Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is best appreciated as an aromatic culinary spice that adds distinctive flavor to chicken, breads, and many other foods. Well known to ancient peoples, this plant has also been touted as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments, such as improving memory, relieving muscle pain, and stimulating the circulatory and nervous systems.

Native to Portugal and the Mediterranean area, rosemary is now grown in several parts of the world, especially Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, and France. The plant takes its name from rosmarinus, a Latin term meaning "sea dew." It is an erect evergreen shrub that grows to a height of two meters. Rosemary thrives in somewhat dry soil and a light, warm environment. The woody rootstock bears rigid branches with fissured bark. The long, linear, needle-like leaves are dark green above and white beneath. Both the fresh and dried leaves are pungent. The small flowers are pale blue. The leaves and parts of the flowers contain volatile oil.

The leaves and twigs of the rosemary plant are used for culinary and medicinal purposes.

Rosemary is used to treat the following conditions or symptoms:

• Digestive
• Circulatory
• Pain
• Neuralgia (pain along a nerve)
• Mild spasms
• Wounds
• Eczema
• Muscle pain
• Sciatica (pain felt down the back, hip, and outer side of thigh, leg, and foot)
• Rheumatism
• Depression
• Parasites

Use of an herbal tincture containing a combination of ginkgo, St. John's wort, and rosemary may improve cognitive impairment as well as visual and speech disturbances that may be associated with recovery from brain inflammation (viral encephalitis).

Traditionally, rosemary has been used as an antispasmodic and diuretic (for increasing urine production). In addition, it stimulates menstrual blood flow. Externally, this herb has been used as a poultice to heal wounds.

Rosemary is available in the following forms:

• Powdered drug
• Dry extract
• Preparations derived from fresh or dried leaves, such as tinctures, infusions, liquid extract, and rosemary wine
• Drug containing volatile oil

Pediatric

There are no reports to date about the use of rosemary in children. Therefore, use of this herb is not recommended in children at this time.

Adult

The following are the recommended adult doses for rosemary:

• Tincture (1:5): 2 to 4 mL three times per day
• Infusion: 2 to 4 g three times per day
• Fluid extract (1:1 in 45% alcohol): 1 to 2 mL three times per day
• Rosemary wine: add 20 g herb to 1 liter of wine and allow to stand for five days, shaking occasionally

Externally, rosemary may be used as follows:

• Essential oil (6 to 10%): 2 drops semisolid or liquid in 1 tablespoon base oil
• Infusion: place 50 g herb in 1 liter hot water, then add to bath water

Rosemary is generally considered safe and devoid of adverse side effects when taken in recommended doses. However, there have been occasional reports of allergic reactions. Large quantities of rosemary leaves, particularly due to the rosemary oil, can cause serious adverse side effects, including coma, spasm, and vomiting, and, in some cases, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), which can result in death. Do not use rosemary in quantities larger than those used in foods if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Rosemary oil, taken orally, can trigger convulsions; epileptic patients should exercise caution in using rosemary and never ingest quantities larger than those used in foods. Topical preparations containing rosemary oil are potentially harmful to hypersensitive people who may be allergic to camphor.

In a laboratory study, rosemary extract increased the effectiveness of doxorubicin in treating human breast cancer cells. The relevance of these findings is not known; additional clinical studies are needed to confirm these effects in people. If you are currently being treated with doxorubicin, consult with your health care practitioner before adding rosemary to your treatment regimen.

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