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Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition
and Metabolism
Official Journal of the Italian Association
for Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition (ADI)
a member of the Italian Federation of
Nutritional Societies (FeSIN)
ISSN 1973-798X
Mediterr J Nutr Metab
DOI 10.1007/s12349-012-0118-7
Rose hips as complementary and
alternative medicine: overview of the
present status and prospects
Seema Patel
1 23
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REVIEW
Rose hips as complementary and alternative medicine: overview
of the present status and prospects
Seema Patel
Received: 6 March 2012 / Accepted: 11 December 2012
ÓSpringer-Verlag Italia 2012
Abstract Generally, the rose hips are discarded as hor-
ticultural wastes. Recently, they have been discovered to be
storehouse of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. Rich in
polyphenols, essential fatty acids, vitamin A and C, mineral
Ca and Fe, they have potential to be developed as func-
tional foods. The extracts have demonstrated antioxidant,
antiarthritic, antiinflammatory, analgesic, antidiabetic,
cardioprotective, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, gas-
troprotective and skin ameliorative effects. A slew of rose
hip-based pharmaceutical supplements are already released
to the market. Since very long, the indigenous traditional
knowledge has accepted the medicinal value of rose hips.
Now, modern clinical science is waking up to the rationale
behind their incorporation in therapeutic regimens. This
review has been compiled with a vision to promote the
scarcely studied and barely exploited nutritional source as a
nutraceutical aid and complementary and alternative
medicine.
Keywords Rose hips Functional food Antioxidant
Antiinflammatory Antidiabetic Antimicrobial
Introduction
The rose hip is the bulbous part present below the petal
corolla. This is the fruit, hypanthium or haw of rose
(Fig. 1). It is edible like other popular Rosaceae members
viz. plum, cherry, apple, pear, peach, apricot and straw-
berry. The hip is a repository of flavonoid, pectin, vitamin
A, B complex, C and E, also minerals like Ca, Fe, Se and
Mn. Trace amounts of Mg, K, S and Si have also been
discovered. The tart-tasting fresh or dried hips can be used
for preparing an array of delightful and refreshing fares. So
far, soup, syrup, jelly, pie, pudding, custard, herbal tea and
wine have been prepared from the hips. Rosa rugosa is
renowned for producing the most abundant and best tasting
hips. Apart from the culinary uses, the hips can be used for
heath restoration and improvement. Rosa canina L. hip has
been largely used in traditional folk medicine. The hips of
Rosa multiflora have been traditionally used as dietary
supplements and herbal remedies for the treatment of dis-
eases, including cold, flu, inflammation, osteoarthritis,
rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain in China [1]. The
Chumash Indians consumed the hips of Rosa californica
(California wild rose) raw, cooked or brewed (Fig. 2).
Sometimes, the hips are used for alleviating stomach dis-
orders. Oil extracted from the rose hip seeds has immense
popularity as a natural skincare product in Chile. Since
centuries, this oil is being used by Chileans to get rid of
skin blemishes.
Cosmetology research has proven the effect of rose hip
oil in lowering skin pigmentation, reducing scars and
stretches, acne management, rehydrating skin and render-
ing it supple and delaying wrinkling. Even the skin spe-
cialists are recommending the use of rose hip oil as skin
vitalizing agent. However, the available data advocating
the medicinal importance of rose hip formulations are
sparse and disorganized. Chrubasik et al. [2] have reviewed
the pharmacological and clinical effects of R. canina L. to
reassert its usefulness in traditional medicine namely, for
their probiotic additive, antioxidative, antiinflammatory,
antiobesity, antiulcerogenic, laxative, muscle relaxing and
skincare activities. In the past 4 years, considerable
advancement has been reported in this field. This review
S. Patel (&)
Affiliated to Better Process Control School Department of Food
Science and Technology, University of California, Davis, USA
e-mail: seemabiotech83@gmail.com
123
Mediterr J Nutr Metab
DOI 10.1007/s12349-012-0118-7
Author's personal copy
strives to assemble the evidences from the systematic
studies conducted in recent times. Further, it aims at pro-
jecting the rose hip products as adjuvant therapeutics for
curing multiple ailments.
