Rosemary and its Health effects

Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis is the single species of the Rosmarinus Genus but has over 17 varieties (cultivars) that we use on a regular basis. It is believed that Rosemary originated from the Mediterranean Basin and has since spread out over the world. It is however a plant which though hardy and very easy to grow, does not do well in freezing conditions and this prevented its use in higher altitudes. The name Rosemary stems from the Latin Rosmarinus, and is generally believed to stand for, Ros meaning Dew and Marinus meaning “of the sea” or Dew of the Sea. Perhaps so named for is proclivity for low laying areas that would be near the sea in general.

Steeped in age old European traditions Rosemary has long enjoyed a three fold relationship with man, that of spiritually, culinary and medicinally. The oldest associations are that of enhancing the memory and thereby promoting fidelity and loyalty. Rosemary also held a reputation of a protector plant like Chives from bad spirits, disease, plague and infestation, but more so and more widely used as chives were only introduced to Europe by Marco Polo in the 1200’s. It was common to spread cut Rosemary during sickness, funerals, weddings and even in churches. So common that Rosemary was by tradition planted at the four corners of a house and developed into a hedge, the same was true for the fields for the protection of the crops.

Rosemary is one of the few herbs that retain its potency when dried, and this like Parsley gave it legs into the ancient Arab trade routes that spread its use across three continents. This property makes it a favourite herb for many chefs in a wide variety of dishes, but it is also that potency which requires only small quantities be used. The essential oil of Rosemary is very powerful, perhaps lethal if the contents of a bottle were swallowed, the oil is not to be used lightly medicinally and never for cooking. The compounds Bornoeal along with Camphor are the major constituents of the oil and between them have over 50 known effects on the human body. In traditional medicine Rosemary is used for over 60 proscribed treatments, and we will look at some of them a bit later. But first let’s look at Rosemary pharmacological top five and then equate them to these age old cures.

With over 429 chemical compounds Rosemary has more than 690 effects in total whenever we consume it. To reiterate if you haven’t read any of the other articles in this series, I am listing the actual compounds so that you can research them or perhaps recognise some. I will at the end of this series do an extensive round up and go into more detail and comparison with certain compounds and you will be able to refer backwards to those compounds.

Anti-oxidants are number one with 50 compounds supporting an anti-oxidant effect upon the human body by helping the body by donating their electrons (which they can regain elsewhere without harm) to stabilise free radicals who are missing theirs and therefore dangerous.

(ALANINE, ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL, APIGENIN, ASCORBIC-ACID, BETA-CAROTENE, BETA-SITOSTEROL, CAFFEIC-ACID, CAMPESTEROL, CAMPHENE, CARNOSIC-ACID, CARNOSOL, CARNOSOLIC-ACID, CARVACROL, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, CHOLESTEROL, DELTA-TOCOPHEROL, DIOSMIN, EUGENOL, GAMMA-TERPINENE, HESPERIDIN, HISPIDULIN, HISTIDINE, ISOROSMANOL, LABIATIC-ACID, LAURIC-ACID, LINALYL-ACETATE, LUPEOL, LUTEOLIN, LUTEOLIN-3'-O-(3''-O-ACETYL)-BETA-D-GLUCURONIDE, LUTEOLIN-3'-O-(4''-O-ACETYL)-BETA-D-GLUCURONIDE, METHIONINE, METHYL-EUGENOL, MYRCENE, MYRISTIC-ACID, OLEANOLIC-ACID, PALMITIC-ACID, ROSMADIAL, ROSMANOL, ROSMARIDIPHENOL, ROSMARINIC-ACID, ROSMARIQUINONE, SQUALENE, STIGMASTEROL, TANNIN, TERPINEN-4-OL, TERPINOLENE, THYMOL, TRANS-ANETHOLE, TRYPTOPHAN, URSOLIC-ACID)

Cancer Preventative activities come second with 47 compounds that are known to have a preventative action toward initial cancer development.

(ALANINE, ALPHA-PINENE, ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL, APIGENIN, ASCORBIC-ACID, BETA-CAROTENE, BETA-SITOSTEROL, CAFFEIC-ACID, CAMPHOR, CARNOSOL, CARVONE, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, CIRSIMARITIN, D-LIMONENE, DIOSMETIN, EUGENOL, EUGENOL-METHYL-ETHER, FIBER, GERANIOL, GLYCINE, HISPIDULIN, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, LINOLEIC-ACID, LUTEOLIN, METHIONINE, METHYL-EUGENOL, MUFA, MYRISTIC-ACID, NEPETRIN, NIACIN, OLEANOLIC-ACID, OLEIC-ACID, PANTOTHENIC-ACID, PECTIN, RIBOFLAVIN, ROSMANOL, ROSMARIDIPHENOL, ROSMARINIC-ACID, ROSMARIQUINONE, SAFROLE, SERINE, SQUALENE, STIGMASTEROL, TANNIN, TYROSINE, URSOLIC-ACID)

There are 46 compounds that support an Antibacterial effect in Rosemary; these compounds effectively knock off bad bacteria more than anything else when applied.

