Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization mass spectrometric method for the determination of salidroside in rat plasma: Application to the pharmacokinetics study

Effects of salidroside on atherosclerosis: potential contribution of gut microbiota

Much research describes gut microbiota in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) for that the composition of the intestinal microbiome or its metabolites can directly participate in the development of endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and its adverse complications. Salidroside, a natural phenylpropane glycoside, exhibits promising biological activity against the progression of ASCVD. Recent studies suggested that the gut microbiota played a crucial role in mediating the diverse beneficial effects of salidroside on health. Here, we describe the protective effects of salidroside against the progression of atherosclerosis. Salidroside regulates the abundance of gut microbiotas and gut microbe-dependent metabolites. Moreover, salidroside improves intestinal barrier function and maintains intestinal epithelial barrier function integrity. In addition, salidroside attenuates the inflammatory responses exacerbated by gut microbiota disturbance. This review delves into how salidroside functions to ameliorate atherosclerosis by focusing on its interaction with gut microbiota, uncovering the potential roles of gut microbiota in the diverse biological impacts of salidroside.

Phytotherapy of mood disorders in the light of microbiota-gut-brain axis

BACKGROUND

Clinical research in natural product-based psychopharmacology has revealed a variety of promising herbal medicines that may provide benefit in the treatment of mild mood disorders, however failed to unambiguously indicate pharmacologically active constituents. The emerging role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis opens new possibilities in the search for effective methods of treatment and prevention of mood disorders.

PURPOSE

Considering the clinically proven effectiveness juxtaposed with inconsistencies regarding the indication of active principles for many medicinal plants applied in the treatment of anxiety and depression, the aim of the review is to look at their therapeutic properties from the perspective of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

METHOD

A literature-based survey was performed using Scopus, Pubmed, and Google Scholar databases. The current state of knowledge regarding Hypericum perforatum, Valeriana officinalis, Piper methysticum, Passiflora incarnata, Humulus lupulus, Melissa officinalis, Lavandula officinalis, and Rhodiola rosea in terms of their antimicrobial activity, bioavailability, clinical effectiveness in depression/anxiety and gut microbiota - natural products interaction was summarized and analyzed.

RESULTS

Recent studies have provided direct and indirect evidence that herbal extracts and isolated compounds are potent modulators of gut microbiota structure. Additionally, some of the formed postbiotic metabolites exert positive effects and ameliorate depression-related behaviors in animal models of mood disorders. The review underlines the gap in research on natural products - gut microbiota interaction in the context of mood disorders.

CONCLUSION

Modification of microbiota-gut-brain axis by natural products is a plausible explanation of their therapeutic properties. Future studies evaluating the effectiveness of herbal medicine and isolated compounds in treating mild mood disorders should consider the bidirectional interplay between phytoconstituents and the gut microbiota community.

Neuroprotective Effects of Rhodiola Sacra on Transient Global Cerebral Ischemia Through Activating AMPK/Nrf2 Pathway in Rats

Aims: Rhodiola sacra is a widely used pharmaceutical component with multiple functions, including anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation. However, the exact mechanisms involved in neuroprotection against transient global cerebral ischemia (tGCI) remain to be elucidated. Herein, we aim at closing the gap in understanding on whether rhodiola sacra reduces neuronal death in hippocampal CA1 and at demonstrating how rhodiola sacra offers neuroprotection after tGCI. Results: The results show that rhodiola sacra (2.4 g/kg/d by feeding) pretreatment or/and postreatment significantly alleviated neuronal injury, inhibited glial activation, and improved cognitive function in male rats subjected to tGCI. The neuroprotection of prophylaxis with rhodiola sacra is equivalent to that of therapeutics. The binding mode of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) α2-subunit with rhodiola sacra was predicted by molecular docking. Further, rhodiola sacra upregulates phosphorylated AMPK and promotes nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2). In addition, rhodiola sacra increases heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression and activity and reduces malondialdehyde (MDA) content in CA1 after tGCI. However, the neuroprotection of rhodiola sacra is abolished by Nrf2 knockdown with small interfering RNA (siRNA) after tGCI. Similarly, the inhibition of AMPK with Compound C or siRNA against AMPK α2 aggravates neuronal death after tGCI through decreasing nuclear Nrf2 and the expression and activity of HO-1, and by increasing the release of MDA. Innovation and Conclusion: For the first time, this study demonstrates that as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent rhodiola sacra prevents oxidant stress, protects neurons, and improves cognitive function through activating the AMPK/Nrf2 pathway in tGCI rats. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 36, 567-591.

