Hong Jing Tian
StarRhodiola crenulata (Hook. f. et Thoms.) H. Ohba
☯ TCM Properties
Tonifies Qi; Invigorates Blood and Dispels Stasis; Unblocks the Channels and Collaterals; Calms Wheezing; Clears Lung Heat; Stops Cough; Stops Bleeding; Invigorates Blood and Reduces Swelling
Traditional Chinese Uses
Hong Jing Tian (rhodiola, rose root) is a high-altitude herb from Tibet and the Qinghai plateau, long valued in Tibetan and Chinese medicine for boosting stamina and helping the body adapt to physical stress. In TCM, it strengthens Qi, promotes Blood circulation, and supports Lung and Heart function, making it useful for fatigue, shortness of breath, high-altitude sickness, and chest discomfort. As one of the most prominent natural adaptogens, it is widely used for both physical and cognitive performance support.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Rhodiola crenulata (Hook.f. et Thomson) H. Ohba (Crassulaceae) is a stout, low-growing perennial succulent of the high Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau, found on rocky slopes and scree at elevations of 2800-5600 m. It develops a thick, branched, woody rhizome and fleshy taproot, both with golden to brownish-red corky bark and a fragrant, rose-scented inner flesh. Many short, simple, glaucous stems 5-20 cm tall arise from the crown, clothed in alternate, sessile, ovate to elliptic, crenate-toothed succulent leaves. Compact terminal cymes bear small, four- or five-petaled, deep-red to pink unisexual flowers in early summer. The dried rhizome and root (Hong Jing Tian) are used in TCM and modern Western herbalism as an adaptogen to tonify qi, invigorate blood, and counter altitude fatigue.
Active Constituents
Salidroside (rhodioloside)
Phenylethanoid glycosideConcentration: ~2.38% in standardized extract; the marker compound of R. crenulata
The principal bioactive and quality-control marker of Rhodiola crenulata. It is a potent adaptogen with anti-hypoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and cardioprotective activity, and underlies the herb's use for fatigue, Qi deficiency and high-altitude stress.
p-Tyrosol
Phenylethanoid (aglycone of salidroside)Concentration: ~0.44% in standardized extract
The aglycone counterpart of salidroside, contributing antioxidant and free-radical-scavenging activity that complements the actions of salidroside.
Gallic acid
Phenolic acidConcentration: Present in the root and rhizome extract
A phenolic acid with strong antioxidant activity identified in R. crenulata extract, contributing to its anti-inflammatory and organ-protective effects.
Rhodionin / herbacetin-type flavonoid glycosides
Flavonol glycosidesConcentration: Minor to moderate
Flavonoid glycosides characteristic of Rhodiola species that add antioxidant and, in vitro, cytochrome-P450-modulating activity.
Crenulatin
Phenylpropanoid glycosideConcentration: Minor (species-characteristic)
A constituent named for and characteristic of Rhodiola crenulata, part of the phenolic glycoside fraction associated with antioxidant activity.
Rosavins (rosavin, rosarin, rosin)
Cinnamyl alcohol glycosidesConcentration: Low / minor in R. crenulata (unlike R. rosea)
Cinnamyl glycosides that are the dominant markers of Rhodiola rosea but occur only at low levels in R. crenulata, which is instead standardized chiefly to salidroside.
Catechin / epigallocatechin gallate
Flavan-3-ols (proanthocyanidin precursors)Concentration: Present in the extract
Flavan-3-ols contributing to the antioxidant and vascular-protective profile of the root and rhizome.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Antidiabetic drugs (insulin, sulfonylureas, metformin)
Salidroside and Rhodiola extracts lower blood glucose in preclinical models. Combined with glucose-lowering drugs, additive hypoglycemic effects are plausible.
Clinical note: Monitor blood glucose when combining with antidiabetic therapy; adjust doses as needed.
CYP-metabolized drugs with narrow therapeutic index (e.g. warfarin, phenytoin, some statins)
Rhodiola extracts and constituents such as rhodiosin and rhodionin inhibit CYP2C9, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 in vitro, which could raise concentrations of drugs cleared by these enzymes. Notably, isolated salidroside showed no significant CYP inhibition, and most data derive from Rhodiola rosea, so the clinical relevance for R. crenulata is uncertain.
Clinical note: Use caution and monitor when combined with narrow-therapeutic-index CYP substrates; most evidence is in vitro.
Antidepressants and CNS stimulants (MAOIs, SSRIs, stimulants)
As an adaptogen with mild stimulant and mood-modulating activity, Rhodiola could theoretically add to the effects of antidepressants or stimulants; robust clinical interaction data are lacking.
Clinical note: Use cautiously with psychotropic medications and watch for over-stimulation or agitation.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9-30g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Decoction
Parts: root, rhizome
Dried root and rhizome are decocted, typically at 3-9 g per day, alone or with Qi- and Blood-tonifying herbs, to tonify Qi, invigorate Blood, clear Lung Heat and calm wheezing.
Standardized dry extract (capsule/tablet)
Parts: root, rhizome
Hydroalcoholic extracts standardized to salidroside (commonly ~1-3%) are taken in doses around 100-800 mg/day. This form is used in clinical trials for fatigue, altitude adaptation and stress.
Medicinal wine / tincture
Parts: root, rhizome
The root is macerated in alcohol to prepare a tonic tincture used traditionally on the Tibetan plateau for fatigue, cold and altitude stress.
Clinical Studies
Rhodiola crenulata extract for prevention of acute mountain sickness: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial
Healthy adults took 800 mg/day R. crenulata extract (standardized to 2.38% salidroside, 0.44% p-tyrosol) or placebo before and during rapid ascent from 250 m to 3421 m. No significant difference in the incidence or severity of acute mountain sickness was found between extract and placebo, indicating the extract was not effective for AMS prevention in this trial.
Efficacy and safety of Rhodiola crenulata extract in the treatment of acute high altitude disease, based on studies involving populations in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis
A systematic review and meta-analysis of Chinese-population studies evaluating R. crenulata extract for acute high-altitude illness, pooling efficacy and safety outcomes and discussing the mixed and generally modest evidence for its use in high-altitude disease.
Historical Texts
Jing Zhu Ben Cao (Crystal Pearl Materia Medica / Tibetan Materia Medica), Dema Danzhu Ranghziang
18th century (Tibetan medicine)Modern Chinese Pharmacopoeia and Materia Medica
Contemporary (20th-21st century)References
- Chiu TF, Chen LL, Su DH, Lo HY, Chen CH, Wang SH, Chen WL. Rhodiola crenulata extract for prevention of acute mountain sickness: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial . BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2013) [DOI]
- Ma Q, et al.. In Vitro Evaluation of the Potential for Drug Interactions by Salidroside . Nutrients (2023) [DOI]
- Frontiers in Pharmacology (systematic review authors). Efficacy and safety of Rhodiola crenulata extract in the treatment of acute high altitude disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis . Frontiers in Pharmacology (2025) [DOI]
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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