ROSEMARY BENEFITS

ROSEMARY BENEFITS

ROSEMARY Â– A PACK OF ANTIOXIDANTS

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Linn.) is a common household plant
grown in many parts of the world. [2] It is also a common spice used in
food, beverage drink and cosmetics.

Traditionally, rosemary has been used as an antispasmodic in renal colic
and dysmenorrhoea, in relieving respiratory disorders and to stimulate
hair growth. Extract of rosemary may have multiple health benefits
including muscle relaxation, and hepatoprotective and antitumerogenic
activities. [2] Rosemary has been found to contain potent antioxidants
such as phenolic diterpenes, flavonoids and phenolic acids. [1]

Researchers believe that the most important antioxidants of rosemary
are phenolic compounds such as caffeic acid and its derivatives, e.g.
rosmarinic acid. Mass production of rosmarinic acid can be obtained
using cell culture. 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
polymorphonuclear leucocytes, and inhibits the complement system. [2]

Rosemary is believed to have benefits on various diseases and
conditions such as prevention of bronchial asthma, spasmogenic
disorders, peptic ulcer, inflammatory diseases, hepatotoxicity,
atherosclerosis, ischaemic heart disease, cataract, cancer and poor
sperm motility. [2]

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES
Study has demonstrated that rosmarinic acid of a rosemary extract
inhibited the allergic airway inflammation induced by house dust mites in
vivo and another study of perilla has shown that the volatile
constituents also prevented allergic airway inflammation induced by
house dust mites. The preventive effect is associated with inhibition of
the enhanced local expression of interleukin -13. [3]

CANCER / DETOXIFICATION
Studies of animals and cell cultures have shown that rosemary extracts
may have beneficial effects on cancer prevention. In animal models,
rosemary components were found to inhibit the initiation and tumor
promotion phases of carcinogenesis. [6] Application of rosemary extracts
to mouse skin inhibited the covalent binding of benzo(a)pyrene (a
carcinogen) to epidermal DNA and inhibited tumor initiation by benzo(a)
pyrene and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (another carcinogen). [4]
Supplementation of a semi-purified diet with 1.0% (by wt.) rosemary
extract resulted in a significant (47%) decrease in mammary tumor
(induced 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene) by incidence. [5] Rosemary
extracts were also shown to block initiation of carcinogenesis by the
procarcinogen benzo[a]pyrene in human bronchial epithelial cells. [6]
Rosemary extracts has also demonstrated to prevent 7,12-dimethylbenz
[a]anthracene -induced DNA damage and tumor formation in the rat
mammary gland. [7] In human liver and bronchial cell models, two
mechanisms were involved in the anticarcinogenic action of rosemary
extract: (i) inhibition of the metabolic activation of procarcinogens
catalysed by the phase I cytochrome P450 enzymes; (ii) induction of the
detoxification pathway catalysed by the phase II enzymes such as
glutathione S-transferase. [8]

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REFERENCE:
[1] Ho CT et al, Chemistry and antioxidative factors in rosemary and sage. Biofactors. 2000;13
(1-4):161-6. [2] al-Sereiti MR et al, Pharmacology of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Linn.)
and its therapeutic potentials. Indian J Exp Biol. 1999 Feb;37(2):124-30. [3] Inoue K et al,
Effects of volatile constituents of a rosemary extract on allergic airway inflammation related
to house dust mite allergen in mice. Int J Mol Med. 2005 Aug;16(2):315-9. [4] Singletary KW et
al, Inhibition of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumorigenesis and
of in vivo formation of mammary DMBA-DNA adducts by rosemary extract. Cancer Lett. 1991
Nov;60(2):169-75. [5] Huang MT et al, Inhibition of skin tumorigenesis by rosemary and its
constituents carnosol and ursolic acid. Cancer Res. 1994 Feb 1;54(3):701-8. [6] Offord EA et
al, Rosemary components inhibit benzo[a]pyrene-induced genotoxicity in human bronchial
cells. Carcinogenesis. 1995 Sep;16(9):2057-62. [7] Singletary K et al, Inhibition by rosemary
and carnosol of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced rat mammary tumorigenesis
and in vivo DMBA-DNA adduct formation. Cancer Lett. 1996 Jun 24;104(1):43-8. [8] Offord EA
et al, Mechanisms involved in the chemoprotective effects of rosemary extract studied in
human liver and bronchial cells. Cancer Lett. 1997 Mar 19;114(1-2):275-81.