Commercial rose hip supplements
Several rose hip extract have been released to the market as
nutritive aids, health supplements and cosmetics. ‘‘Alvita’’
is a brand name of rose hip tea bags. ‘‘Podravka’’ is a
Croatian brand of rose hip jam. ‘‘Litozin’’ is a joint health
supplement enriched in galactolipid GOPO compound. The
product ‘‘i-flex’’ is a joint relief formulae prepared from
Danish processed rose hips. This unique formula is pat-
ented and widely used in Europe for improving mobility.
‘‘Thompson C 1,000 mg’’ is a vitamin C-rich product
fortified with rose hips and acerola possessing antioxidant
and immune-boosting properties. Aubrey Organic Inc
manufactures Rosa Mosqueta rose hip seed oil-enriched
body lotion, moisturizer, nourishing conditioner and bath
bar. Eminence organics manufactures rose hip moisturizer
for soothing irritated skin.
Constituents of rose hip extract
Bioactive profile of rose hip extract has been studied
using several techniques, viz. high-performance liquid
chromatography–electrospray ionisation-mass spectrome-
try (HPLC–ESI–MS). Salminen et al. [3] have isolated 15
individual proanthocyanidin aglycones and 19 glycosides
and detected a complex mixture of non-separated tetra-
meric to octameric proanthocyanidin glycosides from
R. canina hips. Along with these phenolics, a 50 % aque-
ous ethanol extract of rose hip was found to contain high
levels of vitamin C. Stra
˚lsjo
¨et al. [4] assessed that rose
hips are a rich source of folate, about 400–600 lg/100 g of
Fig. 1 Ripe rose hips from bushes in Orange County, California
Fig. 2 Clusters of California wild rose hips ripening in autumn season
Mediterr J Nutr Metab
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dry matter and 160–185 lg/100 g of fresh weight. The
bioactive compounds isolated from rose hips have been
presented in Fig. 3.
Effect of harvesting time and dehydration
Andersson et al. [5] observed that the ripening state and
harvesting time determine the bioactive profile of rose hip
namely, chlorophyll aand lycopene. Yilmaz and Ercisli [6]
reported that rose hips of Turkey are well established for
their aromatic and medicinal properties.
The rose hips are generally harvested only once per year,
during autumn, so preservation is a crucial step. Sun drying is
the most common preservative method; however it is ham-
pered by precarious weather and external contamination like
molds. Hot air drying is another adoptable method, but is
limited by the dehydration of surface only [7]. Further, air-
drying leads to loss of ascorbic acid content. Erenturk et al.
[8] investigated the kinetics of ascorbic acid degradation
during air drying of whole rose hip. Drying time, air tem-
perature and moisture content affected the vitamin C content.
Chopping the rose hips before drying accelerated the drying
process and increased the retention of vitamin C. The ratio of
oxygen in the air–CO
2
mixture used as a drying medium
influences the extent of loss of vitamin C. Mabellini et al. [9]
studied that R. eglanteria hips dehydrated in forced con-
vection oven retained about 50 % (450 and 500 mg/100 g of
sample) of its initial ascorbic acid content, comparably
higher than that of citrus fruits. Evin [7] evaluated the effi-
cacy of microwave drying and observed that it dries the core
of the hips, prevents overheating of the surfaces and retains
natural colour.
