Golden root (Rhodiola rosea) - medicinal properties and use in folk medicine

There are few people among us who never complain of fatigue, nervous tension, or stress. Even more of those who react to fluctuating weather conditions are susceptible to seasonal depression. And even if there are those who have no time to be sick at work, from time to time they think about how to strengthen the body, how to restore physical strength and improve nervous exhaustion. There is such a remedy: golden root, from which a tincture is made with vodka, alcohol, wine and which is widely used in official and folk medicine. In addition, the plant not only restores strength, but also cures many diseases, including “male” and “female”. Therefore, we will consider in more detail what benefits it has, and whether it can cause harm to health if used incorrectly.

photo of a plant in its natural habitat

What is golden root? Description of the plant

Rhodiola rosea, golden root is a succulent plant from the Crassulaceae family. Several straight stems 30-40 cm long with fleshy bluish light leaves and small yellow flowers extend from the rhizome. The perennial awakens earlier than other herbs in the spring and blooms from May to June.

The plant is a natural gift of Altai. It can be found on the poor soils of the Urals, the Carpathian Mountains, Western and Eastern Siberia, and Yakutia. Pink root is common in America, Great Britain, and Ireland. Cold weather, little moisture - these are the usual growth conditions for a plant listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

From a medical point of view, all parts of the plant are beneficial. But of particular interest is the rhizome - tubers that have a bitter-tart taste and smell of rose. Long-term laboratory studies have confirmed the healing properties and contraindications of the plant, so it is officially included in the register of medicinal plants. Preparations based on it are freely available in pharmacies. In terms of its stimulating properties, Rhodiola root is not inferior to Eleutherococcus.

Full chemical composition of Rhodiola rosea

The rhizome is a real storehouse of healing substances, which are represented by:

The roots are also rich in essential oils 0.9%: cinnamaldehyde, citral, phenylethyl alcohol, p-phenylethyl acetate. The oils give the roots a rose-like scent, which is why the plant is called Rhodiola rosea. Based on the extensive composition, it becomes clear why golden root tincture in alcohol can treat so many diseases.

the rich chemical composition of golden root has a healing effect on the human body

Botanical characteristics

Rhodiola rosea belongs to the Crassulaceae family. Both names are beautiful and, one way or another, characterize the plant. The epithet “pink” was not given to it in vain - when broken, the rhizome is yellow in color and emits a pleasant aroma, slightly reminiscent of the smell of a rose. It is covered on top with a skin that has a noble bronze-golden hue. Rhodiola rosea. Protruding rhizome The natural place for Rhodiola rosea to grow is between stones. The rhizome is thick and short, usually protruding above the ground.

Thickened shoots with linear leaves extend from it, at the ends of which yellow inflorescences form. In nature it blooms in mid-summer.

Medicinal properties of golden root for women and men

The benefits and harms of the root are determined by its rich composition, which helps to cure many diseases of the genital area in women and men:

• amenorrhea, early menopause;
• prostatitis;
• problems with potency;
• sexual disorders that arose as a result of chronic renal failure;
• impotence with rapid ejaculation.

Golden root is indicated for frigidity and relieves the symptoms of early menopause. The mechanism of action of the herbal medicine is based on the ability to normalize the activity of the central nervous system and have a beneficial effect on the trophism of the gonads. The tincture prevents the reduction of seminal vesicles and keeps the muscles that are involved in sexual intercourse toned.

Rhodiola root for mastopathy

Finely grind carrots and red beets, add a tablespoon of sea buckthorn oil and half a teaspoon of tincture. Apply as a compress. At the same time, they take medications prescribed by the doctor.

Stimulation of sexual function

For impotence of unknown cause, make a mixture of 5 tinctures: common tincture, rhodiola rosea, ginseng, aralia and eleutherococcus, 50 g each. Drink 30 drops three times a day.

Rhodiola rosea tincture has a wide range of therapeutic effects

Instead of an afterword

Thus, Rhodiola rosea is a powerful medicinal plant with a wide spectrum of action. It has a stimulating, healing, healing effect. Not many people know that a weak decoction of golden root is used to treat wounds, cuts, and gargle with sore throat.

