Rosavin and Salidroside Standardization & Grades
Rhodiola rosea carries two groups of marker glycosides. The rosavins are cinnamyl alcohol glycosides, a group of three compounds called rosavin, rosarin and rosin. Salidroside is a different compound, a glucoside of tyrosol. The two groups are quantified separately, and the grade names both, with a ratio of three to one. Rosavins are the more specific of the pair, because salidroside is found in many other Rhodiola species. The botanical entity is Rhodiola rosea L., a member of the Crassulaceae, and the part used is the root and rhizome.
The grade is a single dual-marker level, so there is no tier to choose between. A Rhodiola rosea extract that lacks rosavins, or that shows a very different ratio, is a sign of another species or of mixed material. The root is also supplied as a 10:1 ratio extract in two product lines, the Rhodiola Rosea Extract Powder and the Rhodiola Extract Powder, which carry no marker figure, and as a milled root, the Rhodiola Root Powder. The standardized product is the choice when a defined glycoside ratio is the specification. The ratio of three to one is close to the natural proportion in the root, and Rhodiola rosea extract that departs from it deserves a closer look at the species and the part.












