Herbal Use of Rosemary

Introduction

Salvia rosmarinus, commonly known as rosemary, is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was known by the scientific name Rosmarinus officinalis, now a synonym. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs such as oregano, thyme, basil, and lavender. The name "rosemary" derives from Latin ros marinus. The plant is also sometimes called anthos, meaning "flower". Rosemary has a fibrous root system.

It is used as a culinary condiment, to make bodily perfumes, and for its potential health benefits. The herb not only tastes good in culinary dishes, such as rosemary chicken and lamb, but it is also a good source of iron, calcium, and vitamin B-6. It is typically prepared as a whole dried herb or a dried powdered extract, while teas and liquid extracts are made from fresh or dried leaves.

A range of rosemary products is available for purchase online. The herb has been hailed since ancient times for its medicinal properties. Rosemary was traditionally used to help alleviate muscle pain, improve memory, boost the immune and circulatory system, and promote hair growth.

Benefits

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves and a woody aroma. Though best known as a food seasoning, it is one of the most popular aromatic and medicinal plants worldwide. Rosemary’s essential oil which holds the plant’s core components or essence is extracted and sold in small bottles. Despite its name, it is not true oil, as it doesn’t contain fat. Due to rosemary oil’s use in folk medicine, many scientists are now testing its potential health benefits. Though most of this research is just beginning, it supports some traditional uses of the oil and illustrates possible new uses.

In Europe, rosemary is often used to help treat indigestion. In fact, Germany’s Commission E has approved rosemary for the treatment of indigestion. However, it should be noted that there is currently no meaningful scientific evidence to support this claim. According to research outlined in Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, the aroma from rosemary can improve a person’s concentration, performance, speed, and accuracy and, to a lesser extent, their mood.

Side Effects

Side effects include: vomiting, spasms, coma and pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs). Rosemary is usually safe when taken in low doses. Ingestion of large quantities of rosemary may result in stomach and intestinal irritation, and kidney damage. High doses of rosemary may cause miscarriage; therefore it is not advisable for pregnant women to take any supplemental rosemary.

Allergic contact dermatitis has been associated with the plant, but rosemary is not generally considered to be a human skin sensitizer. Rosemary's constituents, monoterpene ketones are convulsants, and have caused seizures in large doses. Rosemary also is an abortive. Ingestion of large quantities of the oil may be associated with toxicity.

Dose

By mouth: 500 milligrams of rosemary extract twice daily for one month has been used. Inhaled as aromatherapy: Four drops of pure rosemary essential oil (Tisserand Aromatherapy) has been applied to an aromatherapy diffuser pad, 5 minutes before testing.

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