People have improved their health using golden root. The medicinal properties, reviews of which confirm this, are impressive. Everyone who has used a natural remedy claims that after the first days of use, improvement occurs, pain and anxiety recede. And after a course of herbal treatments, a noticeable improvement and healing of the body as a whole is felt.

What diseases are treated with tinctures

Chinese and Tibetan medicine places Rhodiola root on the same level as ginseng root. Coumarins are an obstacle to the formation and growth of tumor processes. Acids can speed up metabolism, activate enzyme formation, and normalize cholesterol levels. Thanks to salidroside, nerve tissue is regenerated and aging is slowed down. Long-term tests prove that the tincture effectively treats:

• the effects of stress, loss of energy, poor concentration, lack of sleep;
• neuroses, depression;
• early skin aging;
• tuberculosis;
• hypotension;
• diabetes (reduces sugar levels);
• anemia;
• epilepsy;
• hearing loss;
• inflammatory processes (joints, facial nerve, acute respiratory infections).

Golden root extract restores after chemotherapy. It is an auxiliary remedy for gastritis with low acidity, dysfunction of the stomach and intestines. The infusion helps against pulmonary tuberculosis, and in case of a fracture, bone healing occurs faster. If you systematically take golden root tincture, you can increase the body's resistance to stress factors.

preparations containing golden root help in the treatment and prevention of many diseases

Indications for use

Golden root is used for the purpose of prevention, increasing the protection of the immune system. Even after taking the medicine once, strength is restored, drowsiness goes away, concentration and memory improve. 30-35 drops (50 g/500 mg vodka tincture) is an ideal support:

• for students preparing for the session;
• drivers planning a long journey;
• people working night shifts;
• in a post-stress situation;
• in case of hypothermia.

Indications for use of alcoholic extract of Rhodiola rosea:

• as a stimulant for asthenia and neuroses;
• with increased fatigue, decreased performance;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• for skin problems.

Numerous reviews confirm the effectiveness of the natural drug. They say about it that it is a strong stimulant of metabolic processes, which can put you back on your feet after a long illness. Reviews from athletes confirm the effectiveness of the drug after competitions that require full dedication - the golden root restores and energizes. The root is not suitable for some people due to individual intolerance.

Contraindications to the use of Rhodiola rosea

In order not to harm the body, you need to be aware of contraindications and possible refusal to take golden root. The instructions for use indicate several categories of patients for whom it is not recommended to drink the root:

• pregnant women (external use allowed);
• children under 12 years of age;
• hypertensive patients;
• patients with exacerbation of chronic diseases;

Allergy sufferers test their sensitivity to Rhodiola ingredients by placing a drop of the tincture in the crook of their elbow. If the rash does not appear, then treatment can begin.

In addition to alcohol, water infusions are prepared that can be used to treat children. Children can also use the drug externally to rinse the mouth for toothache and sore throat.

For medicinal purposes, you can use ready-made drugs, or you can prepare them from independently grown raw materials

A wonderful gift of nature

And a few more words about my personal impressions of this plant. When you meet it in nature, in the mountains, under the crowns of majestic cedars, surrounded by snowy peaks in the distance, you experience real delight at the beauty of this whole world, at the fact that nature created this priceless gift and gave it to man. Golden root is a real gift of nature, useful, beautiful, amazing. In the garden, it pleases the eye in early spring - as soon as the snow melts, reddish buds appear on the tops of the rhizomes protruding from the ground. They begin to grow quickly, form shoots and, finally, Rhodiola blooms - a compact lush rosette, all strewn with yellow, slightly fluffy inflorescences. Golden root is a real gift of nature, useful, beautiful, amazing.

Golden root in the pharmacy

Anyone looking for goldenseal in pharmacies can buy a certified organic preparation in the form that is most suitable for treatment. The product is sold:

• in the form of dried raw materials, packaged in 50 g bags;
• liquid extract in 30 mg vials;
• in the form of tea bags;
• tablets;
• in the form of grass briquettes;
• alcohol-free syrup with glycerin;
• in capsules (two-component).

Also found as a vegetarian dietary supplement. In any case, the purchase contains instructions that indicate all the medicinal properties and contraindications.

