Rosemary

botanicalaromatic herb

What is it

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis) is a perennial woody Mediterranean herb in the Lamiaceae family. Its activity is attributed to phenolic diterpenes (carnosic acid, carnosol), the phenolic acid rosmarinic acid, and the monoterpene 1,8-cineole; standardized leaf extracts and essential oil are the principal supplement forms.

Evidence for 4 uses

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Antioxidant food preservative

Strong

Rosemary extract is an EFSA- and FDA-recognized food antioxidant; well documented for inhibition of lipid oxidation in meats and oils.

Cognitive performance (aromatherapy and oral)

Good

Inhaled 1,8-cineole and oral rosemary leaf powder (750 mg) improve memory speed and accuracy in healthy adults and older subjects in small RCTs.

Androgenic alopecia (topical)

Good

Topical rosemary oil 2.5% twice daily was non-inferior to 2% minoxidil for hair count after 6 months in a randomized comparator trial.

Postprandial glycemic control

Limited

Carnosic-acid-enriched extracts reduce postprandial glucose and improve fasting insulin in small trials.

Dosage

Standardized leaf extract is used at 250-750 mg/day; rosmarinic acid at 200-500 mg/day; aromatherapy uses ~4 drops of essential oil. Carnosic-acid-enriched extracts are dosed at 40-200 mg/day in metabolic trials.

Safety

Rosemary inhibits CYP3A4 in vitro and may interact with anticoagulants — long history of culinary use suggests low risk at food doses but caution with high-dose extracts in patients on warfarin. The essential oil at large doses or applied undiluted has caused seizures; avoid in epilepsy and pregnancy.

References

  • Wikidata: Salvia rosmarinus — Wikidata link
  • DSLD: Rosemary — NIH DSLD link

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.