric tests. No such trend was found in the physiological tests.

J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Feb;84(2-3):143-8.
Protective effect of Rhodiola sachalinensis extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in rats.
Nan JX, Jiang YZ, Park EJ, Ko G, Kim YC, Sohn DH.
Department of Pharmacy, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 570-749, Republic of Korea.
This study was carried out to investigate the protective effect of an aqueous extract from the root of Rhodiola sachalinensis (RSE) on liver injury induced by repetitive administration of carbon tetrachloride in rats. RSE was given orally to rats at doses of 50, 100 or 200 mg/kg throughout the carbon tetrachloride treatment for 28 days. In rats treated with carbon tetrachloride, the levels of hydroxyproline and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver, and serum enzyme activities were significantly increased. RSE treatment significantly reduced the levels of liver hydroxyproline and MDA, and serum enzyme activities, in accordance with improved histological findings. Immunohistological findings indicated RSE treatment inhibited hepatic stellate cell activation, which is a major step for collagen accumulation during liver injury. These data suggest that RSE protects the liver from repetitive injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats.

Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2002 Nov-Dec;65(6):57-9.
Hepatoprotective properties of liquid extract of Rhodiola rosea.
Iaremii IN, Grigoreva NF.
Medical Chemistry Department, Bukovinian State Medical Academy, vul. Bohomoltsya 2, Chernivtsi 58000, Ukraine.
The effect of a liquid extract from Rhodiola rosea on the functional state of rat liver with experimental toxic hepatitis was studied. The extract produces a hepatoprotective effect, as manifested by normalized activity of aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase, normalized content of medium-molecular-weight peptides, urea, and bilirubin, and reduced activity of alanine aminotransferase and glutathione-S-transferase in the blood plasma of rats with the toxic hepatitis model.

Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2002 Jul-Aug;65(4):19-22.
Rhodiola rosea extract for prophylaxis of ischemic cerebral circulation disorder.
Pogorelyi VE, Makarova LM.
Pharmacology Department, State Pharmaceutical Academy, Pyatigorsk, pr. Kalinina 11, 357532 Russia.
It was experimentally established that prophylactic introduction of a Rhodiola Rosea extract prevents the ischemic brain damage development. A course administration of the drug in a dose of 700 mg/kg arrests the development of hyper- and hypoperfusion in cerebral circulation, weakens the postischemic hyperglycemic reaction, lowers oxygen extraction by cerebral tissues, suppresses lactate acidosis, promotes pyruvate participation in metabolic processes inhibits edema swelling, prevents the "calcium paradox" development, and decreases manifestations of the lipid peroxidation processes.

Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi. 2002 Sep;25(9):527-30.
The effect of rhodiola and acetazolamide on the sleep architecture and blood oxygen saturation in men living at high altitude.
Ha Z, Zhu Y, Zhang X, Cui J, Zhang S, Ma Y, Wang W, Jian X.
The 18th Hospital of PLA, Yecheng 844900, China.
OBJECTIVE: To study the changes of sleep architecture and blood oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) during sleep in men living at high altitude, and to investigate the effect of rhodiola and acetazolamide on these sleep indexes. METHODS: Twenty-four men aged 18 to 21 years who had stayed at high altitude (5 380 m above sea level) for 1 year were randomly divided into groups A (treated with oral rhodiola), B (treated with oral acetazolamide) and C (treated with rhodiola + acetazolamide). Their sleep architecture and SaO(2) were recorded for 24 days before and after taking the medicines. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, the waking SaO(2) (WSaO(2)), the lowest SaO(2) (LSaO(2)) and the mean SaO(2) (MSaO(2)) were increased significantly after treatment for 24 days (P < 0.01), and the times of oxygen desaturation >/= 4% per hour (DI4) and the percentage of time spent at SaO(2) below 80% (SIT(80)) were decreased significantly (P < 0.01). After treatment, the NREM I and II was shortened, and III + IV and REM sleep were prolonged (P < 0.01): the total waking time (TWT) was shortened, and the sleep efficiency index (SEI) was markedly increased (P < 0.01). Compared with group A's, groups B's and C's SIT(80) were increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both rhodiola and acetazolamide were effective in modulating the sleep architecture and improving the sleep quality in young men living at high altitude, but there was no synergistic effect between rhodiola and acetazolamide.

