This is Starwest's nitrogen-flushed double-wall silverfoil pack.

Used as a food, food additive, infusion, decoction and extract.

Traditional folk medicine used R. rosea to increase physical endurance, work productivity, longevity, resistance to high altitude sickness, and to treat fatigue, depression, anemia, impotence, gastrointestinal ailments, infections, and nervous system disorders.

Rhodiola rosea: A Possible Plant Adaptogen - evaluation of therapeutic properties

Alternative Medicine Review, June, 2001 (Altern Med Rev 2001;6(3):293-302)

by Gregory S. Kelly (abridged)

numbered references online at: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDN/is_3_6/ai_76487131

Rhodiola rosea is a popular plant in traditional medical systems in Eastern Europe and Asia 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.

Rhodiola rosea is widely distributed at high altitudes in Arctic and mountainous regions throughout Europe and Asia. It is a popular plant in traditional medical systems in Eastern Europe and Asia, with a reputation for stimulating the nervous system, decreasing depression, enhancing work performance, eliminating fatigue, and preventing high altitude sickness.[1]

In addition to Rhodiola rosea, over 200 different species of Rhodiola have been identified and at least 20 are used in traditional medical systems in Asia, including R. alterna, R. brevipetiolata, R. crenulata, R. kirilowii, R. quadrifida, R. sachalinensis, and R. sacra.

Rhodiola rosea has been intensively studied in Russia and Scandinavia for more than 35 years. Although the majority of this research on Rhodiola rosea is unavailable for review, available literature is supportive of its adaptogenic properties. Similar to other plant adaptogens investigated by Russian researchers, such as Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng) and Panax ginseng (Korean ginseng), extracts of this plant produce favorable changes in a variety of diverse areas of physiological function, including neurotransmitter levels, central nervous system activity, and cardiovascular function.

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. Origination of the term adaptogen has been dated to 1947 and credited to a Russian scientist, Lazarev. He defined an ''adaptogen'' as an agent that allows an organism to counteract adverse physical, chemical, or biological stressors by generating non-specific resistance. Inherent in his definition is the concept that administration of the adaptogenic agent allows an organism to pre-adapt itself in a manner that allows it to be more capable of responding appropriately when diverse demands are eventually placed on it. In 1969, Brekhman and Dardymov proposed specific criteria that need to be fulfilled in order for a substance to qualify as an adaptogen (Table 1).

The utility of plant adaptogens is analogous to the training an athlete undergoes in order to prepare for competition. Plant adaptogens cause our physiology to begin the adaptation process to stress. When a stressful situation occurs, consuming adaptogens generates a degree of generalized adaptation (or non-specific resistance) that allows our physiology to handle the stressful situation in a more resourceful manner.

As an example of this process, Rhodiola rosea administration promotes a moderate increase in the amount of serum immunoreactive beta-endorphin in rats under basal conditions. This moderate increase is similar to that found when rats are adapted to exercise. When Rhodiola rosea-treated rats were subjected to a 4-hour period of non-specific stress, the expected elevation in beta-endorphin was either not observed or substantially decreased. Consequently, the characteristic perturbations of the HPA were decreased or totally prevented.[3] In these rats administration of Rhodiola rosea appears to have generated non-specific resistance and prepared the rats to respond more appropriately to the eventual stressful situation.

Dosage and Toxicity

In the two double-blind clinical trials, the dose of a standardized Rhodiola rosea extract ranged from 100-170 mg per day. The content of rosavin consumed in these daily doses is approximately 3.6-6.14 mg. The therapeutic dose of available Rhodiola rosea preparations will vary depending on degree of standardization; however, for chronic administration rosavin content within the above range seems prudent.

This would suggest a dose of approximately 360-600 mg Rhodiola rosea daily of an extract standardized for one-percent rosavin, 180-300 mg of an extract standardized for two-percent rosavin, or the dose of between 100-170 mg for an extract standardized for 3.6-percent rosavin.

As an adaptogen, chronic administration is normally begun several weeks prior to a period of expected increased physiological, chemical, or biological strain, and continued throughout the duration of the challenging event or activity. When using Rhodiola rosea as a single dose for acute purposes (e.g., for an exam or athletic competition), the suggested dose is three times the dose used for chronic supplementation.

