title: Pause menopause with Rhodiola rosea, a natural selective estrogen receptor modulator.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Menopausal women are challenged by the adverse effects of estrogen loss on energy, mood, cognitive function, and memory. These stresses are compounded by increased risks for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cancer. Known to have neuroprotective, cardio-protective, anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic effects, Rhodiola rosea extracts have also been shown to improve energy, mood, cognitive function and memory.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We propose that R. rosea be investigated for use as a potential selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) in the prevention and treatment of menopause-related fatigue, stress, depression, cognitive decline, memory impairment, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper briefly reviews the relationship between estrogen decline and menopause-related health risks, the molecular mechanisms underlying estrogenic effects on health, and the evidence indicating beneficial effects of R. rosea extracts on these mechanisms and health risks. Mechanisms include non-genomic and genomic effects, for example: activation of intra-cellular signal transduction pathways by binding to estrogen receptors, ERα-mediated activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase with increased nitric oxide release; and anti-inflammatory effects, counteracting TNFα by inhibiting nuclear factor-Kappa-B (NF-KB) and protection of osteoblasts from hydrogen peroxide. A clinical case illustrating treatment of a menopausal woman with R. rosea is presented. Risks, benefits, gaps in knowledge, and future directions are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Numerous lines of evidence indicate that R. rosea should be investigated as a potential selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) to prevent, delay or mitigate menopause-related cognitive, psychological, cardiovascular and osteoporotic conditions.
authors.affiliation: New York Medical College, 86 Sherry Lane, Kingston, NY 12401, United States. Electronic address: PGerbarg@aol.com.
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Gerbarg
authors.affiliation: Columbia University College of Medicine, NY, 86 Sherry Lane, Kingston, NY 12401, United States.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D029771:Rhodiola / Q000737:chemistry*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators
keywords: Cardiovascular; Cognitive function; Menopause; Rhodiola rosea; Selective estrogen receptor modulator