Phytother Res. 2002 Aug;16(5):467-73.
In vitro antioxidant activity of non-cultivated vegetables of ethnic Albanians in southern Italy.
Pieroni A, Janiak V, Durr CM, Ludeke S, Trachsel E, Heinrich M.
Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, The School of Pharmacy, University of London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK.
A total of 27 extracts from non-cultivated and weedy vegetables traditionally consumed by ethnic Albanians (Arbereshe) in the Vulture area (southern Italy) were tested for their free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) in the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil radical) screening assay, for their in vitro non-enzymatic inhibition of bovine brain lipid peroxidation and for their inhibition of xanthine oxidase (XO). In both antioxidant assays strong activity was shown for Leopoldia comosa (bulbs, syn.: Muscari comosum) and Centaurea calcitrapa (young whorls). In the lipid peroxidation assay, extracts from leaves of Origanum heracleoticum, Urtica dioica and Tordylium apulum showed a remarkable inhibitory activity (> 50%), too. In the case of Leopoldia comosa and Origanum heracleoticum this activity was comparable to quercetin (at a concentration of 50 microM) and Rhodiola rosea extract. Extracts from non-cultivated Cichorium intybus, Chondrilla juncea and Stellaria media showed strong in vitro inhibition of xanthine oxidase, with an activity higher than that of a reference extract from Ledum groenlandicum. These findings suggest that weedy vegetables may be useful antioxidants of interest in the prevention of ageing related diseases, CNS disorders and as potential sources of phytomedicines against hyperuricaemia and gout.

Biol Pharm Bull. 2002 Aug;25(8):1101-4.
Neuroprotective effects of constituents of the oriental crude drugs, Rhodiola sacra, R. sachalinensis and Tokaku-joki-to, against beta-amyloid toxicity, oxidative stress and apoptosis.
Mook-Jung I, Kim H, Fan W, Tezuka Y, Kadota S, Nishijo H, Jung MW.
Brain Disease Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
We tested the constituents of two Rhodiola plants, Rhodiola sacra S. H. Fu and R. sachalinensis A. BOR, and an Oriental crude drug, Tokaku-joki-to, for their neuroprotective effects. Of the 58 compounds tested, six had considerable protective effects against beta-amyloid-induced death of B103 neuronal cells in vitro. These six compounds also showed protective effects against staurosporine-induced cell death, and two of the six compounds protected neurons from H2O2-induced cell death. These results suggest that some of the tested compounds protect neurons from beta-amyloid toxicity based on antiapoptotic and antioxidative activity.

JOP. 2001 Jan;2(1):16-25.
Association of free radicals and the tissue renin-angiotensin system: prospective effects of Rhodiola, a genus of Chinese herb, on hypoxia-induced pancreatic injury.
Ip SP, Che CT, Leung PS.
School of Chinese Medicine, Department of Physiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.
The renin-angiotensin system has long been recognized as crucial factor in the regulation of the systemic blood pressure and renal electrolyte homeostasis. Numerous studies have demonstrated the presence of a local renin-angiotensin system in a variety of organs. A recent study of the pancreatic renin-angiotensin system showed that chronic hypoxia significantly increased the mRNA expression for angiotensinogen II receptor subtypes AT1b and AT2. The activation of the renin-angiotensin system may play an important role in cellular pathophysiological processes. Angiotensin II enhances the formation of reactive oxygen species via the activation of xanthine oxidase or NAD(P)H oxidase. The reactive oxygen species can cause oxidative damage in the pancreas and other tissues either directly or indirectly via the formation of other radicals such as reactive nitrogen species. Rhodiola therapy may protect hypoxia-induced pancreatic injury in two ways. It prevents hypoxia-induced biological changes by increasing intracellular oxygen diffusion and efficiency of oxygen utilization. Alternatively, it reduces hypoxia-induced oxidative damage by its antioxidant activities. Additional experimental data are required to fully elucidate the mode of action of this herbal drug.

