Golden root
Instructions for use:
- 1. Description of the root
- 2. History of root use
- 3. Chemical composition
- 4. Healing properties of the root
- 5. Contraindications
Golden Root (Rhodiola rosea) is a perennial herb belonging to the Tolstyanka family, to the genus Rhodiola.
Description of the golden root
The root of the plant, thick and fleshy, has a pleasant bronze-golden color, which is why it got its name. Stems are erect, not branched, reaching a height of 40 cm.
Leaves oblong ovoid, alternate, wedge-shaped at the base. In the upper part, the leaf edge is finger-toothed.
The inflorescence is corymbose, multiflorous, with small unisexual flowers of yellow or greenish color.
The fruits of the plant are in the form of erect leaflets of a greenish tint. There are brownish fruits. They reach a length of 8 mm, with a short nose at the top.
The golden root blooms from June to July, the fruits ripen in September.
Rhodiola loves humidity, and is unpretentious to light and heat.
It is found in the Urals, in polar Yakutia, in the Carpathians, in the mountains of Southern and Eastern Siberia, in the Altai mountains and in the Far East.
Grows on stony placers and slopes, on the banks of mountain rivers, in alpine and subalpine belts.
Rhodiola rosea is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.
The history of using the golden root
The first reviews of the golden root and its medicinal properties were found in the records of Pedanius Dioscridus, an ancient Roman pharmacologist and physician.
In Tibet, it was believed that a person who finds a plant will live two centuries in happiness and health. The Chinese were convinced that Rhodiola prolonged life.
Nowadays, tea is made from the plant, which has a tonic effect.
Found widespread use of the golden root for medicinal purposes. Rhizomes are harvested during the fruiting period and dried in dry rooms or dryers at a temperature of 60 ° C.
Chemical composition
The root of the plant contains tannins, radioloside glycoside, carbohydrates (glucose and sucrose), tyrosol, acids (succinic, gallic, malic, oxalic, citric), lactones, flavonols (quercetin, isoquercetin, hyperazide, kaempferol), sterols, liposides, ant essential oils.
Healing properties of golden root
Numerous positive reviews about the golden root leave no doubt about its beneficial properties.
Decoctions and lotions are made from the aerial part of the plant, which are used to treat trachoma.
The rhizomes of Rhodiola are used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular diseases, skin diseases and pulmonary tuberculosis, with bone fractures, as well as an antipyretic and general tonic.
The properties of the golden root are used for inflamed wounds, abscesses, conjunctivitis, and skin rashes. Rhodiola rhizome juice is an excellent wound healing agent. Also, rhizome juice is used to treat jaundice.
An alcoholic extract is prepared from the roots of the plant, which is used to treat diseases of the nervous system. The extract has a stimulating and adaptogenic effect similar to the preparations of ginseng and eleutherococcus. However, it should be taken with caution, as it can cause an increase in blood pressure.
The beneficial properties of the golden root include the ability to increase physical and mental performance, fight stress and overload.
Contraindications
Reviews of the golden root indicate that its use should be avoided for hypertension and increased nervous excitability.
Information about the drug is generalized, provided for informational purposes only and does not replace the official instructions. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
