Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) flower oil: properties, uses, pros, cons, safety
Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) flower oil is a botanical ingredient obtained from the evergreen plant Rosemary that belongs to the Lamiaceae family.
It is extracted using solvents such as hexane, ethanol or food-grade acetone through filtration, purification, solvent evaporation, drying and sieving.
Another industrial technique for its production goes through 4 stages: drying, steam distillation, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, and hydrodistillation. Drying is the most delicate part of the production preparation process and is the one that determines the quality of the final product.
Among the polyphenolic components present in rosemary, carnosic acid has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and rosmarinic acid has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.
What it is used for and where
Cosmetics
Fragrance. It plays a very important role in the formulation of cosmetic products as it allows perfume to be enhanced, masked or added to the final product, improving its commercial viability. The consumer always expects to find a pleasant scent in a cosmetic product.
Safety
Chemical compound generally considered safe for human health. Sporadic episodes of specific allergy may occur, as with any chemical compound.
Studies
In the phytochemical analysis, 18 components were identified, namely 13 flavones, two organic acids and three diterpenes. A total of 82 components were found in the volatile fractions, including hydrocarbon monoterpenes and 1,8-cineole, camphor, borneol and verbenone as dominant components, α-pinene and camphene among the oxygenated monoterpenes (1).
Among the polyphenolic components present in rosemary, carnosic acid has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and rosmarinic acid has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.
Rosmarinic acid also has anti-oxidative properties.
Rosemary extract exerts a relaxing action on the muscles of the trachea and intestines and has therapeutic potential in the prevention of various diseases including cataracts, atherosclerosis, peptic ulcer disease, and cardiovascular disorders (2).
Rosemary essential oil obtained from leaves or flowers is used in dermatology to treat wounds and minor skin eruptions, in gastrointestinal disorders as an anti-dispeptic, diuretic and antispasmodic in renal colic (3), in neurology for headaches and circulation problems, in pneumology as an expectorant.
