Roseroot: Miraculous Herb to manage Depression and Mental fatigue
Recent
researches has concluded the miraculous qualities of roseroot herb for treating
depression and mental fatigue. Rhodiola rosea (commonly golden root, rose root,
roseroot, western roseroot, Aaron's rod, Arctic root, king's crown, lignum
rhodium, orpin rose) is a perennial flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae.
It grows in cold regions of the world, including much of the Arctic, the
mountains of Central Asia, scattered in eastern North America from Baffin Island
to the mountains of North Carolina, and mountainous parts of Europe, such as the
Alps, Pyrenees, and Carpathian Mountains, Scandinavia, Iceland, Great Britain
and Ireland. It grows on sea cliffs and on mountains at altitudes up to 2280
meters. Several shoots grow from the same thick root. Shoots may reach 5 to 35
cm in height. R. rosea is dioecious � having separate female and male plants.
Some studies have found support for it having antidepressant effects. It is not
approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to cure, treat, or
prevent any disease. In fact, the FDA has forcibly removed some products
containing R. rosea from the market due to disputed claims that it treats
cancer, anxiety, influenza, the common cold, bacterial infections, and
migraines.
R. rosea may be effective for improving mood and alleviating depression. Pilot
studies on human subjects showed it improves physical and mental performance,
and may reduce fatigue.
In Russia and Scandinavia, R. rosea has been used for centuries to cope with the
cold Siberian climate and stressful life. Such effects were provided with
evidence in laboratory models of stress using the nematode C. elegans, and in
rats in which Rhodiola effectively prevented stress-induced changes in appetite,
physical activity, weight gain and the estrus cycle.
The plant has been used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called h�ng
jǐng tiān. The medicine can be used to prevent altitude sickness. The aerial
portion is consumed as food in some parts of the world, sometimes added to
salads.
Phytochemicals and health effects
Research regarding R. rosea efficacy is contradictory. While some evidence
suggests that the herb may be helpful for enhancing physical performance and
alleviating mental fatigue, methodological flaws limit accurate assessment of
efficacy. A rigorously-designed well reported RCT that minimizes bias is needed
to determine true efficacy of R. rosea for fatigue.
Scientists have identified about 140 chemical compounds in the subterranean
portions of R. rosea. Rhodiola roots contain phenols, rosavin, rosin, rosarin,
organic acids, terpenoids, phenolcarbonic acids and their derivatives,
flavonoids, anthraquinones, and alkaloids.
The chemical composition of the essential oil from R. rosea root growing in
different countries varies. For example, rosavin, rosarin and rosin at their
highest concentration according to many tests can be found only in R. rosea of
Russian origin; the main component of the essential oil from Rhodiola growing in
Bulgaria are geraniol and myrtenol; in China the main components are geraniol
and 1-octanol; and in India the main component is phenylethilic alcohol.
Cinnamic alcohol was discovered only in the sample from Bulgaria.
Although rosavin, rosarin, rosin and salidroside (and sometimes p-tyrosol,
rhodioniside, rhodiolin and rosiridin) are among suspected active ingredients of
R. rosea, these compounds are mostly polyphenols. There is no evidence that
these chemicals have any physiological effect in humans that could prevent or
reduce risk of disease.
Although these phytochemicals are typically mentioned as specific to Rhodiola
extracts, there are many other constituent phenolic antioxidants, including
proanthocyanidins, quercetin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid and kaempferol.
A herb used in traditional European folk medicine for over 3,000 years could be
a potential treatment option for depression, according to the results of a new
study. The study, published in Phytomedicine, was led by Dr. Jun J. Mao, an
associate professor of family medicine, community health and epidemiology at the
Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania.
Rhodiola rosea, also referred to as roseroot, has been used in traditional folk
medicine to promote work endurance, increase longevity and promote resistance to
several health conditions including fatigue, altitude sickness and depression.
Ancient Greeks, Vikings, Caucasians, prehistoric Siberians and Mongolians, and
ancient Chinese emperors were all taken with the medicinal properties of the
wild herb Rhodiola rosea (golden root or roseroot). Many centuries after it was
introduced to Siberia, people there still say those who drink roseroot tea will
live to be 100. Now new research has shown that this ancient medicinal herb may
also be effective in treating depression.