Lack of salidroside impact on selected cytochromes encoding genes transcription in the liver of ethanol induced rats

Introduction: The molecular basis of in vivo metabolism of selected representatives of phenylethanoids in the presence of ethanol has not been fully elucidated.

Objective: The aim was to estimate a salidroside (Sal) metabolism in the liver tissue in rats with induced alcohol tolerance by assessing changes in the transcription of genes encoding cytochromes: CYP1A2, 2D2, 3A1, 2C23.

Methods: cDNA was synthesized from total RNA isolated from rat liver samples. mRNA level changes were evaluated using real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) technique.

Results: Ethanol caused a significant induction of the CYP1A2 and CYP2C23 genes transcription, and a decrease in the CYP3A1 mRNA level, predominantly without statistical significance. A statistically significant increase of the CYP1A2 mRNA level was observed in the group receiving only Sal (4.5 mg/kg b.w.; p.o.) (p<0.01).

Conclusions: There was no unequivocal effect of salidroside on the transcription of investigated cytochrome genes in the liver of rats with induced alcohol tolerance.

Salidroside: A review of its recent advances in synthetic pathways and pharmacological properties

Salidroside has been identified as one of the most potent compounds isolated from various Rhodiola plants, which have been used for a long time as adaptogens in traditional Chinese medicine. However, due to the severe growing environment of herbal medicine and large-scale excavation, the content of natural salidroside is extremely small. Most of the previous studies focused on herbal medicine, and there were few reviews on the synthesis of its main active ingredient salidroside. This paper presents different synthetic routes of salidroside to resolve the contradiction between supply and demand and lays the foundation for new drug research and development. Furthermore, emerging evidence indicates that salidroside, a promising environmentally-adapted drug with low toxicity and few side effects, possesses a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties, including activities on the cardiovascular system and central nervous system, anti-hypoxia, anti-fatigue and anti-aging activities, anticancer activity, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant activity, antivirus and immune stimulation activities, antidiabetic activity, anti-osteoporotic activity, and so on. Although the former researches have summarized the pharmacological effects of salidroside, focusing on the central nervous system, diabetes, and cancer, the overall pharmacological aspects of it have not been analyzed. This review highlights biological characteristics and mechanisms of action from 2009 to now as well as toxicological and pharmacokinetic data of the analyzed compound reported so far, with a view to providing a reference for further development and utilization of salidroside.

Evolution of the adaptogenic concept from traditional use to medical systems: Pharmacology of stress- and aging-related diseases

Adaptogens comprise a category of herbal medicinal and nutritional products promoting adaptability, resilience, and survival of living organisms in stress. The aim of this review was to summarize the growing knowledge about common adaptogenic plants used in various traditional medical systems (TMS) and conventional medicine and to provide a modern rationale for their use in the treatment of stress-induced and aging-related disorders. Adaptogens have pharmacologically pleiotropic effects on the neuroendocrine-immune system, which explain their traditional use for the treatment of a wide range of conditions. They exhibit a biphasic dose-effect response: at low doses they function as mild stress-mimetics, which activate the adaptive stress-response signaling pathways to cope with severe stress. That is in line with their traditional use for preventing premature aging and to maintain good health and vitality. However, the potential of adaptogens remains poorly explored. Treatment of stress and aging-related diseases require novel approaches. Some combinations of adaptogenic plants provide unique effects due to their synergistic interactions in organisms not obtainable by any ingredient independently. Further progress in this field needs to focus on discovering new combinations of adaptogens based on traditional medical concepts. Robust and rigorous approaches including network pharmacology and systems pharmacology could help in analyzing potential synergistic effects and, more broadly, future uses of adaptogens. In conclusion, the evolution of the adaptogenic concept has led back to basics of TMS and a new level of understanding of holistic approach. It provides a rationale for their use in stress-induced and aging-related diseases.

Therapeutic potential of phenylethanoid glycosides: A systematic review

Phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) are generally water-soluble phenolic compounds that occur in many medicinal plants. Until June 2020, more than 572 PhGs have been isolated and identified. PhGs possess antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, antioxidant, antiviral, and neuroprotective properties. Despite these promising benefits, PhGs have failed to fulfill their therapeutic applications due to their poor bioavailability. The attempts to understand their metabolic pathways to improve their bioavailability are investigated. In this review article, we will first summarize the number of PhGs compounds which is not accurate in the literature. The latest information on the biological activities, structure-activity relationships, mechanisms, and especially the clinical applications of PhGs will be reviewed. The bioavailability of PhGs will be summarized and factors leading to the low bioavailability will be analyzed. Recent advances in methods such as bioenhancers and nanotechnology to improve the bioavailability of PhGs are also summarized. The existing scientific gaps of PhGs in knowledge are also discussed, highlighting research directions in the future.

Salidroside as a potential neuroprotective agent for ischemic stroke: a review of sources, pharmacokinetics, mechanism and safety

Salidroside (Sal) is a bioactive extract principally from traditional herbal medicine such as Rhodiola rosea L., which has been commonly used for hundreds of years in Asia countries. The excellent neuroprotective capacity of Sal has been illuminated in recent studies. This work focused on the source, pharmacokinetics, safety and anti-ischemic stroke (IS) effect of Sal, especially emphasizing its mechanism of action and BBB permeability. Extensive databases, including Pubmed, Web of science (WOS), Google Scholar and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), were applied to obtain relevant online literatures. Sal exerts powerful therapeutic effects on IS in experimental models either in vitro or in vivo due to its neuroprotection, with significantly diminishing infarct size, preventing cerebral edema and improving neurological function. Also, the findings suggest the underlying mechanisms involve anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis by regulating multiple signaling pathways and key molecules, such as NF-κB, TNF-α and PI3K/Akt pathway. In pharmacokinetics, although showing a rapid absorption and elimination, bioavailability of Sal is elevated under some non-physiological conditions. The component and its metabolite (tyrosol) are capable of distributing to brain tissue and the later keeps a higher level of concentration. Moreover, Sal scarcely has obvious toxicity or side effects in a variety of animal experiments and clinical trials, but combination of drugs and perinatal use of medicine should be taken more attentions. Finally, as an active ingredient, not only is Sal isolated from diverse plants with limited yield, but also large batches of the products can be harvested by biological and chemical synthesis. With higher efficacy and better safety profiles, Sal could sever as a promising neuroprotectant for preventing and treating IS. Nevertheless, further investigations are still required to explore the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of Sal in the treatment of IS.

Bioaccessibility and Absorption Mechanism of Phenylethanoid Glycosides Using Simulated Digestion/Caco-2 Intestinal Cell Models