Altern Med Rev. 2001 Jun;6(3):293-302.
Rhodiola rosea: a possible plant adaptogen.
Kelly GS.
Rhodiola rosea is a popular plant in traditional medical systems in Eastern Europe and Asian with a reputation for stimulating the nervous system, decreasing depression, enhancing work performance, eliminating fatigue, and preventing high altitude sickness. Rhodiola rosea has been categorized as an adaptogen by Russian researchers due to its observed ability to increase resistance to a variety of chemical, biological, and physical stressors. Its claimed benefits include antidepressant, anticancer, cardioprotective, and central nervous system enhancement. Research also indicates great utility in asthenic conditions (decline in work performance, sleep difficulties, poor appetite, irritability, hypertension, headaches, and fatigue) developing subsequent to intense physical or intellectual strain. The adaptogenic, cardiopulmonary protective, and central nervous system activities of Rhodiola rosea have been attributed primarily to its ability to influence levels and activity of monoamines and opioid peptides such as beta-endorphins.

Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2000 Sep-Oct;63(5):59-61.
Medicinal plant preparations used as adjuvant therapeutics in experimental oncology.
Razina TG, Zueva EP, Amosova EN, Krylova SG.
Tomsk Scientific Center, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Russia.
Experiments on mice inoculated with metastasing Lewis lung carcinoma showed that the antitumor and antimetastatic effects of cyclophosphan (cyclophosphamide) are potentiated by the extracts of phytopreparations based on Baikal scullcap (Scutellaria baikalensis), rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea), common licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and their principal acting components--baikalin, paratyrosol, and glycyrram.

Phytomedicine. 2000 Oct;7(5):365-71.
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.
Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, Gabrielian E, Wikman G, Wagner H.
Department of Neurology, Armenian State Medical University, Yerevan.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of repeated low-dose treatment with a standardized extract SHR/5 of rhizome Rhodiola rosea L, (RRE) on fatigue during night duty among a group of 56 young, healthy physicians. The effect was measured as total mental performance calculated as Fatigue Index. The tests chosen reflect an overall level of mental fatigue, involving complex perceptive and cognitive cerebral functions, such as associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation and ability of concentration, and speed of audio-visual perception. These parameters were tested before and after night duty during three periods of two weeks each: a) a test period of one RRE/placebo tablet daily, b) a washout period and c) a third period of one placebo/RRE tablet daily, in a double-blind cross-over trial. The perceptive and cognitive cerebral functions mentioned above were investigated using 5 different tests. A statistically significant improvement in these tests was observed in the treatment group (RRE) during the first two weeks period. No side-effects were reported for either treatment noted. These results suggest that RRE can reduce general fatigue under certain stressful conditions.

