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Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis L. (syn. Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.), popularly known as rosemary, is an aromatic plant with needle-like leaves belonging to the Lamiaceae family. it is now known under the name Salvia Rosmarinus. 

Rosemary has therapeutic properties and has been used in the folk medicine, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries, mainly for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are attributed to the presence of carnosol/carnosic and ursolic acids. The therapeutic use of rosemary has been explored for the treatment of inflammatory diseases; however, other uses have been studied, such as wound healing and skin cancer and mycoses treatments, among others. Besides it therapeutic uses, rosemary has potential applications in cosmetic formulations and in the treatment of pathological and non-pathological conditions, such as cellulite, alopecia, ultraviolet damage, and aging.

Rosemary has antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antithrombotic, antinociceptive, antidepressant, antiulcerogenic, and antioxidant activities.

Rosemary (Table 1) has attracted attention because it contains secondary metabolites with therapeutic potential, such as carnosol and carnosic, rosmarinic, ursolic, oleanolic, and micromeric acids. These compounds have been applied topically and studied for their anti-inflammatory capacity, wound-healing potential, effects on tissue survival, anti-skin-cancer effects, antinociceptive effects, antifungal effects, and UV-protective activity.

The triterpenes ursolic, oleanolic, and micromeric acids exhibit the strongest anti-inflammatory activity of all the secondary metabolites. In addition to the gross extracts, it is possible to use rosemary essential oil for topical applications. The major constituents of the oil are β-pinene, 1, 8-cineole, borneol, camphor, limonene, and verbenone.

Table 1

Results collected about Rosmarinus officinalis uses.

Topic Results
Anti-inflammatory activity

  1. Carnosic acid inhibit NO.

  2. Carnosic acid platelet was inhibited.

  3. Carnosol reduces atopic dermatitis.

  4. Rosemary extract showed anti-inflammatory activity similar to indomethacin.
Skin cancer

  1. Rosemary extract reduces number, diameter, weight, and incidence of tumors and increases the latency period.

  2. Rosmarinic acid showed chameoprotective activity.

  3. Carnosic acid showed protective effect against melanoma.
Wound healing

  1. Rosemary oil showed healing, angiogenesis, and improvements in granulation tissue.

  2. Rosemary oil accelerated healing wounds in diabetic and nondiabetic animals.

  3. Rosemary cream accelerated wound healing.
Skin flaps survival

  1. Rosemary oil showed improvement in tissue survival and viability, and tissue necrosis was lower.
Transdermal effects

  1. Monoterpertenes, presented in rosemary oil, promoted cutaneous absorption.
Antifungal activity

  1. Rosemary oil was capable of inhibiting C. albicans growth.

  2. Rosemary extract was responsible for inhibiting fungal growth.
Ginoid lipodystrophy (GLD, cellulite)

  1. A cream with carnosic acid was responsible for an improvement of cellulitis appearance.
Alopecia

  1. Rosemary extract showed a hair growth.
Antiaging

  1. Roms1 has a strong antioxidant capacity.

  2. Rosemary essential oil nanoparticles showed greater capacity of hydration and improves the elasticity.
Ultraviolet protection

  1. Rosemary and citrus extracts were able to improve cell protection against UV.

  2. Rosemary extract reduced skin damage caused by the sun.
Other studies

  1. Secondary metabolites present in rosemary extract showed stabilizer emulsion properties.

 

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil has been attributed to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, fungicidal, and anticancer activity, mainly owing to its flavonoids and terpenes content. Investigations on rosemary aqueous extracts pointed out the antioxidant activity of this extract and its ability to control lipoperoxidation of skin lipids. Therefore, rosemary aqueous extracts have been suggested as a useful tool for the prevention and treatment of skin disorders, including age-related skin damages. However topical benefits of rosemary essential oil yet seems to need to be demonstrated more clearly.

 

References:

  • de Macedo LM, Santos ÉMD, Militão L, et al. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L., syn Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.) and Its Topical Applications: A Review. Plants (Basel). 2020;9(5):651. Published 2020 May 21. doi:10.3390/plants9050651
  • Montenegro L, Pasquinucci L, Zappalà A, Chiechio S, Turnaturi R, Parenti C. Rosemary Essential Oil-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles: In Vivo Topical Activity from Gel Vehicles. Pharmaceutics. 2017;9(4):48. Published 2017 Oct 21. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics9040048

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