Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis [Latin]), also known as rosemarine, has a long tradition of culinary and medicinal use. Today, rosemary is still a popular herb for seasoning meats, and modern herbalists recommend it for treatment of depression, indigestion, headache, muscle aches, and bad breath.
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.
Benefits
Internal benefits
- It is used with great success for dyspeptic complaints, flatulence and to stimulate appetite and the secretion of gastric juices.
- It is also used as supportive therapy for rheumatism and circulatory problems.
- In herbal preparations it can be included to ensure proper circulation to the penis.
- Furthermore it is used for headaches, as well as for nervous complaints.
- Rosemary is used widely in Mediterranean cooking and the fresh or dried leaves are used to flavor meat (especially lamb and kid), sausages, stuffing, soups, stews and to make tea. The flowers can also be added to salads.
External benefits
- Externally, rosemary helps to increase circulation and is very often used in hair care products and lotions as it stimulates the hair follicles to renewed activity and prevent premature baldness.
- It has two important properties – it is an outstanding free radical scavenger and therefore has amazing antioxidant properties, and secondly has an remarkable stimulating effect on the skin.
- Apart from this, it has good antiseptic properties and is traditionally used for hair and scalp stimulation, as well as anti-aging products.
- Rosemary is an effective treatment against scurf and dandruff.
- It can also be used in mouth rinses and gargles; and is applied topically to stimulate circulation.
- It has analgesic as well as antibacterial, antifungal and anti-parasitic properties.
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