Extraction of bioactive ingredients
Hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, n-butanol are the common
organic solvents employed for extraction of bioactive
ingredients from the rose hips. Extracting solvents can alter
the antioxidant activity of rose hip fractions. Szentmiha
´lyi
et al. [10] compared various methods for finding the most
suitable extraction of rose hip oil. Traditional solvent
extraction, ultrasound, microwave, subcritical and super-
critical fluid extraction methods were assessed in terms of
unsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid. Sub-
critical fluid extraction yielded about 38 % higher oil as
compared to the traditional solvent extraction. Emerging
Fig. 3 The structures of the bioactive compounds isolated from the hips
Mediterr J Nutr Metab
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methods, such as microwave, subcritical and supercritical
extraction proved more efficient than the traditional Soxhlet
extraction. Concha et al. [11] studied the effects of temper-
ature and moisture during the enzymatic hydrolysis stage
using two previously selected mixtures of commercial
enzymes. In addition, the effect of pressing rate on enzymatic
hydrolysis was determined. It was observed that enzymatic
pre-treatment increased the oil extraction rate and yield by
cold pressing. Further, it was found that elevated operation
pressure and sample preheating enhanced the oil extraction
yield to about 33 % as compared to the unheated sample.
Tozzi et al. [12] assessed the suitability of preparation of a
powder from b-cyclodextrin and the supercritical CO
2
extract of R. canina hips. The extracted b-carotene interacts
almost quantitatively with b-cyclodextrin, formulating a
solid phase. Machmudah et al. [13] extracted a maximum
carotenoid content of 10–21 mg/g from rose hips using
supercritical CO
2
at 80 °C, 450 bar and 4 ml/min. Existing
literature testifies that so far, supercritical extraction is the
most effective method for rose hip bioactives.
Uses of rose hips
The uses of rose hips scientifically reported so far are as
functional food, antioxidant, osteoarthritis care, antiin-
flammatory, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, antimicrobial,
immunomodulatory, gastroprotective and dermatological
applications. In addition, rose hip gathering and processing
can provide livelihood options. The food and health
potentials of several species of rose hips are presented in
Table 1. The few, but crucial human trial results have been
mentioned in Table 2.
Delicacies and functional foods
Some rose hips are used to prepare ‘Nypon soppa’, the tra-
ditional Swedish fruit soup. R. eglanteria hips infusion is
popular in Europe as herbal tea. In the Tokat region of
Anatolia, Turkey, rose hips are consumed as marmalade and
fruit juice [14]. Since long, rose hip products are used as jam
and soft drinks in Iran [15]. R. canina hips are widely con-
sumed in rural parts of Portugal [16]. Rosu et al. [17] studied
the nutritional characteristics of native roses from North East
part of Romania and recommended their utilization as
functional foods and as edible colorants. Mabellini et al. [9]
reported that the ascorbic acid and carotenoid-rich
R. eglanteria hip powder can be developed into nutraceuti-
cals. A probiotic dairy product ‘‘ROSALACT’’ is fortified
with rose hip along with licorice extract. Mocanu et al. [18]
characterized the sensorial and rheological attributes of the
product after incorporation of the additives. The fortified
probiotic formulation was approved by panellists in terms of
taste, appearance, texture and aftertaste. The flow behaviour
was determined to be non-Newtonian. Bohm et al. [19]
reported that lycopene, the antioxidant with singlet oxygen
quenching ability can be extracted from rose hip. Wenzig
et al. [20] analysed the phytochemical profile of rose hip
powder and reported the cyclooxygenase and 5-LOX-med-
iated leukotriene B
4
inhibitory activities of n-hexane and
dichloromethane extracts. From the active extract, minute
amounts of triterpenoic acids, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid and
betulinic acid were identified along with oleic, linoleic and
a-linolenic acid. Andersson et al. [5] also reported that rose
hips are storehouses of carotenoids. Gao et al. [21] evaluated
18 samples of rose hip extracts for antioxidant activities. The
ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Trolox-
equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) of the crude extracts
showed high contents of carotenoids and total phenolics. The
crude extracts rich in ascorbic acid exhibited about 51 %
Table 1 Some rose species producing hips with biological properties
Rosa species Biological effects References
R. canina (Dog rose) Antioxidant
Antiinflammatory
Osteoarthritis
care
Antimicrobial
Antidiabetic
Rein et al. [24]
Winther et al. [25]
Ameye and Chee
[26]
Deliorman et al. [34]
Larsen et al. [36]
Yilmaz and Ercisli
[6]
Orhan et al. [38]
R. multiflora Thunb Antiinflammatory Guo et al. [1]
R. villosa (Apple Rose) Food
Antioxidant
Yilmaz and Ercisli
[6]
R. eglanteria (Sweet
briar)
Herbal tea
Nutraceutical
Mabellini et al. [9]
