Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary belongs to the mint family Lamiaceae. Rosemary is rich in a number of phytochemicals including caffeic acid, camphor, rosmarinic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid. Rosemary also has pest control properties and is full of antioxidants (carnosic acid and carnosol). Rosemary herb and Rosemary essential oil have been widely used for many years as an herbal medicine to treat many disorders and specifically as a memory enhancer in India and other parts of Asia. Rosemary is used to cure digestive problems (acidity, intestinal gas, loss of appetite), headache, liver and gallbladder complaints, cough, gout and high blood pressure. Rosemary is also used to treat skin and hair problems: prevents baldness, increases the circulation of the blood, cures toothache, eczema and arthritis, and treats wounds and cuts.
This herb has even been mentioned in Shakespeare’s Hamlet (iv. 5) where Ophelia, one of the characters says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance”. It has also been used as a symbol of remembrance in during weddings and funerals in the Europe countries.
Research
Recently there were also many scientific researches in this area which re-confirmed the remarkable results for rosemary as a memory enhancer. As per the scientific research report by Moss, M., Cook, J., Wesnes, K. and Duckett, P. (2003) “Aromas of Rosemary and Lavender Essential Oils Differently Affect Cognition and Mood in Healthy Adults”. International Journal of Neuroscience, 113, 15-38, “Research has previously demonstrated that aromas of both Salvia officinalis and Salvia lavandulaefolia are capable of modulating aspects of retrospective memory, attention and mood. This study is the first to report the potential for these aromas to enhance everyday prospective memory performance in healthy young adults”. This report validates the point that the inhalation of rosemary oil improves the overall memory and secondary memory factors.
Dr. James Duke, a notable researcher in the area of Medicinal Plants stated that “Rosemary contains more than a dozen antioxidants and half-dozen compounds reported to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine. It’s great news that the classical herb of remembrance has so many compounds that might help people suffering from this disease.”
One another research conducted by Mark Moss and Lorraine Oliver at Northumbria University proved that 1,8-cineole (a compound found in rosemary), as an ingredient which determines cognitive and mood performance. Further studies showed that diffusion of rosemary oil enhances memory by a striking 75%.
Rosemary can be easily grown in one’s garden and can be kept handy in the kitchen for use whenever required.
Source of Research Paper: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12690999/, http://www.eat2think.com/2013/04/rosemary-emulates-aricept-donepezil.html
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