Rhodiola, Rose root

Rosewort
Hong Jing Tian  红景天  (TCM)
Sro lo dmar po   སྲོ་ལོ་དམར་པོ  (Tibet)
Picture Picture
Rhodiola
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

Rhodiola rosea
New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

Picture Rhodiola rosea
Seboth & Graf, Die Alpenpflanzen nach der Natur gemalt, 1839

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Botanical name:


Rhodiola rosea (syn. Sedum roseum, S. rhodiola)

Parts used:


Root

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry. Sweet, Bitter

Classification:


N. Tonics

Uses:


1. Tonify Qi of the Lung and Spleen (Tibetan, Western):
-Fatigue, shortness of Breath, Asthma (TCM)
-chronic diseases and in convalescence.
-regarded as important (in compound) for Altitude Sickness in China and Tibet, but the herb singly has not shown these effects in trials.
-enhances strength and vigor.
-aids development of children (Tibetan)
-adjunct in Cancer treatment. (Modern)
    
2. Nourishes the Heart, Calm the Spirit:
-increases mental clarity and alertness, cognitive function, performance, and memory
-Insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep (Tibet)
-good for students and for those under mental stress.
-useful for some psychiatric and neurological disorders.

3. Moves the Blood Clears Stasis:
-Chest constriction, Heart pain (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
-Apoplexy (TCM)
-promotes Menstruation (West)

4. Clears Lung Heat (Tibetan):
-Cough, Asthma, Pneumonia, Tuberculosis, Hemoptysis
-‘Lung Fever’; Colds
   
5. Strengthen Kidney, Benefit Yang:
-Lower Back Pain, Impotence.
-Arthritic disorders.
   
6. Clears Heat, Resolve Toxin:
-Fever and poisoning
-Skin diseases in Tibetan Medicine.

7. Externally:
-chewed to sweeten the breath
Dioscorides described its use being bruised and applied to the head for Headaches.
-topically for Malignant Ulcers by Scottish highlanders.


Dose:


Decoction: 3–6 grams
Powder: 1–3 grams

Comment:


… available in PRO version.

Substitute:


… available in PRO version.
Picture

Main Combinations:


1. Cough and Lung complaints:
i. Rhodiola … available in PRO version.
ii. Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
iii. Lung Heat Cough, Hemoptysis, Chest Pain, Pneumonia, Geranium pratense with Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
iv. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
v. Cough with yellow phlegm or phlegm with pus, chronic Lung infection, Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
vi. Heat-type Cough, Pneumonia in children, Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
2. Fever from Influenza, chronic Cough with expectoration of phlegm, Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
3. Pneumonia:
i. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
ii. Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
4. Lung deficiency Chronic Cough or Wheezing:
i. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
ii. Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
iii. Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
iv. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
v. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
vi. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
5. Altitude Sickness:
i. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
ii. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
iii. Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
6. Amenorrhea:
i. Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
ii. Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
iii. Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
7. Bleeding, Rhodiola, … available in PRO version.
8. Apoplexy, Parslysis, Rhodiola with … available in PRO version.
9. Depression, Rhodiola and … available in PRO version.

Major Formula:


Rhodiola 4 Decoction (Sro lo bzhi thang) (Tibetan Medicine)
Bezoar 13 (Gi wan 13) (Tibetan Medicine)
Gentiana algida 15 (Spang rgyan dkar po 15) (Tibetan Medicine)
Principle 25 (Gtso bo nyer lnga) (Tibetan Medicine)

Cautions:


Generally Safe and well tolerated.

Main Preparations used: