Rhodiola
References:Abidov,M; Grachev,S; Seifulla,RD; Ziegenfuss,TN. Extract of Rhodiola rosea radix reduces the level of C-reactive protein and creatinine kinase in the blood. Bull-Exp-Biol-Med. 2004 Jul; 138(1): 63-4.
Abstract. The effects of extracts of Rhodiola rosea radix on blood levels of inflammatory C-reactive protein and creatinine kinase were studied in healthy untrained volunteers before and after exhausting exercise. Rhodiola rosea extract exhibited an antiinflammatory effect and protected muscle tissue during exercise.
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(5), 365-71.
Abstract. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of repeated low-dose treatment with a standardizedextract SHR/5 of rhizome Rhodiola rosea L, (RRE) on fatigue during night duty among a group of 56young, healthy physicians. The effect was measured as total mental performance calculated as FatigueIndex. The tests chosen reflect an overall level of mental fatigue, involving complex perceptive and cog-nitive cerebral functions, such as associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation and ability of con-centration, and speed of audio-visual perception. These parameters were tested before and after nightduty during three periods of two weeks each: a) a test period of one RRE/placebo tablet daily, b) a wash-out period and c) a third period of one placebo/RRE tablet daily, in a double-blind cross-over trial. Theperceptive 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 thefirst 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.
Spasov, A.A, Wikman, G.K, Mandrikov, V.B., Mironova, I.A. & Neumoin, V.V. 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.
Abstract. The objective was to investigate the stimulating and normalizing effect of the adaptogen Rhodiola roseaextract SHR-5 in foreign students during a stressful examination period. The study was performed as adouble-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled with low repeated dose regime. The study drug andthe placebo were taken for 20 days by the students during an examination period. The physical and mental performance were assessed before and after the period, based on objective as well as on subjectiveevaluation. The most significant improvement in the SHR-5 group was seen in physical fitness, mentalfatigue and neuro-motoric tests (p<0.01). The self-assessment of the general well-being was also signif-icantly (p<0.05) better in the verum group. No significance was seen in the correction of text tests or a neuro-muscular tapping test. The overall conclusion is that the study drug gave significant results compared to the placebo group but that the dose level probably was suboptimal.
Shevtsov,-V-A; Zholus,-B-I; Shervarly,-V-I; Vol'skij,-V-B; Korovin,-Y-P; Khristich,-M-P; Roslyakova,-N-A; Wikman. A randomized trial of two different doses of a SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract versus placebo and control of capacity for mental work. G. Phytomedicine. 2003 Mar; 10(2-3): 95-105.
Abstract. 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 FI. 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.
De-Sanctis,R; De-Bellis,R; Scesa,C; Mancini,U; Cucchiarini,L; Dacha,M. In vitro protective effect of Rhodiola rosea extract against hypochlorous acid-induced oxidative damage in human erythrocytes. Biofactors. 2004; 20(3): 147-59.
Abstract: Rhodiola rosea L. (Crassulaceae) is a plant living at high altitudes in Europe and Asia. Its roots have long been used in the traditional medical system of these geographical areas to increase the organism resistance to physical stress; today, it has become an important component of many dietary supplements. In this study we investigate the antioxidant capacity of the R. rosea aqueous extract evaluating its ability to counteract some of the main damages induced by hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a powerful oxidant generated by activated phagocytes, to human erythrocytes. Ascorbic acid was used as a reference substance because of its physiological HOCl-scavenging ability. Our study demonstrates that R. rosea is able to significantly protect, in a dose-dependent manner, human RBC from glutathione (GSH) depletion, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) inactivation and hemolysis induced by the oxidant. Furthermore, we demonstrate that R. rosea aqueous extract acts from the inside of the erythrocyte suggesting a probable involving of cell components. The protection on GSH afforded by the R. rosea extract with respect to ascorbic acid, occurred also if added 2 or 5 min. later than the oxidant, suggesting a more rapid or powerful effect.
Germano C, Ramazanov Z, Bernal Suarez M. Arctic Root (Rhodiola Rosea):The Powerful New Ginseng Alternative. New York, NY: Kensington Publishing Corp; 1999.
Maslova, L.V., Kondrat'ev BIu, Maslov, L.N. & Lishmanov IuB. (1994). The cardioprotective and antiadrenergic activity of an extract of Rhodiola rosea in stress. Eksperimental'naia i klinicheskaia farmakologiia, 57(6), 61-63.
Petkov, V.D., Yonkov, D., Mosharoff A., Kambourova, T., Alova, L., Petkov, V.V. & Todorov, I. (1986). Effects of alcohol aqueous extract from Rhodiola rosea L. roots on learning and memory. Acta physiologica et pharmacologica Bulgarica, 12(1), 3-16.