(1,8-CINEOLE, ACETIC-ACID, ALPHA-PHELLANDRENE, ALPHA-PINENE, ALPHA-TERPINEOL, ALPHA-THUJONE, APIGENIN, ASCORBIC-ACID, BETA-SITOSTEROL, BETA-THUJONE, BETULINIC-ACID, BORNEOL, BORNYL-ACETATE, CAFFEIC-ACID, CARVACROL, CARYOPHYLLENE, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, CIRSIMARITIN, DELTA-3-CARENE, DELTA-CADINENE, DIPENTENE, ETHANOL, EUGENOL, FLAVONE, GENKWANIN, GERANIOL, LAURIC-ACID, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, LUTEOLIN, METHYL-EUGENOL, MYRCENE, NEROL, OLEANOLIC-ACID, P-CYMENE, PECTIN, PINENE, ROSMARINIC-ACID, SABINENE, SAFROLE, SQUALENE, TANNIN, TERPINEN-4-OL, THUJONE, THYMOL, URSOLIC-ACID)

An Anti-Inflammatory effect occurs with 41 compounds that are known to reduce inflammation, which is the intricate reaction of blood vessel tissue to various stimuli resulting in inflammation of that tissue.

(1,8-CINEOLE, 3-O-ACETYLOLEANOLIC-ACID, ALPHA-AMYRIN, ALPHA-PINENE, APIGENIN, ASCORBIC-ACID, BETA-AMYRIN, BETA-PINENE, BETA-SITOSTEROL, BETULIN, BETULINIC-ACID, BORNEOL, CAFFEIC-ACID, CARNOSOL, CARVACROL, CARYOPHYLLENE, CARYOPHYLLENE-OXIDE, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, COPPER, DELTA-3-CARENE, DIOSMIN, EUGENOL, HESPERIDIN, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, LINOLEIC-ACID, LUPEOL, LUTEOLIN, LUTEOLIN-7-GLUCOSIDE, MAGNESIUM, MUFA, NEO-CHLOROGENIC-ACID, NEPETRIN, OLEANOLIC-ACID, OLEIC-ACID, ROSMARINIC-ACID, SALICYLATES, STIGMASTEROL, TARAXASTEROL, THYMOL, URSOLIC-ACID)

An Antiseptic effect is supported by 25 compounds that reduce infection in external open, damaged or torn skin.

(1,8-CINEOLE, ALPHA-PINENE, ALPHA-TERPINEOL, ASCORBIC-ACID, BENZYL-ALCOHOL, BETA-PINENE, CAFFEIC-ACID, CAMPHOR, CARVACROL, CARVONE, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, ETHANOL, EUGENOL, GERANIOL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, METHYL-EUGENOL, NEROL, OLEANOLIC-ACID, PINENE, SABINENE, SAFROLE, TERPINEN-4-OL, THUJONE, THYMOL, ZINC)

As I mentioned above Rosemary has a high status in traditional medicine and is used for a multitude of treatments, so let’s take a look at some of those treatments and how they are backed by the pharmacology.

Abortifacient (induces abortion) (4)

Antiseptic (26)

Aperient (laxative) (0)

Asthma (to prevent inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs) (1)

Bactericide (kills or retards Bacterium) (46)

Cancer (help prevent or slow the growth of malignant cells) (47 preventative) (13 actively retard growth)

Cancer (Liver) (1)

Carminative (prevents or eases the formation of gases in the alimentary canal) (7)

Cholagogue (promotes the discharge bile downward) (2)

Contraceptive (1)

Diuretic (increases flow of water from the renal system) (15)

Dysmenorrhoea (aids with menstrual cramps) (1)

Emmenagogue (stimulate blood flow to the pelvic area in women) (3)

Rheumatism (1)

Spasm (aids in the involuntary contraction of muscles and organs) (25)

Stimulant (excitement of the central nervous system) (7)

Tranquilizer (depression of the central nervous system) (8)

Vermifuge (expels harmful worm type parasites) (2)

Well it seems of all those treatments listed here all of them except Aperient, have at least one compound that supports the given treatment. Once again the tried, tested and remembered for a reason, wisdom of our forebears proves its value. As you may have noticed quite a few compounds like Rosmarinic Acid hold the name of the plant they were first discovered in. Rosemary has earned its world wide status and is the stuff of legends at least medically. We would do well to look deeper into this chemically well stocked plant. In fact this is already under way in the pursuit of several promising cancer treatments, and could lead the way to more fascinating medical discoveries from this Medical Queen of Herbs. Something to remember when next you are experiencing the 690 effects after Rosemary consumption, albeit to a small degree.

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In this series: Basil Chives Dill Mint Oregano Parsley Sage Thyme Conclusion