Abstract
Objective: Collect published research articles on the desired topic and summarize their findings in an evaluation of the preservative and therapeutic potential of Rosmarinus officinalis. Design: The research articles used in this review were obtained by searching public databases with keywords such as “Rosmarinus officinalis,” “R. officinalis,” and “rosemary.” The articles were then reviewed, summarized, and organized based on topic. Results: Eighty research articles revealed a wide range of therapeutic applications for Rosmarinus officinalis. Among others, rosemary was found to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antidepressant, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity activities. Rosemary essential oil and extract were found to contain several biologically active compounds. Compared to synthetic agents, Rosmarinus officinalis displayed low toxicity levels and few side effects. Conclusions: Rosmarinus officinalis shows great promise as a natural food preservative and therapeutic agent in the treatment of many diseases. The chemical composition of rosemary essential oil and extract includes several compounds that are known to be strong antioxidants. Many of the biological properties of rosemary depend on this antioxidant activity. This is especially true in rosemary’s antidiabetic and anticancer mechanisms, for oxidative stress is a severe complication in both diseases. The antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities of rosemary, along with its low toxicity levels, make Rosmarinus officinalis a promising food preservative with fewer side effects than artificial additives. Despite these encouraging findings, more research on the exact mechanisms of rosemary’s biological activities is needed before it is consistently used to treat human diseases.
Highlights
Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary, is an evergreen perennial shrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family [1]
Phenolic compounds such as carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosemarinic acid are responsible for the strong antioxidant activity of rosemary essential oil and extract [6]
While synergistic mechanisms between many oil components likely contribute to the antioxidant activity, phenolic diterpenes such as carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosemarinic acid have been identified as the strongest antioxidants present in rosemary essential oil [6,12,13]
Summary
Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary, is an evergreen perennial shrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family [1]. Phenolic compounds such as carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosemarinic acid are responsible for the strong antioxidant activity of rosemary essential oil and extract [6] This significant antioxidant activity makes rosemary an effective food preservative, but it accounts for most of rosemary’s other therapeutic abilities, including its anticancer and anti diabetic mechanisms [7]. It is the strong antioxidant compounds in its essential oil and extract that is making R. officinalis a plant of great interest in today’s food and medical industries
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