Acteoside and salidroside are major phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) in Osmanthus fragrans Lour. flowers with extensive pharmacological activities and poor oral bioavailability. The absorption mechanisms of these two compounds remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the bioaccessibility of these compounds using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model and to examine the absorption and transport mechanisms of PhGs using the Caco-2 cell model. The in vitro digestion model revealed that the bioaccessibility of salidroside (98.7 ± 1.35%) was higher than that of acteoside (50.1 ± 3.04%), and the superior bioaccessibility of salidroside can be attributed to its stability. The absorption percentages of total phenylethanoid glycoside, salidroside, and acteoside were 1.42-1.54%, 2.10-2.68%, and 0.461-0.698% in the Caco-2 model, respectively. Salidroside permeated Caco-2 cell monolayers through passive diffusion. At the concentration of 200 μg/mL, the apparent permeability ( P_app) of salidroside in the basolateral (BL)-to-apical (AP) direction was 23.7 ± 1.33 × 10^-7 cm/s, which was 1.09-fold of that in the AP-to-BL direction (21.7 ± 1.38 × 10^-7 cm/s). Acteoside was poorly absorbed with low P_app (AP to BL) (4.75 ± 0.251 × 10^-7 cm/s), and its permeation mechanism was passive diffusion with active efflux mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp). This study clarified the bioaccessibility, absorption, and transport mechanisms of PhGs. It also demonstrated that the low bioavailability of acteoside might be attributed to its poor bioaccessibility, low absorption, and P-gp efflux transporter.

Rhodiola rosea L.: an herb with anti-stress, anti-aging, and immunostimulating properties for cancer chemoprevention

Purpose of review

Rhodiola rosea extracts have been used as a dietary supplement in healthy populations, including athletes, to non-specifically enhance the natural resistance of the body to both physical and behavior stresses for fighting fatigue and depression. We summarize the information with respect to the new pharmacological activities of Rhodiola rosea extracts and its underlying molecular mechanisms in this review article.

Recent findings

In addition to its multiplex stress-protective activity, Rhodiola rosea extracts have recently demonstrated its anti-aging, anti-inflammation, immunostimulating, DNA repair and anti-cancer effects in different model systems. Molecular mechanisms of Rhodiola rosea extracts's action have been studied mainly along with one of its bioactive compounds, salidroside. Both Rhodiola rosea extracts and salidroside have contrast molecular mechanisms on cancer and normal physiological functions. For cancer, Rhodiola rosea extracts and salidroside inhibit the mTOR pathway and reduce angiogenesis through down-regulation of the expression of HIF-1α/HIF-2α. For normal physiological functions, Rhodiola rosea extracts and salidroside activate the mTOR pathway, stimulate paracrine function and promote neovascularization by inhibiting PHD3 and stabilizing HIF-1α proteins in skeletal muscles. In contrast to many natural compounds, salidroside is water-soluble and highly bioavailable via oral administration and concentrated in urine by kidney excretion.

Summary

Rhodiola rosea extracts and salidroside can impose cellular and systemic benefits similar to the effect of positive lifestyle interventions to normal physiological functions and for anti-cancer. The unique pharmacological properties of Rhodiola rosea extracts or salidroside deserve further investigation for cancer chemoprevention, in particular for human urinary bladder cancer.

Phenylethanoid Glycosides: Research Advances in Their Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activity and Pharmacokinetics

Phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) are widely distributed in traditional Chinese medicines as well as in other medicinal plants, and they were characterized by a phenethyl alcohol (C₆-C₂) moiety attached to a β-glucopyranose/β-allopyranose via a glycosidic bond. The outstanding activity of PhGs in diverse diseases proves their importance in medicinal chemistry research. This review summarizes new findings on PhGs over the past 10 years, concerning the new structures, their bioactivities, including neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and antivirus, cytotoxic, immunomodulatory, and enzyme inhibitory effects, and pharmacokinetic properties.

Salidroside ameliorates arthritis-induced brain cognition deficits by regulating Rho/ROCK/NF-κB pathway