The Russian approach to long-term supplementation with adaptogens generally calls for repeating cycles characterized by short periods of adaptogen administration, followed by an interval with no supplementation.[26] Rhodiola rosea has been administered for periods ranging from as little as one day (acute administration) up to four months.

Until more specific information is available, a dosing regime following the established patterns used with other plant adaptogens, with periodic intervals of abstinence, seems warranted when Rhodiola rosea is being used chronically.

At the doses administered in the clinical trials, a complete absence of all side effects has been reported. However, preliminary clinical feedback indicates that at doses of 1.5-2.0 grams and above of Rhodiola rosea extract standardized for two-percent rosavin, some individuals might experience an increase in irritability and insomnia within several days. It is possible that other physiological parameters that benefit from a lower dose of Rhodiola rosea extract might be exacerbated by a dose that is inappropriately high and/or sustained for prolonged periods of time.

Evidence on the safety and appropriateness of Rhodiola rosea supplementation during pregnancy and lactation is currently unavailable.

Conclusion

Consistent with benefits found with other adaptogenic substances, Rhodiola rosea appears to offer generalized resistance to physical, chemical, and biological stressors. Available evidence suggests it can be a suitable substitute in conditions where other adaptogens might be considered.

However, Rhodiola rosea also appears to be unique among the currently available adaptogenic herbs and might offer an advantage in some clinical conditions and stressful circumstances. Unlike Korean and Siberian ginseng, which are thought to exert their adaptogenic activity primarily at the level of HPA function,[27-29] Rhodiola rosea appears to exert its adaptogenic effects by working centrally and peripherally on monoamine and opioid synthesis, transport, and receptor activity. If this is in fact the case in humans, it suggests the potential for therapeutic utility of Rhodiola rosea in conditions not particularly responsive to administration of ginseng products. It also suggests the possibility of potential synergistic interactions among Rhodiola rosea and other plant adaptogens.

Based on the proposed mechanism of action and available experimental data, Rhodiola rosea appears to offer an advantage over other adaptogens in circumstances of acute stress. A single dose of Rhodiola rosea prior to acute stress produces favorable results and prevents stress-induced disruptions in function and performance. Acute stress tends to initially impact monoamine levels and endorphins, while chronic stress places greater demands on the HPA axis. While this is a generalization and there is obvious overlap in the stress response, Rhodiola does seem to exert a pronounced effect on aspects of the acute stress response. Since many stressful situations are acute in nature, and sometimes unexpected, an adaptogen that can be taken acutely in these circumstances, rather than requiring chronic advance supplementation, could be very useful.

Rhodiola rosea also offers some cardioprotective benefits not associated with other adaptogens. Its proposed ability to moderate stress-induced damage and dysfunction in cardiovascular tissue might make Rhodiola rosea the adaptogen of choice among patients at higher risk for cardiovascular disease.

Since Rhodiola rosea administration appears to impact central monoamine levels, it might also provide benefits and be the adaptogen of choice in clinical conditions characterized by an imbalance of central nervous system monoamines. This is consistent with Russian claims for improvements in depression and schizophrenia. It also suggests that research in areas such as seasonal affective disorder, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome, to name a few clinical conditions, is warranted.

Administration of Rhodiola rosea appears to have potential as an anticancer agent, and might be useful in conjunction with some pharmaceutical antitumor agents. While available evidence is limited to animal models, results appear promising. This is an area that would benefit from additional research.

The clearest indication for Rhodiola rosea administration is for the asthenic condition resulting from acute or chronic overwork, which may manifest as decline in work performance, sleep disturbances, poor appetite, irritability, hypertension, headaches, and fatigue.

Some animal and preliminary clinical evidence suggests the need for a narrow range of therapeutic dosage of Rhodiola rosea, above and below which beneficial physiological effects might be less likely. Because of this, it seems prudent to keep doses at a moderate level both in terms of the quantity and duration of supplementation. While Rhodiola rosea appears to be a promising plant medicine, and has been investigated intensively in Russia, additional research is required before any conclusions with respect to its therapeutic utility can be made.