8264. Rosemary

Description and references

Low, branched perennial shrub, Rosmarinus officinalis L., Lamiaceae (Labiatae). Habit. Mediterranean basin; widely cultivated in gardens. Leaves are used as a seasoning in cooking; extracts and essential oil are used in traditional medicine. Constit. Volatile oil (1.0-2.5%); antioxidant diterpenoids incl. carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmanol; rosmarinic acid; flavonoids incl. genkwanin, cirsimarin. HPLC determn of antioxidant components: K. Schwarz, W. Ternes, Z. Lebensm.-Unters. Forsch. 195, 95 (1992) DOI PubMed. Extraction of volatile components: A. Basile et al., J. Agric. Food Chem. 46, 5205 (1998) DOI. Use as antioxidant in edible oils: N. V. Yanishlieva, E. M. Marinova, Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 103, 752 (2001) DOI; in packaged beef: N. T. M. McBride et al., Int. J. Food Sci. Technol. 42, 1201 (2007) DOI. Botanical description, constituents, and uses: B. Sasikumar in Handbook of Herbs and Spices, Vol. 2, K. V. Peter, Ed., (Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, 2004) pp 243-255. Review of pharmacology: J. Barnes et al., Herbal Medicines (Pharmaceutical Press, London, 3rd Ed., 2007) pp 508-511.

Derivative

Volatile oil.

Nomenclature

CAS number: 8000-25-7
Oil of rosemary.

Description and references

Obtained from the fresh flowering tops. Constit. Complex mixture of monoterpenes, primarily α-Pinene (15-25%), eucalyptol (20-50%), camphor (10-25%), borneol, (16-20%) camphene, limonene, linalool.

Properties

Colorless or pale yellow liquid; characteristic rosemary odor; camphoraceous taste. d2525 0.894-0.912. αD25 -5 to +10°. nD20 1.464-1.476. Almost insol in water. Sol in 10 vols 80% alcohol. Keep well closed, cool and protected from light. LD50 orally in rats: ≈5 ml/kg; dermally in rabbits: >10 ml/kg. See: Food Cosmet. Toxicol. 12, 977 (1974) DOI.

Use

Condiment and flavoring agent in foods; antioxidant in edible oils, meats, and other fat containing foods. Dietary supplement. Extracts and oil in hair conditioners, mouth rinses, fragrances.

Therapeutic Category

Carminative; rubefacient; antimicrobial.