Since 1960, more than 180 studies have been done to gauge the efficacy of
roseroot in promoting health. Now medical researchers at the University of
Pennsylvania have done the �first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled,
comparison trial of oral R. rosea extract versus conventional antidepressant
therapy of mild to moderate� depression. This latest research, along with
previous studies, found that the ancients were right to be enamored with
roseroot: It works not just in reducing some symptoms of depression, but it also
gave �significant reductions in fatigue, depression, and performance ratings� in
two groups tested in another study.
In ancient times, Siberians found the root so valuable they would trade it for
wine, fruit and honey �In Siberia to this day, it is said that people who drink
Rhodiola rosea tea will live to be more than 100,� the MDidea article states.
�The herb still is given to newlyweds to assure fertility and the birth of
healthy children. For centuries the details of how and where to harvest the wild
root were a closely guarded secret among members of certain Siberian families,
who would transport Rhodiola rosea down ancient trails in the Altai and Caucasus
mountains and trade it for Georgian wine, fruit, and honey.�
�Rhodiola has a legendary history dating back thousands of years,� says
herbwisdom.com. �In 77 A.D., the Greek physician Dioscorides documented the
medical applications of the plant, which he then called rodia riza, in his
classic medical text De Materia Medica. The Vikings depended on the herb to
enhance their physical strength and endurance, while Chinese emperors sent
expeditions to Siberia to bring back the golden root� for medicinal
preparations. The people of central Asia considered a tea brewed from Rhodiola
rosea to be the most effective treatment for cold and flu. Mongolian physicians
prescribed it for tuberculosis and cancer.�
Clinical trials supporting therapeutic claims are of limited quality. R. rosea
may have beneficial effects in managing mild to moderate depression and mental
fatigue. Results from trials evaluating adaptogenic properties and physical
endurance are equivocal.
Three cinnamyl alcohol vicianosides (rosavin, rosin, rosarin) have been found to
be specific to R. rosea.These 3 substances, along with rosiridin and salidroside,
are the 5 marker compounds that must be present to reliably identify R. rosea.
R. rosea extracts used in most clinical trials were standardized to a minimum of
3% rosavins and 0.8% to 1% salidroside, the naturally occurring ratio in the
plant.
The phenylethanol derivatives salidroside (rhodioloside) and tyrosol have been
found in the underground part of the plants. Flavonoids in R. rosea include
rodiolin, rodinin, rodiosin, acetylrodalgin, and tricin, as well as other
catechins and proanthocyanidins. Monoterpenes include rosiridol and rosaridin,
and triterpenes include daucosterol and beta-sitosterol.Terpenes and volatile
compounds have been isolated from R. rosea and include the essential oil
components of monoterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene alcohols and straight-chain
aliphatic alcohols, n-decanol, geraniol (which is responsible for the rose-like
odor), linalool, nonanal, decanal, nerol, and cinnamyl alcohol. Phenolic acids,
including chlorogenic, hydroxycinnamic, and gallic acids, are also present.
Recent
researches has concluded the miraculous qualities of roseroot herb for treating
depression and mental fatigue. Rhodiola rosea (commonly golden root, rose root,
roseroot, western roseroot, Aaron's rod, Arctic root, king's crown, lignum
rhodium, orpin rose) is a perennial flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae.
It grows in cold regions of the world, including much of the Arctic, the
mountains of Central Asia, scattered in eastern North America from Baffin Island
to the mountains of North Carolina, and mountainous parts of Europe, such as the
Alps, Pyrenees, and Carpathian Mountains, Scandinavia, Iceland, Great Britain
and Ireland. It grows on sea cliffs and on mountains at altitudes up to 2280
meters. Several shoots grow from the same thick root. Shoots may reach 5 to 35
cm in height. R. rosea is dioecious � having separate female and male plants.
Although rosavin, rosarin, rosin and salidroside (and sometimes p-tyrosol,
rhodioniside, rhodiolin and rosiridin) are among suspected active ingredients of
R. rosea, these compounds are mostly polyphenols. There is no evidence that
these chemicals have any physiological effect in humans that could prevent or
reduce risk of disease.
�Rhodiola has a legendary history dating back thousands of years,� says
