Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis · Salvia rosmarinus

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Androgenetic alopecia¹ Major depression (add-on)² Anxiety symptoms² Cognition and memory³ Dyspepsia⁴ Minor muscle and joint pain⁴	Pregnancy or breastfeeding⁵ Hypersensitivity to rosemary⁴ Broken or irritated skin⁴

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia rosmarinus) is an aromatic Mediterranean herb used as leaf, tea, extract, and essential oil, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity attributed to its main constituents. Topical oil is used for scalp hair loss in androgenetic alopecia, a use that has been trialled against minoxidil. Oral use targets low mood, anxiety, and memory^{2, 3}. The European Medicines Agency records traditional use for dyspepsia and minor muscular and articular pain⁴.

Hair evidence is the most developed: a randomized trial found rosemary oil increased hair count comparably to minoxidil, though reviews note small, short studies⁶. A 2026 prospective cohort in France linked dietary exposure to rosemary extract as a food additive with higher type 2 diabetes incidence; no trial has tested this. In the National Institutes of Health label database, products listing rosemary are mostly liquids, with some teas and capsules; see Form comparison.

Health Canada lists pregnancy and breastfeeding as a contraindication on licensed products⁵, and the European monograph states safety in pregnancy and lactation has not been established⁴. For oral use, the European monograph says biliary obstruction, gallstones, and liver disease require medical supervision⁴. United States product labels ask people taking blood pressure or blood-thinning medication to consult a doctor, on 1 of 30 labels⁷.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

64 sources, 53 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources