Antioxidant Properties of a Rhodiola rosea Constituent, Rosavin

Rhodiola rosea is a traditional medicinal plant with reported effects in supporting the body’s response to physical, environmental, and emotional stressors. The present study investigated the antioxidant properties of Rhodiola rosea chemical constituents to provide insight into their potential mechanisms of action. Using in vitro biochemical assays, we showed that a primary chemical component of Rhodiola rosea, rosavin, significantly decreased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels dose-dependently, as determined using multiple H2O2 assays. Structural analysis revealed that the intact phenylpropanoid glycoside architecture of rosavin is required for activity, as its individual components, arabinose, rosin and cinnamyl alcohol, showed no inhibitory effect. Further investigation demonstrated that rosavin attenuates H2O2-mediated oxidation of thiol groups, supporting a role in cellular redox regulation. In cultured human cells, rosavin significantly mitigated reductions in cell viability induced by H2O2 exposure, indicating cytoprotective effects under oxidative stress conditions. Collectively, these findings identify rosavin as a structurally dependent antioxidant component of Rhodiola rosea that modulates H2O2-associated oxidative stress.