Herbs are key players in many traditional health care systems that have been
used in medical practices since ancient times. The beneficial therapeutic effects of
these medicinal plants resulted from the combinations of their secondary metabolite.
Nowadays, the use of natural compounds is increasing around the world due to their
relatively mild potentials and low side effects, Polyphenols are the most important
compounds that exhibit diverse activities. Among these polyphenols, rosmarinic acid
(RA) attracted much attention from the researchers since it was isolated as the main
compound in many plants, like those of the Boraginaceae and Lamiaceae families such
as Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) and Ocimum baslicum (sweet basil). It is an ester
of caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxy phenyl lactic acid, which has a wide spectrum of
biological, pharmacological and medicinal properties that can be useful in many
pathological conditions. Moreover, it presents anti-inflammatory effects, which are
attributed to the inhibition of lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenases and interference with
the complement cascade. Furthermore, RA has been shown to prevent cell damage
caused by free radicals, thereby reducing the risk of cancer. On the other hand, it also
exerts powerful hypolipidemic, antioxidant, anti-atherosclerotic, anticancer and even
hepato-protective activities. The current chapter aims to highlight the therapeutic
potential of RA against a wide range of diseases. Given the current evidence,
rosmarinic acid can be used as part of the daily intake in the treatment of several
diseases, with predefined doses preventing cytotoxicity.
Keywords: Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-cancer, Antimicrobial, Cardioprotective, Hepatoprotective, Neuroprotective, Oxidative stress, Rosemary, Rosmarinic acid
