Rhodiola kirilowii
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64405c13c5592682893325 |
| Scientific name | Rhodiola kirilowii |
| Authority | (Regel) Maxim. |
| First published in | Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg Divers Savans 9: 472 (1859) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Rhodiola kirilowii is used in Himalayan and Tibetan traditions as a general tonic and cold infusion. In Nepal’s Dolpa and Jumla districts, communities prepare a cold water infusion of the fresh aerial parts, and the same approach is recorded in the Himachal Pradesh Kullu area, often taken before treks or hard work; these records appear in Ghimire et al., 2013 and Prakash et al., 2013. In Bhutan’s Gasa and Haa regions, people report a cold “R. kirilowii water” taken for fatigue and to “cool the body” during summer, and the practice is documented in Wangchuk et al., 2011. In parts of central Tibet, dried aerial material is soaked in warm water and taken as a mild beverage for exertion, according to Ghimire et al., 2013. Along the Hengduan Mountains in China’s Yunnan and Sichuan, local healers sometimes make a warm decoction of aerial parts for minor fevers and to “calm the breath” during mild cough, an observation noted in Ghimire et al., 2013 and complemented by Wangchuk et al., 2011.
A practical preparation for a mild cold infusion: rinse 1 tablespoon (about 3–5 g) of dried aerial material, place it in a clean cup, cover with 250 ml of cool (room temperature) water, and let it steep 6–8 hours or overnight; strain and sip 1–2 cups daily as a refreshing tonic. If a warm infusion is preferred, cover the same amount with hot but not boiling water (about 80°C) and steep 10–15 minutes. For a 1:5 (w:v) tincture in 45% ethanol, macerate 20 g of dried aerial material in 100 ml of ethanol for 4 weeks with daily shaking; strain and store in a dark bottle. Available evidence does not establish safe adult dose limits, pregnancy or lactation guidance, or contraindications; use cautiously, stop if adverse reactions occur, and consult a qualified practitioner before combining with medications.
The aerial parts of R. kirilowii are consistently reported to contain salidroside and tyrosol, which are well-established constituents of Rhodiola species and plausible contributors to the plant’s perceived tonic activity; flavonoids such as quercetin and its glycosides and proanthocyanidins have also been identified in R. kirilowii (Huang et al., 2008; Liu et al., 2012). Studies of R. kirilowii also note p‑hydroxybenzaldehyde and gallic acid in extracts, alongside characteristic phenylpropanoids and phenolics found across Rhodiola (Chen et al., 2009; Liu et al., 2012). These findings help explain why the infusions and macerations have been used in the contexts noted above.
Modern relevance is modest but growing: the species is still employed in selected Himalayan communities and appears in the ethnobotanical literature as a local “R. kirilowii water,” while active-constituent studies continue to profile its salidroside, flavonoids, and phenolic profile in preparation for future pharmacological inquiry (Ghimire et al., 2013; Huang et al., 2008).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Genomic resources: the complete chloroplast genome and a de novo transcriptome of Rhodiola kirilowii are deposited in GenBank (Liu et al. 2020; Wang et al. 2022). These data serve as reference material for phylogenetic studies, comparative genomics and functional gene discovery in the genus.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
- Rhodiola kirilowii extract is listed in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary (INCI) and appears in a range of commercial cosmetic and personal‑care formulations, including facial creams, serums and hair‑care products. The extract is incorporated primarily for its aromatic properties and as a functional ingredient in product bases. Patent filings that cite the extract in cosmetic compositions are searchable in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the European Patent Office databases (search term “Rhodiola kirilowii extract”).
Properties relevant to use:
- Phytochemical analyses of aerial parts identify phenylpropanoids such as salidroside and tyrosol together with flavonoid compounds (He et al. 2018). These phenolics exhibit antioxidant activity, a property that is exploited in cosmetic formulation to provide oxidative‑stress‑mitigating functions in skin‑care products.
Standards and regulation:
- In the European Union, all cosmetic ingredients, including botanical extracts such as R. kirilowii extract, must comply with Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, which requires safety assessment, notification and labelling. In the United States cosmetics are regulated under the FDA Cosmetic Act, which similarly demands ingredient safety and proper labelling of cosmetic products.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Rhodiola kirilowii is principally wild‑harvested from alpine habitats in the Himalaya–Qinghai‑Tibet region. Current field studies indicate pressure on wild populations, and recent cultivation trials demonstrate that the species can be grown under controlled conditions to provide a sustainable supply while reducing wild‑collection impact (Miao et al. 2021).
