Rosemary is for remembrance

Rosemary is for remembrance… or at least that’s how the saying goes. Did you also know it is an antimicrobial and exhibits strong anti-inflammatory activities?

There is a long-standing association between rosemary and memory. In ancient Greece it was used to avoid forgetfulness and was trendy for students to wear rosemary sprigs in their hair or around their necks as garlands to promote memorization of material when they studied. This association between memory and rosemary was also noted in ancient Arabia. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia famously says “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember.”

Ancient history

In Egypt, during the first pharaonic dynasty, 5000 BC, sprigs of rosemary were placed on pharaohs’ tombs to perfume their journey to the afterlife. In ancient Greece, rosemary was burned in temple rituals dedicated to the goddess of love—Aphrodite. The Greeks and Romans believed that rosemary had both mystical and healing powers and could protect them from evil spirits. When the Roman Empire extended north to Britain, they brought rosemary, establishing the plant across Europe.

Botanical origins

Botanists recently changed its name from Rosmarinus officinalis to Salvia rosmarinus, retaining it in the Lamiaceae family. Rosemary originates in the arid environment of the Mediterranean, where it still grows as large bushes in the wild. It thrives in warm, sunny areas and is abundant throughout the Mediterranean. The common Italian name for the plant is rosmarino, and the “marino” portion (meaning ‘near the sea’) of the name refers to its common occurrence in shrubby vegetation near the seaside.

Rosemary is an evergreen woody perennial herb. Its flowers can come in many shades, from pale to deep blue, purple, or even white or pink. In the Mediterranean, rosemary typically flowers from May to June, and the fruiting period occurs in the summer.

Its primary pollinators of are honeybees, because rosemary flowers are rich in highly concentrated nectar. Studies have shown that when compared to nine other plants of the Lamiaceae family, rosemary is one of the most preferred by honeybees. 

Medicinal Use

In folk medicine rosemary tea is used for nervous headaches, the improvement of circulation, skin care, and for treating colds. During World War 2, rosemary and juniper were burned as incense in hospitals to disinfect the air. This practice also extended further back in European history, where rosemary was burned in sick rooms to dispel the odors of “bad air.”

Ethnopharmacological reports describe applications of rosemary to treat kidney stones in the Middle East, abdominal pains from heartburn and bloating in the Middle East, North Africa, and South America, and for the improvement of memory in the UK, Brazil, and North Africa.

Four Thieves Vinegar

During the time of the great plague in Europe, rosemary was a key ingredient in the “four thieves vinegar”—also known as Marseilles vinegar. This remedy was rubbed behind the ears, under the nose, and on hands when approaching a plague victim or entering a plague-ridden home. Although full of ingredients that have been reported for general antimicrobial effects, its efficacy in preventing the transmission of the plague pathogen, bacterium Yersinia pestis, has never been established by contemporary scientific investigation. One thing is sure, the remedy rich in aromatic herbs would have helped to mask the overpowering odor of the dead plague victims.

Current mainstream uses

Today, in larger commercial markets, rosemary is commonly used as a fragrant additive in cosmetics and soaps, as well as in cosmeceuticals, or products that claim to have medicinal properties, especially anti-aging ones. Examples include products for treating cellulite, wrinkles, and oily skin. Rosemary is found in hair dyes and rinses to darken and retain color and in oils and shampoos to prevent premature balding.

In traditional medicine, its main applications are for inflammation-related ailments. Rosemary essential oil is used in complementary or natural medicine to treat dyspepsia (heartburn), characterized by discomfort, pain, aching, bloating, fullness, burning, or indigestion. It is also used to treat flatulence or intestinal gas and to promote appetite. Other common uses include treatment of muscle and joint pain, headache, gallbladder complaints, gout, cough, regulation of blood pressure, age-related memory loss, opiate withdrawal symptoms, and improvement of energy and mental tiredness. Despite more than 1,600 scientific research articles on rosemary and its medical effects, the science behind the mechanisms of action and even the efficacy of rosemary essential oil use in these applications are still emerging. We’re learning more about this fascinating herb every day!

Chemistry and pharmacology

Rosemary’s fantastic scent is due to its essential oil content, released through glandular trichomes (modified epidermal cells) found on rosemary leaves. Steam-distillation is the most commonly used extraction technique for rosemary oil in industrial setting, which is fast and suitable for large quantities. Rosemary essential oil makes up about 1–2.5% of the plant’s total weight. Its chemical composition varies depending on where it was grown, when it was collected and how it was extracted.

Rosemary essential oil is rich in bioactive monoterpenes, including 1,8-cineole, borneol, pinene, limonene, camphene, camphor, and myrcene. These compounds are produced for defense and to attract pollinators. They are also responsible for the pharmacological activities of rosemary essential oil. For example, scientific studies on the compound 1,8-cineole have reported anti-inflammatory, anti-depressive, antioxidant, and smooth muscle relaxant activities. Likewise, alpha-pinene has shown anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects. Camphor has shown anti-mutagenic, antioxidant, anti-allergic, and anti-inflammatory activity.

Non-volatile terpenes found in rosemary, like carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmanol, and rosmarinic acid, are also known to have anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory tests. There are hundreds of other bioactive compounds found in this plant!

Evaluation of the chemically complex essential oil has shown antimicrobial activities against several types of infectious bacteria, including Salmonella, Shigella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus and E. coli. The antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of rosemary essential oils contributes to their value as a food additive. In industrial food applications, rosemary essential oil extends the shelf life of products rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It is also used as a preservative ingredient in prepackaged meat products, like beef and pork patties, and helps prevent food spoilage due to its rich capacity as an antioxidant.

Anti-inflammatory properties

Out of all the pharmacological activities of rosemary essential oil, its anti-inflammatory capacity stands out to me. Significant findings include the inhibition of an inflammatory cascade known as the NF-kB pathway, which is responsible for the harmful effects of inflammation. Other studies have shown that rosemary exhibits protective effects in the colon mucosa and offers some protective benefits in the gastrointestinal tract.

The essential oil's broad array of protective abilities may be due to a combined totality of protective effects arising from the various bioactive constituents found in the oil, including camphor and alpha-pinene, among others.

Essential oil is a potent mixture of highly active compounds and should be diluted in a base solution such as a massage oil or lotion for topical applications.

The bottom line

Rosemary has a long and storied past, with many interesting uses ranging from food to medicine, cosmetics, and fragrance. Next time you see it I hope you remember some of its interesting history and potential for medicinal uses.

Yours in health, Dr. Quave

---

Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. is a disabled writer, speaker, podcast host, wife, mother, explorer, ethnobotanist, and professor at Emory University School of Medicine. She teaches college courses and leads a group of research scientists studying medicinal plants to find new life-saving drugs from nature. She hosts the Foodie Pharmacology podcast and writes the Nature’s Pharmacy newsletter to share the science behind natural medicines. To support her effort, consider a paid or founding subscription, with founding members receiving an autographed 1st edition hardcover copy of her book, The Plant Hunter.