The prevalence of cognitive impairment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients was increasingly serious nowadays. The purpose of the current study was to explore whether salidroside (Sal) could alleviate arthritis-induced cognition deficits and examine the relationship between the impairment and Rho/ROCK/NF-κB pathway. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was established by the injection of chicken type II collagen (CII), complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). Arthritic lesions of CIA rats were assessed by arthritis index score, swelling of paws and histological analysis. Cognitive deficits symptoms of CIA rats were monitored through Morris water maze test. The contents of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in hippocampus and serum were significantly reduced with salidroside (20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg) treatment compared with those in the CIA group. In parallel, we demonstrated that the expressions of RhoA, ROCK1, ROCK2, p-NF-κBp65, p-IκBα, p-IKKα and p-IKKβ were enhanced accompanying the investigation arthritis-induced cognition deficits, which were remarkably down-regulated by salidroside and confirmed by the results obtained from western blot and immunohistochemistry. LC-MS/MS results ascertained that Sal could enter into the blood and brain tissues to exhibit the protective effect on arthritis-induced cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, it was assumed that Sal might be a potential therapeutic candidate to treat arthritis-induced brain cognition deficits through the regulation of Rho/ROCK/NF-κB signaling.

Protective Effects of Salidroside on Mitochondrial Functions against Exertional Heat Stroke-Induced Organ Damage in the Rat

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) results in a constellation of systemic inflammatory responses resulting in multiorgan failure and an extremely high mortality. The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of salidroside on EHS by improving mitochondrial functions in the rat model. Liver and heart mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscopy and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was detected by a fluorescent probe. Intramitochondrial free Ca²⁺ concentration, mitochondrial respiratory control ratio (RCR), reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) activity were detected by the corresponding kits. RT-PCR was performed to estimate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and manganese form of SOD (MnSOD) mRNA expression. The results demonstrated that salidroside was able to relieve EHS damage by reducing the swelling of mitochondria, ROS levels, and MDA activity, as well as increasing ΔΨm, RCR, free Ca²⁺ concentration, SOD, PGC-1α, and MnSOD mRNA levels. In conclusion, salidroside has protective effects on mitochondrial functions against exertional heat stroke-induced organ damage in the rat.

Metabolite Profile of Salidroside in Rats by Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Quadrupole-Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

In the present work, the salidroside metabolite profile in rat urine was investigated, and subsequently the metabolic pathways of salidroside were proposed. After administrations of salidroside at an oral dose of 100 or 500 mg/kg, rat urine samples were collected and pretreated with methanol to precipitate the proteins. The pretreated samples were analyzed by an Acquity ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with an HSS T3 column and detected by quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS) or high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple-quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC/Q-trap-MS). A total of eight metabolites were detected and identified on the basis of the characteristics of their protonated ions in the urine samples. The results elucidated that salidroside was metabolized via glucuronidation, sulfation, deglycosylation, hydroxylation, methylation, and dehydroxylation pathways in vivo.

Preparation and Characterization of Genipin-Crosslinked Chitosan Microspheres for the Sustained Release of Salidroside

Chitosan microspheres (CsMs) that encapsulate salidroside (Sal) were prepared by the emulsion crosslinking method with naturally occurring genipin (Gp) and then examined for their in vitro release. Sal-loaded CsMs (Sal-CsMs) showed nearly spherical and smooth surfaces with internal voids. The particle size of Sal-CsMs ranged within 0.56–5.01 μm, and their encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity were beyond 77.58% and 23.29%, respectively. The stability of Sal improved after entrapment into the CsMs. The release rate of Sal from CsMs was initially rapid, followed by sustained release. The release behavior depended on the pH of the release medium. The main release mechanisms underlying the release procedure were anomalous behavior and Fickian diffusion. These results indicated that CsMs with a novel crosslinker of Gp was a potential carrier system for producing functional foods containing Sal.

An LC-MS/MS method for the determination of salidroside and its metabolite p-tyrosol in rat liver tissues

CONTEXT

Salidroside and its metabolite p-tyrosol are two major phenols in the genus Rhodiola L. (Crassulaceae). They have been confirmed to possess various pharmacological properties and are used for the prophylaxis and therapeutics of many diseases. Several analytical methods have been developed for the determination of the two compounds in plant materials and biological plasma matrices. However, these methods are not optimal for biological samples containing complex organic interferences, such as liver and brain tissues.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to further develop and validate a simple and specific LC-MS/MS method for the determination of salidroside and its metabolite p-tyrosol in rat liver tissues using paracetamol as the internal standard (IS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Salidroside and p-tyrosol with the IS paracetamol and liver tissues were used as model compounds and biological samples. Samples were processed by protein precipitation (PP) with methanol, the supernatant was dried under nitrogen and the residue was reconstituted in a mobile phase that consisted of a mixture of acetonitrile and water (1:9, v/v). Salidroside and p-tyrosol were detected in negative mode under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) by a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer coupled with electrospray ionization.

