About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 32. Chapters: Abies alba, Achillea atrata, Aconitum anthora, Aconitum napellus, Allium victorialis, Alopecurus aequalis, Androsace alpina, Arctic-alpine, Aster alpinus, Carex firma, Colchicum bulbocodium, Cortusa matthioli, Cryptogramma crispa, Draba fladnizensis, Dryas octopetala, Gentiana acaulis, Gentiana clusii, Larix decidua, Linnaea, Linum perenne, Lloydia serotina, Mountain Pine, Potentilla norvegica, Pseudofumaria lutea, Ranunculus glacialis, Ranunculus pygmaeus, Rhodiola rosea, Rumex nivalis, Salix herbacea, Saxifraga cespitosa, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Scilla bifolia, Telekia, Trifolium aureum, Umbilicus chrysanthus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Wulfenia carinthiaca. Excerpt: Rhodiola rosea (commonly golden root, rose root, roseroot, Aaron's rod, arctic root, king's crown, lignum rhodium, orpin rose) is a plant in the Crassulaceae family that grows in cold regions of the world. These include much of the Arctic, the mountains of Central Asia, the Rocky Mountains, and mountainous parts of Europe, such as the Alps, Pyrenees, and Carpathian Mountains, Scandinavia, Iceland, Great Britain and Ireland. The perennial plant grows in areas up to 2280 meters elevation. Several shoots grow from the same thick root. Shoots may reach 5 to 35 cm in height. Rhodiola rosea is dioecious - having separate female and male plants. PlantRhodiola 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. It has been hypothesized that Rhodiola rosea's effects are mediated by changes in serotonin and dopamine levels due to monoamine oxidase inhibition and its influence on opioid peptides, such as beta-endorphin, although these specific neurochemical mechanisms have not been clearly documented with scientific studies. 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 hong j ng ti n ( ). Withering flowerRhodiola rosea contains a variety of compounds that may contribute to its effects, including the class of rosavins that includes rosavin, rosarin, and rosin. Several studies have suggested that the most active components are likely to be rhodioloside and tyrosol, with other components being inactive when administered alone, but showing synergistic effects when
