Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Linn.)
Is a common household plant grown in many parts of the world. Rosemary is used for flavoring food, a beverage drink, as well as in cosmetics. In folk medicine, rosemary is used as an antispasmodic in renal colic and for dysmenorrhoea, in relieving respiratory disorders and to stimulate growth of hair. Extracts of rosemary relax smooth muscles of trachea and intestine, and have liver protective and anti-tumor activity.
What's in Rosemary?
The most important constituents of rosemary are carnosol, carnosic acid, caffeic acid and its derivatives such as rosmarinic acid. These compounds have powerful antioxidant activity. Rosmarinic acid is well absorbed from gastrointestinal tract and from the skin. It increases the production of prostaglandin E2 and reduces the production of leukotriene B4 in human white blood cells, and inhibits the complement system. This makes rosmarinic acid a strong anti-inflammatory agent.
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