Rosemary – Introduction, Health Benefits, Uses, and Side Effects – Rosmarinus Officinalis

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Rosemary scientific name is Rosmarinus Officinallis, it has long been regarded as the herb for remembrance Mystically, it symbolizes loyalty, love, and immortality, and it was once believed to strengthen the heart as well as memory. The Greeks and Romans prepared fragrant distilled water from the flowers and inhaled the odor so that the evils were destroyed from the mind and the memory no longer played tricks. In ancient Greece, students prepare for examinations with threaded sprigs of rosemary in their locks to induce clear thinking and a good memory. 

It is a sweet-scented evergreen shrub that grows up to two meters high, its leaves are narrow and resemble curved pine needles, and the small pale blue flowers grow in little clusters on the stems. It belongs to the mint family. It is an evergreen aromatic shrub. Dried leaves of rosemary are used for commercial purposes. The dried herb is brownish-green in color, and the leaves have a tea-like fragrance. Crushed rosemary has a spicy camphoraceous aroma and a pungent, bitter taste.

2. Chemical Constituent 

On fractional distillation, dried rosemary leaves to yield 1 to 2 percent of a volatile oil used in perfumery and medicine. They also contain several acids and other chemical substances; a fraction of phenolic possessing antioxidant properties has been isolated from the leaves and their oil.

3. Habitat

Rosemary is a sun-loving herb, native to the south of France and other Mediterranean regions, it is cultivated across Spain, Portugal, and the U.S.A. In India, it is cultivated in the temperate Himalayas and Nilgiris hills which have dry to moderately moist climates. It is also grown in gardens for its pleasantly fragrant leaves.

4. Ayurvedic Properties of Rosemary

1. Rasa (Taste): It has pungent (Katu) taste.

2. Virya (Potency): It is hot in nature (Ushna).

3. Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): The post-digestive taste is pungent (Katu).

5. Health Benefits and Uses 

Rosemary is an antidote to mental fatigue and forgetfulness, and a tea made from the herb is a good natural remedy for added mental agility. It is believed that if the crushed leaves of rosemary are inhaled with eyes closed the becomes clear as the vapor courses through the brain cells. The oil of rosemary is used as an ingredient in rubefacient liniments. Rosemary is formally recognized as a drug in some pharmacopeias. It is mildly irritant and used to relieve flatulence.

Dried rosemary leaves are aromatic and are used to flavor salads, vegetable dishes, soups, meat dishes, sausages, and sauces. Rosemary oil, widely employed in cosmetic products, sometimes replaces the dried leaves in the flavoring of food products.

Here are some Ayurveda health benefits and uses

Common Cold

Rosemary oil induces copious perspiration, it can be beneficially mixed in hot water and taken as a drink by these suffering from cold and chills. The oil is obtained by fractional distillation of the leaves, flowering tops, and twigs of the plant. This emulsion is used as a gargle for sore throat, the oil exhibits antibacterial activity.

Indigestion

The plant has been found useful in atonic dyspepsia that is, indigestion and stiffness in the stomach. It is also valuable in digesting starchy foods and vegetables like eggplant and lima beans besides rich meats like pork, beef, and lamb.

Rheumatism

The flowering tops and leaves have a camphor-like odor that induces copious perspiration, they are used for vapor baths in rheumatism.

Other Uses

Heart Stimulant

Taking a few drops of rosemary oil is a heart stimulant, and a five percent tincture prepared by mixing oil of rosemary in alcohol is used as a circulatory and cardiac stimulant.

Dandruff

Shampoos and hair lotions containing pure extract of rosemary help to rejuvenate the scalp and hair while preventing dandruff and premature baldness. A lotion from leafy rosemary branches is prepared by simmering them in water for 30 minutes before straining and cooling. It can be used as the final hair rinse.

Cooking

Fresh tender tops are used for garnishing and flavoring cold drinks, pickles, soups, and other foods. Its leaves are used as a condiment. Dried and powdered, they are added to cooked meats, fish, poultry, soups, stews, sauces, garnishing, preserves, and jams.

6. Side Effects of Rosemary

Overdose or wrong dose may cause some health problems like vomiting, sun sensitivity, stomach, and intestinal irritation, stomach upset, and reddening of the skin, too much rosemary oil on your scalp may cause irritation and drinking large quantities may cause nausea and vomiting. It is also not recommended for pregnant women, lactating women, or a person who is suffering from indigestion or skin problems.