Rhodiola has a legendary history dating back thousands of years. The Vikings depended on the herb to enhance their physical strength and endurance, while Chinese emperors sent expeditions to Siberia to bring back "the golden root" for medicinal preparations. The people of central Asia considered a tea brewed from Rhodiola rosea to be the most effective treatment for cold and flu. Mongolian physicians prescribed it for tuberculosis and cancer. Rhodiola comprises several species of plants in the Crassulacea family and is generally found in the arctic mountain regions of Siberia. The root of the plant is used medicinally and is also known as "Arctic root" or "Golden root" and more recently as “Crenulin”. Rhodiola has been used for hundreds of years to treat cold and flu-like symptoms, promote longevity and increase the body’s resistance to physical and mental stresses.