Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L. family Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant originating from the Mediterranean region and now is being cultivated around the world. Rosemary has historically been widely used for different therapeutic purposes.
A team co-led by scientists at Scripps Research, La Jolla, California has found preliminary evidence that a compound contained in the medicinal and culinary herb rosemary could potentially be a useful weapon against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The scientists, in experiments described in a paper published January 6, 2022 in the journal Antioxidants, found that the compound, carnosic acid, can block the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 outer “spike” protein and the receptor protein, ACE2, which the virus uses to gain entry to cells.
For the study, the authors described their further studies of this anti-inflammatory effect on the immune cells that drive inflammation in COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s. The researchers also reviewed evidence from other investigators’ studies indicating that carnosic acid inhibits inflammation in other disease models. They proposed that this effect could be beneficial against the inflammation observed in COVID-19 and in some cases of the post-COVID syndrome known as long COVID, whose reported symptoms include cognitive difficulties often described as “brain fog.”
Other recent research has shown that whether used as an essential oil topically or in aromatherapy, or consumed as tea or seasoning, rosemary benefits can include promoting digestive health, mental clarity, hair and skin health, relaxation and more.
Risks As always, use with recommendations from a medical professional. When rosemary is consumed in usual culinary amounts, or as an approved food additive, it is considered generally safe, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. When consumed in high amounts, especially as an essential oil or extract, it can potentially cause some side effects, such as an upset stomach, vomiting, spasms or changes in blood pressure, although these reactions are rare.
If you’re allergic to other herbs in the mint family, avoid consuming rosemary, and be careful about applying products that contain rosemary essential oil.
Rosemary has the potential to alter urination, blood clotting and blood pressure levels, which means it can potentially interact with certain medications and should be avoided in these cases. Speak with your doctor before adding large amounts or rosemary or this essential oil to your diet if you take these drugs: Anticoagulants/blood thinners ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure Diuretics Lithium for mental health disorders
Summary: Rosemary has in the past been widely used for different therapeutic purposes including treatment or prevention of bronchial asthma, headaches, poor circulation, spasmogenic disorders, inflammatory diseases, hepatotoxicity, physical and mental fatigue, heart disease, and others.
More recently, rosemary extracts show several bioactivities such as hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, anticancer, insecticidal, antioxidant, and antibacterial ones. Preliminary studies now show that rosemary may have potential protective effects against COVID-19 and other diseases.
Reference (original paper summarised by QNH Ltd): “Potential Therapeutic Use of the Rosemary Diterpene Carnosic Acid for Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Long-COVID through NRF2 Activation to Counteract the NLRP3 Inflammasome” was co-authored by Takumi Satoh of the Tokyo University of Technology; and by Dorit Trudler, Chang-ki Oh and Stuart Lipton of Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. Published 6 January 2022