A Mini-review on the Chemical Composition, Extraction and Isolation Techniques, and Pharmacological Activity of Rosmarinus officinalis L

Abstract

Rosmarinus officinalis L. belongs to the genus Rosemary in the family Labiatae, which is a perennial evergreen subshrub. It is currently cultivated in certain areas of Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guizhou. At present, in food, cosmetics, healthcare products, and other domains, R. officinalis has a wide range of applications; it has received widespread attention, and is also a hot topic of research today. Using modern spectroscopic techniques, it has been found that the main chemical components of rosemary can be divided into two major groups, including volatile components (essential oils) and non-volatile components (diterpenes, triterpenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids, sterols, etc.). Among them, carnosic acid, carnosol, rosemary phenol, and 1,8-cineole are the main components acting as antioxidants and they are highly regarded. The main methods for extracting the active ingredients of R. officinalis include water distillation, ultrasonic-assisted microwave method, supercritical CO2 extraction method, enzyme-assisted extraction method, and microwaveassisted extraction method. Modern research has shown that rosemary has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, immunomodulatory, antiseptic, and antithrombotic effects, and is widely used in medical applications.