Because of it antioxidant properties, rosemary is a good preservative. It also exerts mild antimicrobial activity. Some authorities say that a gargle with rosemary tea helps heal mouth ulcers.  Because a moderate amount of rosemary helps to relax the smooth muscles of the digestive tract and of the uterus, it may helpful to reduce abdominal or menstrual cramping.  On the other hand, large amounts of rosemary can aggravate cramping. 

ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION

Rosemary is rich in antioxidants. Studies show that rosemary indeed improves one’s antioxidant status. Like its cousin, sage, it helps protect the cells from lipid peroxidation. The carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid in rosemary helps to protect chromosomes from damage caused by gamma rays. So, unless contraindicated, drinking rosemary tea a day before and after a diagnostic radiological test could help reduce free radical damage. (Including a little extra garlic, vitamin C and vitamin E would also prove helpful).

CANCER FIGHTER

In vivo rodent studies show that rosemary can reduce the incidence of skin, breast, and colon cancer significantly.  More extensive investigations are needed to learn how rosemary can reduce incidence of cancers in humans.  The benefit of rodent studies is that they can be tightly control for genetics and other factors.  Researchers at the University of Illinois, discovered that supplementation of a semi-purified diet with 1.0% (by wt.) rosemary extract resulted in a significant (47%) decrease in incidence of breast cancer incidence compared to the controls. ⁽¹⁾ A later study also showed that rosemary could prevent breast cancer caused by administration of carcinogen DMBA. Rats fed 1% rosemary in their diet for two weeks prior to the administration of DMBA had 76% less of the carcinogen bound to DNA compared to rats fed a control diet.

Carnosic acid and carnosol in rosemary enhance the immune system.  They complement vitamin D as anti-cancer agents.  Early but exciting studies suggest that rosemary’s phytochemicals, when combined with vitamin D3, exert anti-leukemic properties. ⁽²⁾ Carnosol promotes the death of leukemia cancer cells.  Researchers at Cornell University, using rodent models, showed that 0.1% of carnosol in the diet also reduced by 46% the ability of tumors in the colon to multiply.  Of course, more extensive research is needed.

Carnosol is an important Cox-2 inhibitor.  Among other jobs, the Cox- 2 enzyme plays an important role in the development of colon and breast cancers because it encourages inflammation and the production of new blood vessels in the area of tumor, thus insuring a greater blood supply to the tumor. Rosemary also inhibits the binding of the carcinogens benzoapyrine and aflatoxins to DNA.  Benzoapyrine promotes lung cancer, and aflatoxin causes liver cancer. ⁽³⁾ However, rosemary, as helpful as it is, should not be substituted for appropriate medical or surgical treatment of cancer. 

AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENT

Rosmarinic acid in rosemary (also found in sage and basil) can reduce inflammation in the lungs, especially from Diesel particles inhaled from air.  These particles actually decrease the quality of life and increase the probability of one’s dying from lung diseases.  Rosemary also inhibits allergic inflammation of the bronchial tubes from dust mites. ^(4,5) But there is more; rosmarinic acid also helps to protect DNA from damaging by-products of chronic inflammation.
Not only does rosemary decrease inflammation in the lungs, it also reduces joint pain.  Indeed, rosemary oil can be mixed with vegetable oil applied to aching muscles and joints. A mixture of rosemary and olive oil can be helpful when applied to an inflamed muscle because it promotes blood flow.  Like its relative, basil, rosemary also inhibits NF-kappa B, a protein that, when activated, promotes inflammation.

ALLERGY FIGHTER

Unlike antihistamines, rosmarinic acid decreases the activation of immune responder cells, which promote swelling and other symptoms of allergy-evoked inflammation.  It also kills unneeded allergy-activated T-lymphocytes, while sparing the vast number of T-cells which are required to fight bacteria and viruses.  Japanese researchers, using rodents, showed that daily treatment with rosmarinic acid prevented allergic asthma caused by house mites.  Some studies show that it also inhibits inflammation in seasonal allergic rhinitis caused by tree, grass, or weed pollens.  ⁽⁶⁾

ROSEMARY'S CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS

Rosemary can also prove useful for hypertensive individuals.⁽⁷⁾ Researchers at the University of Massachusetts, have recently discovered that rosemary is an ACE inhibitor. ACE inhibitors block the formation of the hormone angiotensin II, which promotes inflammation within the arteries, accelerates the development of atherosclerosis, and very powerfully constricts the blood vessels. As blood vessels constrict, blood pressure increases.  Other studies show that rosemary improves the ability of the blood vessels to dilate in healthy young individuals. ⁽⁸⁾

Rosemary and its relative, thyme, help the cardiovascular system in another way.  They show significant anti-thrombotic (clotting) action.  This is significant because undesirable clot formation is involved in approximately 80% of all heart attacks and the majority of strokes.

USAGE

Rosmarinic acid is easily absorbed from the digestive system. Rosemary can be added to any dish containing potatoes, tomatoes, squash, peas, or carrots.  Fresh, pureed rosemary added to olive oil is tasty on bread, too.  For medicinal purposes, add one teaspoon of crushed rosemary leaves to one cup boiling water.  Let steep for ten minutes.  Strain.  Use only one to two cups of tea daily.

Pregnant women or those who could get pregnant should not use medicinal amounts of rosemary because, if taken medicinally, it can act as an abortifacient.  Because rosemary inhibits non-heme iron absorption, individuals with iron deficiency anemia should not use it medicinally.  Neither should individuals prone to seizures use rosemary medicinally.  Never take rosemary oil internally.  Rosemary can turn urine a harmless red color.

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REFERENCES:

(1). Singletary, KW, et al., Inhibition of 7,12 dimethylbenzanthracence-induced mammary tumorigenesis and of in vivo formation of mammary DMBA-DNA adducts by rosemary extract, Cancer Lett. 1991 Nov;60(2):169-75.
(2). Sharabani, H, et al, Cooperative antitumor effects of vitamin D3 derivatives and rosemary prepartions in a mousel model of myeloid leukemia, Int J Cancer. 2006 Jun 15;118(12):3012-21.
(3). Moran, AE.  Carnosol inhibits beta-catenin tyrosine phosphorylation and prevents adenoma formation in the C57BL/6J/Min/+ (Min/+) mouse.Cancer Res. 2005 Feb 1;65(3):1097-104
(4). 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
(5). Sanbongi C, et al., Rosmarinic acid in perilla extract inhibits allergic inflammation induced by mite allergen, in a mouse model. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004 Jun;34(6):971
(60. Lukaczer, D, 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
(7). Kwib YI, et al., Evaluation of clonal herbs of Lamiaceae specis for management of diabetes, and hypertension, Asia Pac J Clin Nut, 2006; 15 (1): 107-18.
(8). Sinkovic, A, et al., Rosemary extracts improve flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery and plasma PAI-1 activity in healthy young volunteers. Phytother Res. 2010 Aug 23