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Sedum kirilowii | Regel | Nouv. Mém. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 11: 92 (1859) |
| Sedum kirilowii var. rubrum | Praeger | J. Roy. Hort. Soc. 46: 37 1921 |
| Sedum kirilowii var. altum | Fröd. | |
| Sedum kirilowii var. linifolium | Regel & Schmalh. | |
| Rhodiola macrolepis | (Franch.) Fu | Acta Phytotax. Sin., Addit. 1: 125 (1965) |
| Rhodiola longicaulis | (Praeger) Fu | Acta Phytotax. Sin., Addit. 1: 124 (1965) |
| Rhodiola robusta | (Praeger) Fu | Acta Phytotax. Sin., Addit. 1: 124 (1965) |
| Rhodiola kirilowii var. latifolia | S.H.Fu | Acta Phytotax. Sin. 1: 124 1951 |
| Sedum longicaule | Praeger | J. Bot. 55: 38 (1917) |
| Sedum macrolepis | Franch. | Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. , sér. 2, 8: 241 (1885 publ. 1886) |
| Sedum robustum | Praeger | Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 13: 93 (1921) |
| Rhodiola kirilowii var. rubra | (Praeger) H.Jacobsen | Natl. Cact. Succ. J. 28: 5 (1973) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Azerbaijani | xəttyarpaq rodiola |
| Swedish | smalbladig rosenrot |
| Chinese | 狮子草 |
| Chinese | 长茎红景天 |
| Chinese | 高壮景天 |
| Chinese | 狭叶红景天 |
| Chinese | 狭叶红景天（大株红景天） |
| Chinese | 狮子七 |
| Chinese | 豌豆七 |
| Chinese | 九头狮子七 |
| Chinese | 涩疙瘩 |
| Chinese | 大株红景天 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
| Requires Light or Surface Sowing: These seeds need light to germinate and should not be covered with soil or only very lightly. They are often very small and sown directly on the surface of the growing medium. |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- China North-central
- China South-central
- Qinghai
- Tibet
- Xinjiang
-
Middle Asia
- Kazakhstan
- Kirgizstan
- Tadzhikistan
-
China
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indo-China
- Myanmar
-
Indo-China
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001300617 |
| UNII | 8Z350223SE |
| Tropicos | 8903424 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:274823-1 |
| The Plant List | tro-8903424 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 311039 |
| Observations.org | 130330 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 203008 |
| IPNI | 274823-1 |
| GBIF | 7334350 |
| Elurikkus | 590126 |
| USDA GRIN | 429690 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_040869135.1 | ASM4086913v1 | Chromosome | Shaanxi Normal University | 2024-07-30 | 123 | 623.20 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Tyrosols and derivatives / Tyrosols | |||||
| Tyrosol | 10393 | Click to see | 138.16 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.5246/JCPS.2011.02.019 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides | |||||
| Rhodiocyanoside A | 6442274 | Click to see | 259.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| RhodiocyanosideA | 20979868 | Click to see | 259.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Acyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| (2E,4R)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-diene-1,4-diol | 26437434 | Click to see | 170.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 |
| 3,7-Dimethylocta-2,6-diene-1,4-diol | 54206902 | Click to see | 170.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 |
| Rosiridol | 22323960 | Click to see | 170.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides | |||||
| 2-(4-Hydroxy-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienoxy)-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 73181367 | Click to see CC(=CCC(C(=CCOC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O)C)O)C | 332.39 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (-)-beta-Sitosterol | 222284 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 |
| 17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 86821 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 https://doi.org/10.5246/JCPS.2011.02.019 |
| beta-Sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside | 296119 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 |
| Sitogluside | 5742590 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 |
| Stigmast-5-en-3-ol | 22012 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00599280 https://doi.org/10.5246/JCPS.2011.02.019 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Disaccharides | |||||
| 2-(Hydroxymethyl)-2-[4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxyoxane-3,4,5-triol | 72669154 | Click to see C1C(C(C(C(O1)(CO)OC2C(OC(C(C2O)O)O)CO)O)O)O | 342.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| Fru(b2-4)b-Glc | 60162291 | Click to see | 342.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Cyanogenic glycosides | |||||
| (2RS)-Lotaustralin | 23638286 | Click to see | 261.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.5246/JCPS.2011.02.019 |
| 2(R)-Hydroxy-2-methylbutyronitrile-beta-D-glucopyranoside | 4626626 | Click to see | 261.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| Epilotaustralin | 185818 | Click to see CCC(C)(C#N)OC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O | 261.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| Sucrose | 5988 | Click to see | 342.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.5246/JCPS.2011.02.019 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides | |||||
| 2-Hydroxymethyl-6-(4-hydroxy-phenoxy)-tetrahydro-pyran-3,4,5-triol | 346 | Click to see | 272.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| Arbutin | 440936 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1O)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O | 272.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins / Catechin gallates | |||||
| Epigallocatechin Gallate | 65064 | Click to see | 458.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
| Tea, ext. | 1287 | Click to see | 458.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.3797/SCIPHARM.2007.75.29 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |