Rhaponticum carthamoides

Maral root
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Rhaponticum
Species:	R. carthamoides
Binomial name
Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Iljin[1]
Synonyms
Cnicus carthamoides Willd. (basionym)[1] Leuzea carthamoides (Willd.) DC.[1] Stemmacantha carthamoides (Willd.) Dittrich[1]

Maral root, or Rhaponticum, (Rhaponticum carthamoides) is a herbaceous perennial plant from the family Asteraceae^[2] that inhabits the sub-alpine zone (4,500-6,000 feet above sea level) as well as alpine meadows. It can be found growing wild in Southern Siberia, Kazakhstan, the Altay region, and Western Sayani. Maral root is widely cultivated throughout Russia and Eastern Europe.

This plant derives its traditional name Maral root (Maralu) from the maral deer who fed on it. It is an adaptogen which has traditionally been used for fatigue, impotence, and recovery from long illness.

1985 USSR sheet of stamps, depicting Rhaponticum carthamoides.

Research indicates that maral root may have a beneficial effect on impotence, memory and learning,^[3] increasing working capacity of tired skeletal muscles,^[4] as well as anabolic^[5] and adaptogenic^[6] processes.

Rhaponticum is high in 20-E or 20-hydroxyecdysone, one of the most common molting hormones in insects, crabs, and some worms and 20E can disrupt their molting and reproduction.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Rhaponticum carthamoides information from NPGS/GRIN". www.ars-grin.gov. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?31089. Retrieved 2008-02-23. 
2. ^ SysTax - detailed information on Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Iljin
3. ^ Mosharrof AH (1987). "Effects of extract from Rhapontcum carthamoides (Willd) Iljin (Leuzea) on learning and memory in rats". Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg 13 (3): 37–42. PMID 3439473. 
4. ^ David Winston & Maimes, Steven. “ADAPTOGENS: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief,” Healing Arts Press, 2007.
5. ^ "Rhaponticum carthamoides: Anabolic effect of whole extract is superior to individual Ecdysterones". http://www.rhodiolarosea.org/Web-Rhaponticum.pdf#search=%22carthamoides%22. 
6. ^ Bespalov VG, Aleksandrov VA, Iaremenko KV, et al. (1992). "[The inhibiting effect of phytoadaptogenic preparations from bioginseng, Eleutherococcus senticosus and Rhaponticum carthamoides on the development of nervous system tumors in rats induced by N-nitrosoethylurea]" (in Russian). Vopr Onkol 38 (9): 1073–80. PMID 1300820.