Arch Pharm Res. 2000 Oct;23(5):455-8.
Antioxidative phenolic compounds from the roots of Rhodiola sachalinensis A. Bor.
Lee MW, Lee YA, Park HM, Toh SH, Lee EJ, Jang HD, Kim YH.
College of Pharmacy, Chung Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
The acetone extract of the roots of Rhodiola sachalinensis has furnished six phenolic compounds which exhibited significant scavenging effects against DPPH free radical. The structures of these compounds were identified and determined as gallic acid (1), (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (2), kaempferol (3), kaempferol 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), herbacetin 7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside, (5) and rhodiolinin (6) by physico-chemical and spectral evidences.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Aug;72(2 Suppl):624S-36S.
Selected herbals and human exercise performance.
Bucci LR.
Weider Nutrition International, Salt Lake City, UT 84104-4726, USA.
Herbs have been used throughout history to enhance physical performance, but scientific scrutiny with controlled clinical trials has only recently been used to study such effects. The following herbs are currently used to enhance physical performance regardless of scientific evidence of effect: Chinese, Korean, and American ginsengs; Siberian ginseng, mahuang or Chinese ephedra; ashwagandha; rhodiola; yohimbe; CORDYCEPS: fungus, shilajit or mummio; smilax; wild oats; Muira puama; suma (ecdysterone); Tribulus terrestris; saw palmetto berries; beta-sitosterol and other related sterols; and wild yams (diosgenin). Controlled studies of Asian ginsengs found improvements in exercise performance when most of the following conditions were true: use of standardized root extracts, study duration (>8 wk, daily dose >1 g dried root or equivalent, large number of subjects, and older subjects. Improvements in muscular strength, maximal oxygen uptake, work capacity, fuel homeostasis, serum lactate, heart rate, visual and auditory reaction times, alertness, and psychomotor skills have also been repeatedly documented. Siberian ginseng has shown mixed results. Mahuang, ephedrine, and related alkaloids have not benefited physical performance except when combined with caffeine. Other herbs remain virtually untested. Future research on ergogenic effects of herbs should consider identity and amount of substance or presumed active ingredients administered, dose response, duration of test period, proper experimental controls, measurement of psychological and physiologic parameters (including antioxidant actions), and measurements of performance pertinent to intended uses.

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 1996 Nov;21(11):685-7 inside back cover.
Hypoglycemic effect of Rhodiola sachalinensis A. Bor. polysaccharides: comparison of administration in different ways.
Chem X, Di L, Wu Y, Liu X, Ren Q.
Jilin Provincial Academy of TCM and Materia Medica, Changehun.
When Rhodiola sachalinensis polysaccharides A and B (RSP A and RSP B) were intraperitoneally injected to mice at dosages of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, the result showed that RSP B was the effective hypoglycemic ingredient of Rhodiola sachalinensis. When mice were administrated in different ways, it was shown that RSP B did not possess significant hypoglycemic effect through absorption in the instestines. However, RSP B does possess significant hypoglycemic effect if administrated subcutaneously, intramuscularly, intraperitoneally and intravenously.

Eksp Klin Farmakol. 1998 Mar-Apr;61(2):37-40.
The anti-arrhythmia action of an extract of Rhodiola rosea and of n-tyrosol in models of experimental arrhythmias.
Maimeskulova LA, Maslov LN.
Department of Experimental Cardiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Tomsk Research Center, Russia.
A daily 8-day course of Rhodiolae fluidum extract (1 ml/kg; ED50 = 0.43 ml/kg)--a preparation from the group of adaptogens caused a marked preventive antiarrhythmic effect on models of adrenaline and CaCl2-induced, but not acontine, arrhythmias. Aglycone--n-tyrosol demonstrated a lower antiarrhythmic activity (ED50 = 16 mg/kg) than that of Rhodiola extract.

Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter. 1997 Oct-Dec;(4):22-4.
Effect of Rhodiola rosea on the yield of mutation alterations and DNA repair in bone marrow cells.
Salikhova RA, Aleksandrova IV, Mazurik VK, Mikhailov VF, Ushenkova LN, Poroshenko GG.
The study was made of the influence of the Rhodiola rosea extracts administration on chromosome aberrations, production of cells with micronuclei and unscheduled DNA synthesis in bone marrow cells of mice under action of mutagens cyclophosphamide and N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU). It was found that Rhodiola rosea extracts reduce significantly the yield of cells with the chromosome aberrations and micronuclei induced by cyclophosphamide in vivo, inhibit unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by NMU in vitro. It is emphasized that Rhodiola rosea extracts are antimutagens due to ability to raise the efficiency of the intracell DNA repair mechanisms.