RESULTS

Standard curves were linear over the concentration range of 50-2000 ng/mL with correlation coefficients of 0.995 or better for both salidroside and p-tyrosol. The intra- and inter-day accuracy for salidroside ranged between 104.90 and 112.73% with a precision of 3.51-14.27%. For p-tyrosol, the intra- and inter-day accuracy was between 92.38 and 100.59%, and the precision was 8.54% or less. The stability data showed that no significant degradation occurred under the experimental conditions. The recoveries were 111.44, 108.10, and 102.00% for salidroside at concentrations of 50, 500 and 2000 ng/mL, respectively, and were 105.44, 105.50, and 113.04% for tyrosol at concentrations of 50, 500 and 2000 ng/mL, respectively. The matrix effects were 83.85-92.45% for salidroside and 85.61-92.49% for p-tyrosol at three QC levels. This method was successfully applied to a liver tissue distribution study of salidroside and its metabolite p-tyrosol in rats.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This newly established method is validated as simple, reliable and accurate. It can be used as a valid analytical method for the intrinsic quality control of biological matrices, especially tissue samples.

Simultaneous determination of salidroside and its aglycone metabolite p-tyrosol in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Salidroside and its aglycone p-tyrosol are two major phenols in the genus Rhodiola and have been confirmed to possess various pharmacological properties. In our present study, p-tyrosol was identified as the deglycosylation metabolite of salidroside after intravenous (i.v.) administration to rats at a dose of 50 mg/kg, but was not detectable after intragastric gavage (i.g.) administration through HPLC-photodiode array detection (PDA) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Next, an accurate and precise LC-MS/MS method was developed to quantitatively determine salidroside and p-tyrosol in rat plasma samples. Samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS on a reverse-phase xTerra MS C18 column which was equilibrated and eluted with an isocratic mixture of acetonitrile-water (1:9, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The analytes were monitored by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) under the negative electrospray ionization mode. The precursor/product transitions (m/z) were 299.0 → 118.8 for salidroside, 137.0 → 118.9 for p-tyrosol and 150.1 → 106.9 for the internal standard (IS), paracetamol, respectively. The calibration curve was linear over the concentration ranges of 50-2,000 ng/mL for salidroside and 20-200 ng/mL for p-tyrosol. The inter- and intra-day accuracy and precision were within ± 15%. The method has been successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study and the oral bioavailability was calculated.

Effect of salidroside, active principle of Rhodiola rosea extract, on binge eating

Stress is a key determinant of binge eating (BE). Since Rhodiola rosea is known to modulate stress responses, its effect in a model of BE was investigated. BE for highly palatable food (HPF) was evoked in female rats by three 8-day cycles of food restriction/re-feeding (for 4days 66% of the usual chow intake; for 4days food ad libitum) and acute stress on the test day (day 25). R. rosea dry extract (3% rosavin, 3.12% salidroside) or its active principles were given by gavage 1h before access to HPF. Only rats exposed to both food restrictions and stress exhibited BE in the first 15-60min after the stressful procedure. R. rosea extract 10mg/kg significantly reduced and 20mg/kg abolished the BE episode. R. rosea extract 20mg/kg abolished also stress-induced increase in serum corticosterone levels. The R. rosea active principle salidroside, but not rosavin, at doses present in the extract, dose-dependently reduced or abolished BE for the period in which it was elicited. In conclusion results indicate that R. rosea extracts may have therapeutic properties in bingeing-related eating disorders and that salidroside is the active principle responsible for this effect.