Methods of preparation and use of the root in folk medicine

In addition to purchasing a ready-made pharmaceutical medicine, you can infuse a homemade potion, especially for those who have Rhodiola rosea growing in the access area or have become a permanent resident of the garden. To do this, you need to know recipes on how to prepare golden root tincture.

First, they stock up on raw materials. In early September, roots older than 3 years are dug up. Clean off any adhering soil and remove the top dark crust. Next, cut the tuber into pieces 5-7 cm. Place the baking tray in a ventilated place for 3-4 days to dry the mass. Then you need to quickly dry it at 50⁰C. It is important not to overdry the product; it should still have a light core (this nuance should be taken into account when purchasing ready-made root). Place the raw materials in a cotton bag and hide them in a dark place for storage. For 3 years, you can prepare medicinal potions from the dry rhizome: make tinctures, brew the root as tea, prepare a cream, etc.

To prepare the tincture, the root is crushed, poured with good vodka or a 45% alcohol solution, and sent to infuse in a dark, cold place. The mixture is shaken daily for a month. At the end of infusion, the medicine acquires a beautiful ruby ​​hue. The strained liquid is stored in the refrigerator. The proportions of root and vodka depend on the disease that is being treated:

1. The first tincture recipe: to boost immunity, strengthen physical condition and for external use, you can make a tincture of 50 g of root and 500 ml of vodka.
2. Recipe 2: if you need to treat the stomach, intestines, reproductive system, epilepsy - an infusion is prepared at the rate of 100 g of root per 500 ml of alcohol.
3. Recipe for moonshine: put the roots in a half-liter jar, do not tamp them, they should lie freely. Fill the container with homemade vodka, “Pervakom”, 70⁰ C until the bowl is full.

The prepared infusion with ethyl alcohol 70⁰ has the same medicinal properties as with vodka. It differs only in the amount of infused raw materials. For prevention, take 50 g of Rhodiola rosea; for the treatment of the endocrine, reproductive system, epilepsy, and stomach, you need to take 100 g of roots. How to take: stir half a teaspoon of tincture in a glass of water. Drink 3 times a day before meals.

the benefits of the tincture depend on compliance with dosage standards and contraindications

General rules for taking tincture

The effect of treatment depends on the dose. Taking 2 to 5 drops has a calming effect, and 5 to 10 has a stimulating effect. Small doses are used for fever, poisoning, and injuries. An increased dosage is needed to increase muscle tone in the treatment of malignant tumors. The use of tincture has several secrets:

1. The medicine is taken in drops, in the morning and at lunch, half an hour before meals. It is not recommended to drink Rhodiola in the afternoon; it stimulates the nervous system.
2. You should drink it with warm water, or dilute the infusion in warm water and take it.
3. Only a course of treatment will be beneficial; one-time use will not alleviate the course of the disease.
4. After 3 courses the break is 1-2 months.

Only a doctor can increase the dosage. Treatment is always individual. If you take the life-giving extract for prevention, you can get by with small doses, but you need to take it regularly. If a complex disease is being treated, the tincture is included in the regimen along with other drugs, and dose adjustments can only be made by the attending physician.

Treatment regimen for fatigue, depression, low immunity, neurosis

The course lasts 3 months, recipe No. 1:

In the third week of admission, patients weighing over 60 kg can take 20 drops of tincture.

Joint diseases

For inflammation of the joints, they are treated with the first prescription, combining internal administration and external rubbing.

Treatment regimen during chemotherapy, for diseases of the endocrine system, gastrointestinal tract, Alzheimer's disease

Use a stronger tincture prepared according to the second recipe.

After a break, the course is repeated. For epilepsy, the maximum dose is 5-6 drops, since the drug has a stimulating effect.

Wine tincture

The wine root has a mild effect on anemia. To make a wine tincture, take 1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped raw materials and pour a glass of dry grape wine. Leave for a month, shaking occasionally, strain, and store in a cool place. The course of treatment is 3 weeks. If one course does not help, take a 10-day break and take another one.

during the infusion process, all beneficial substances pass into the drink and have a therapeutic effect

Infusion on water

Those who are prohibited from drinking alcohol in any form can safely use an aqueous extract of golden root. To do this, 5 g of roots are poured into a thermos with 200 mg boiling water. It is good to brew the root overnight - in 12 hours it will “give up” its beneficial substances. The strained drink is taken throughout the day.

Tea

Bring 1 liter of water to a boil, add a teaspoon of dry root, and boil for 10 minutes. After 30 minutes of infusion, the golden root decoction is ready. Drink 2-3 glasses a day with honey and lemon.

Where can I get medicinal rhizomes?

No, I'm not going to keep you busy with empty talk. The fact is that here, in central Russia and the Urals, the golden root culture has already been firmly established in our gardens and vegetable gardens; we have learned to grow this miracle plant near our home. Of course, I’m not very sure that this home-grown golden root is exactly like the golden root - the legend of the Altai Mountains, because after all, we grow Rhodiola rosea not in the mountains, but in our garden plot. But all the same, I believe that at least some good quality has been preserved in our homemade Rhodiola rosea, at least for our efforts and our faith in this plant. True, our science is silent on this matter, but I will say from myself: I prepare my tincture from homegrown roots (I prepare the tincture, since I have little root and my supplies for tea are not enough), I have been using it all the time lately and do not feel the difference . So try growing this plant in your garden...

Try to look for rhodiola rhizomes in the markets in the fall. These rhizomes are very noticeable and difficult to confuse with others. Buy several at once. Golden root is a dioecious plant (separate plants with female and male flowers). Only in this case will the golden root give you seeds after flowering. In the fall, plant the rhizomes in the garden bed not very deep. Sprinkle earth on top (a layer of 3-4 centimeters), compact it with your palm, mark the place with a peg and wait for spring. The first shoots will appear early in spring. Very soon Rhodiola rosea will bloom. When the plant fades and the leaves begin to take on a reddish tint, carefully cut off the flower heads, put them in a warm place (with ventilation) and when the heads dry, check whether Rhodiola has given you seeds. If you find seeds, save them and sow them in the garden in the spring (how to grow golden root from seeds - a little later). The plants will remain with you in the place where you planted them last fall. By the new autumn, the stems will fall off, darken, and the golden root, as they say, will go underground for the winter. And in the spring there will be new shoots, new flowers and, possibly, new seeds. And so on for 4-5 years. And there you can carry out the first audit. Carefully dig up the rhizomes in the fall and, if they have grown enough, divide them into parts (the rhizomes simply break, but, of course, this must be done carefully). Take some of the harvest for yourself, and plant the other again in the ground, it will give rise to new plants.

Collected rhizomes - wash the crop from the ground and dry it properly in the air, but not in the sun. When the water has dried, the rhizomes should be cut (preferably lengthwise) into strips and dried in the dark, preferably not in a very hot oven. It is convenient to store them in a canvas bag and also in dryness and darkness, making either tea or tincture from them if necessary...

Use in cosmetology

The plant is a well-known remedy for skin regeneration and rejuvenation. The finished tincture for cosmetic purposes is diluted with water 1:5 to obtain a facial care lotion that helps:

• with early skin aging, wrinkles;
• for hair loss;
• acne.

Lubricated facial skin is covered with a barely visible film that protects against ultraviolet exposure. To slow down the aging process, an infusion of Rhodiola rosea can be taken as a tea.

Golden root for strong hair

Rubbing the diluted tincture into the roots with your fingertips, followed by rinsing with chamomile infusion (1 teaspoon per glass of boiling water) strengthens and stops hair loss.

To strengthen hair, make a mixture:

• 1 yolk;
• 2 tsp tinctures;
• 1 tsp oil (olive, castor).

Apply to hair, wrap for 2 hours, then rinse.

Young people suffering from blackheads and acne use wine tincture externally without diluting it. First, wash with soda, then rub the liquid into the affected areas with a tampon, and wash off after an hour.

Face cream

Internal pork fat (3 tbsp) is heated in a water bath. Add 1 tbsp. tinctures. Stir and use once a day before bedtime, followed by rinsing. Suitable for dry, problematic facial skin.