Rhodiola rosea
Golden root
Rhodiola rosea, commonly known as Roseroot or Golden Root, is a powerful adaptogen native to cold, mountainous regions. Renowned for its ability to enhance stress resilience, this medicinal herb supports mental clarity, combats fatigue, and balances hormonal function, making it a vital botanical tool for physical and emotional wellness.
- Scientific name: Rhodiola rosea
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Saxifragales, specifically within the family Crassulaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Rhodiola.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Saxifragales | WCVP |
| Family | Crassulaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Rhodiola | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Rhodiola rosea, is recognized by various common names across different linguistic regions. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 蔷薇红景天 (zh-hans) or 蔷薇红景天 (zh-cn), while in Traditional Chinese contexts, it is commonly called 紅景天 (zh-hant) and 紅景天 (zh-hk). Additionally, in Singapore, the name used is 红景天 (zh-sg).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 蔷薇红景天 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 紅景天 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 紅景天 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 蔷薇红景天 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 红景天 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 紅景天 | Wikidata |
| is | Burnirót | Wikidata |
| pl | różeniec górski | Wikidata |
| ru | Родиола розовая | Wikidata |
| mn | Алтан гагнуур | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several regions within Northern Europe. Specifically, it can be found growing in the rugged landscapes of Finland. Its presence extends to the remote islands of Føroyaar and Iceland. Additionally, the species is native to the territories of Great Britain and Ireland. Together, these locations represent the key northern habitats for this medicinal species.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Føroyar | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Iceland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Svalbard | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as Arctic root, derives its primary medicinal potency from its specialized underground part. Specifically, the most bioactive components are concentrated within the thick, fleshy rhizomes that grow beneath the soil surface. While often referred to simply as the root in herbal literature, the medicinal extract is technically harvested from these creeping rhizomes rather than a singular tap root. Therefore, when preparing herbal remedies, it is the robust rhizome structure that serves as the essential source of its adaptogenic properties.- Total parts
- 15
- Scientific sources
- 31
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| roots | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| rhizomes | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| root | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| rhizome | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| underground part | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rose root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root cultures | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| in vitro callus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cell suspension | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| biomass | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Rhodiola rosea has 46 reported phytochemicals identified across 107 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include salidroside, rosavin, Salidroside, tyrosol, rosin.
- Total chemicals
- 46
- Scientific sources
- 107
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| salidroside | 25 | ★★★★★ |
| rosavin | 12 | ★★★★★ |
| Salidroside | 11 | ★★★★★ |
| tyrosol | 7 | ★★★★☆ |
| rosin | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| rosavins | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| cinnamyl alcohol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| p-tyrosol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| rhodionin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Rhodiola rosea has 21 reported activities identified across 58 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Adaptogenic, Antioxidant, Adaptogen, Anticancer, Neuroprotective.
- Total activities
- 21
- Scientific sources
- 58
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptogenic | 10 | ★★★★★ |
| Antioxidant | 10 | ★★★★★ |
| Adaptogen | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| Anticancer | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Neuroprotective | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antidepressant | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antimutagenic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cardioprotective | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiaging | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Rhodiola rosea has 71 reported medicinal uses identified across 108 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include depression, cancer, anxiety, neurodegenerative diseases, oxidative stress.
- Total uses
- 71
- Scientific sources
- 108
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| depression | 9 | ★★★★☆ |
| cancer | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| anxiety | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| neurodegenerative diseases | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| antidepressants | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| fatigue | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Parkinson's disease | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |