The importance of Rosemary
Rosemary is one of those wonderful herbs that make a beautiful ornamental plant as well as a welcome culinary seasoning. Its Latin name, Rosmarinus officinalis, means “dew of the sea” and rosemary is most closely associated with the cooking of the Mediterranean area. However you don’t need perfect sunshine, sea mist or even a never ending summer to successfully grow rosemary. In fact, more rosemary plants suffer from too much attention than from too little.
After lavender, rosemary is probably one of the most often utilized and loved plant in aromatherapy. Its uses have extended in time from uses with culinary purposes to medicine and later to perfume industry, because of its aromatizing properties.
Among the main properties of rosemary we can enumerate: analgesic, antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antiviral, aphrodisiac, disinfectant. Its active elements have choleric, antiseptic, diuretic and tonic aspects at a nervous level, stimulating bile secretion and eliminating it in the intestines, destroying microorganisms, increasing the quantity of eliminated urine, improving the blood flow and refreshing and energizing the mind. Apart from this, scientific researches indicate that rosemary is an ideal memory stimulant for both adults and students. Rosemary contains a series of secondary elements such as carnosol and carnosic acid, with a reflecting action in case of frees radicals. Rosemary also has calming effects by working against fatigue, sadness, anxiety, calming muscle soreness, digestive pains and also, indigestion caused by stress.
In aromatherapy it is appreciated for bringing youth, protection, love, optimism, vitality health and a restful sleep.
Rosemary has several beneficial ingredients, including: vitamin C, the B-complex vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc; volatile oils and the phytochemicals rosmarinic acid and ursolic acid. Recently, Lorraine Oliver and Mark Moss, from the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Center, Northumbria University, UK, conducted an experiment which examined the pharmacological effects of the terpene 1,8-cineole found in rosemary. Terpenes such as 1,8-cineole are small, fat soluble molecules, found in many aromatic plants. They can enter the blood stream via the lungs or nasal mucosa, and once in the blood stream, they can easily pass the blood brain barrier. 1,8-cineole is one of rosemary’s primary components; and essential oils of rosemary typically contain 35% to 45% 1,8-cineole.
Rosemary oil, derived from a popular herb in Britain, could help boost your brain power, according to scientists.
Rosemary is one of many traditional medicinal plants that yield essential oils. But exactly how such plants affect human behavior is still unclear. The investigators tested cognitive performance and mood in a study of 20 people, who were exposed to varying levels of the rosemary aroma. They used blood samples to detect the amount of rosemary participants had absorbed. The researchers applied speed and accuracy tests, and mood assessments, to judge the rosemary oil’s affects.
Results showed for the first time that concentration of 1,8-cineole in the blood is related to an individual’s cognitive performance – with higher concentrations resulting in improved performance. Both speed and accuracy were also improved.
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