Cropley M, Banks AP, Boyle J (2015) | Randomized controlled trial | 81 participants, 33 male and 48 female Age: 18–35 yearsParticipants with mild anxietyControl group: 41 participants | 2×200mg of Vitano® (herb-extract ratio of 1.5–5:1, corresponding to 300–1000 mg of the Rhodiola r. root | The control group did not receive any intervention. | Effects of R. rosea on anxiety, mood, depression, sleep, cognition | Anxiety: STAIMood: The Profile of Mood States Inventory | 14 days | Significant (p < 0.001) reduction in anxiety, in total negative mood, anger and confusion for the treatment in group in comparison with the placebo group at endpoint. Significant improvements in depression in the treatment group from baseline to endpoint, but not on the comparison between groups. | Low risk of Bias in 4/7 scales of the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias. High risk of bias in ‘allocation concealment’ and ‘blinding of participants and personnel’. Unclearrisk of bias in ‘random sequence generation’. |
Darbinyan et al. (2009) | Phase III clinical trial randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study with parallel groups | 89 participants both male and female aged 18–70 yearsParticipants with mild to moderate depressionControl group: 29 participants | Capsules of 170mg of Rhodiola extract SHR-5. Group A: 2 capsules per day; Group B: 2 capsules twice per day | Placebo: capsules of 170mg of lactose | R. rosea for moderate depression | Depression: HAM-D; BDISecondary measures: HAMD symptom indicator subgroups | 6 weeks | Statistically significant (p < 0.0001) differences were reported in HAM-D, BDI and HAM-D subscales for both groups A and B in comparison with group C at endpoint (except for group A at the subscale ‘self-esteem’). | Low risk of bias in 7/7 scales of the Cochrane tool for assessing the risk of bias. |
Mao JJ et al. (2015) | Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study | 57 participants over the age of 18 years, 31 males and 26 femalesParticipants with major depression disorderControl group: 30 participants | R. rosea SHR-5 powdered extract 340 mg (standardized to a content of rosavin 3.07%/salidroside 1.95%) | Sertraline 50 mg or placebo | R. rosea for major depression | Depression: Hamilton Depression Rating (HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Clinical Global Impression Change (CGI/C) | 20 consecutive days of treatment | No statistically significant difference in change over time in HAM-D 17, BDI or CGI/C scores. There were clinically meaningful odds ratios (95% CI) of global improvement by week 12, which indicated that the patients taking R. rosea had 1.4 times the odds of improvement, and patients on sertraline had 1.9 times the odds of improvement, versus those taking placebo. | Low risk of bias in 7/7 scales of the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias. |
Olsson EM, Von Sheele B, Panossian AG. (2009) | Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study | 60 participants 6 male and 54 female aged 20–55 yearsParticipants with fatigue syndromeControl group: 29 participants | 144mg of proprietary Rhodiola extract SHR-5 4 capsules per day | Placebo | R. rosea for stress-related fatigue | Depression: Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS)Quality of Life: SF-36 questionnaire | 28 days | The treatment and the placebo group showed significant main effects of time and no significant effects were found on the comparison for both the MADRS and SF-36 tests. | Low risk of Bias in7/7 scales of the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias. |
Spasov A.A. et al. (2000) | randomized, double-blind, two parallel groups | 40 male participants age 17–19 yearsStudents during an examination period.Control group: 20 participants | Rhodiola rosea SHR-5 50 mg, taken twice for 20 days | Placebo | R. rosea effects in healthy students during a stressful exam period | General Well-Being: Sam-test | 20 days | Statistically significant improvement (p < 0.05) on the Sam-test between treatment group and placebo at the end of the trial. | Low risk of Bias in7/7 scales of the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias. |