ARTIC ROOT® Helps Treat Mild Depression

A new clinical trial has found that a specific extract of Rhodiola rosea roots and rhizomes demonstrated anti-depressive activity in patients with mild to moderate depression. The extract is found in the product "Arctic Root" which is made by ProActive BioProducts (see www.proactivebio.com).

This is the first double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of Rhodiola rosea in patients diagnosed with depression. Patients given the Swedish-made Rhodiola rosea extract showed significant improvements in depression compared to those given placebo.

The trial, published in the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, utilized a proprietary Rhodiola rosea root extract called SHR-5, a standardized extract used in the product Arctic Root® produced by the Swedish Herbal Institute in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The authors concluded that SHR-5 demonstrates clear and significant anti-depressive activity in patients suffering from mild to moderate depression, evident from both overall depression levels as well as from specific symptom levels of depression. They further noted that no adverse effects could be detected in either of the groups given the Rhodiola rosea extract.

Alexander Panossian, PhD, research director of the Swedish Herbal Institute and a co-author of the study, noted that all synthetically-derived, conventional pharmaceutical antidepressant drugs have adverse effects. He added that St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), a popular herbal antidepressant, has been associated with herb-drug interactions, particularly with the pharmaceutical blood-thinner warfarin.

“Because of this drug interaction problem, there is a big demand for new natural antidepressants,” stated Dr. Panossian. “We have found that our SHR-5 extract of Rhodiola has a significant anti-depressive effect in human and animal studies, with no effect on the pharmacological activity and concentration of warfarin in blood after their oral administration together with SHR-5. It is a very safe extract.”

Richard P. Brown, MD, associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and a co-author of a comprehensive review of Rhodiola rosea2 and a book on the subject3 likewise commented on the need for new, safe anti-depression medications. “At least 50% of patients given prescription anti-depressants stop them within 3 months due to unpleasant side effects,” said Dr. Brown (e-mail to M. Blumenthal, November 19, 2007). He cited a recent National Institutes of Health-funded multi-center study in which only 30% of patients responded to citalopram, a standard antidepressant medication. “Many patients have partial responses and are left with residual symptoms,” he said.

Dr. Brown stated that this clinical trial on SHR-5 has shown promising results: “Two dose levels of Rhodiola rosea [SHR-5 extract] were found to significantly reduce symptoms of depression in patients with mild to moderate depression compared to placebo in this randomized clinical trial. In addition to mood elevation, evidence indicates that R. rosea has numerous other benefits, including enhancement of cognitive function, sexual function, and both mental and physical performance under stress. Additional studies are needed to explore and establish the potential applications of this herbal extract. In the meantime, phytomedicinal researchers and consumers can be encouraged by these findings.”

According to Dr. Panossian, the SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract is already widely used and trusted in some areas of the world. “Four hundred million daily doses have been sold in the last 20 years in Scandinavia, where Rhodiola (notably SHR-5) is used as an adaptogen in cases of decreased performance, such as fatigue and sensation of weakness.”

On a previous post I made on this study, I was mistaken as I had thought this study would apply to all forms of Rhodiola Rosea Extract but it does NOT. According to Dave Jensen (a 25 year veteran in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and dietary supplement fields), "It is important to realize that this trial was a PRODUCT SPECIFIC TRIAL of one PARTICULAR EXTRACT. The results do not have anything to say broadly about Rhodiola, but only specifically that SHR-5 (Arctic Root brand in the USA, through ProActive BioProducts) has these qualities."