ROSEMARY OIL

ROSEMARY OIL

(Rosmarinus officinalis)

Rosemary oil is volatile oil distilled from the flowering tops of leafy twigs of Rosmarinus officinalis (Labiatae). The plant is native to Southern Europe and the oil is produced principally in Spain and North Africa.

     The plant is a bushy evergreen shrub with rigid opposite sessile, linear and coriaceous leaves about 3.5 cm long and 2-4 mm broad with grey and woolly lower surface; typical labiates or light lilac flowers with purple spot and grouped in racemes inflorescences common in all the Mediterranean basin.

Chemical constituents

Rosemary oil mainly contains monoterpene hydrocarbons, e.g. α-pinene and camphene, 0.8-6% esters, mainly borneol and cineole and phenolic compounds represtented by flavonoids (glycosides of luteolin and methoxylated flavones) and phenolic acids (rose-marinic acid).

Cosmetic Uses

The oil is mainly used in perfumery industry, and is frequently used in aromatherapy. Rosemary extract is employed in cosmetology, because of its antioxidant activity it is used to facilitate the the tissue damage and and restoring the healthy status of the skin.