R. damascena Analgesic Gharabaghi et al.
[15]
R. nutkana Antioxidant Yi et al. [22]
R. woodsii (Wood’s rose) Antioxidant Yi et al. [22]
R. vosagiaca Functional food Rosu et al. [17]
R. caryophyllacea Functional food Rosu et al. [17]
Table 2 Validated health benefits of rose hips on human trials
Species Disease References
Rosa canina Osteoarthritis Rein et al. [24]
Rosa canina Osteoarthritis Winther et al. [25]
Rosa canina Osteoarthritis Rossnagel et al. [28]
Rosa canina Osteoarthritis Christensen et al. [30]
Rosa canina Osteoarthritis Willich et al. [32]
Rosa canina Cardiovascular Andersson et al. [40]
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inhibition against the lipid peroxidation induced by 2, 20-
azobis (2, 4-dimethylvaleronitrile) and 85 % inhibition in 2,
20-azobis (2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH) assay
at a concentration of 250 lg/ml . The crude extracts showed
a large inhibitory effect in the ferric ion-induced lipid per-
oxidation and caused 83.7 % inhibition at a concentration of
25 lg/ml dried powder. Yi et al. [22] investigated the anti-
oxidant activity of R. nutkana,R. pisocarpa and R. woodsii
hip extracts from wild British Columbia populations
R. nutkana pericarp extracts contained high phenolic
concentrations and showed greater antioxidant, whereas
R. woodsii seed extracts had higher phenolic concentrations
and greater antioxidant activity. Yoo et al. [23] reported that
rose hips can enhance the activity of superoxide dismutase
and catalase in a dose-dependent manner and can increase
cell viability by safeguarding against oxidative stress. Four
varieties of rose hips obtained from R. pisiformis,R. canina,
R. villosa and R. dumalis subsp. Antalyensis were tested for
their antioxidant potential by b-carotene method and repor-
ted variation in total phenolics, vitamin C and antioxidant
activity [6].
Rheumatoid arthritis care and antiinflammatory effect
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition caused by a
gradual deterioration of the cartilage caps on bone endings.
The joint friction leads to weakness, pain, inflammation and
deformity. This debilitating disease affects a major fraction
of older population. An array of medications exists to allay
the symptomatic pain and stiffness in wrists, knees, hips and
spine. To evaluate the potential of rose hips as natural
therapy, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover
study was conducted. ‘‘Hyben Vital’’, a herbal formulation
prepared from R. canina hips was assessed for its antiin-
flammatory properties. The patients administered with
5 g/day for 3 months reported lower joint pain and stiffness.
The results indicated that this product reduces the symp-
toms of osteoarthritis, although not significantly different
from the placebo [24]. Winther et al. [25] evaluated the
osteoarthritis curing capacity of R. canina hip extract con-
sumption in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind
crossover trial. The subjects were administered the extract
daily for a period of 3 months. Rose hip consumption
resulted in a significant reduction in period, pain, stiffness,
disability and global severity. It was inferred that the hip
extract-based herbal medicine can be used to assuage the
osteoarthritic pain rather than resorting to rescue medica-
tion for quick relief. Ameye and Chee [26] reviewed the
joint pain alleviation property of standardised rose hip
powder ‘‘Hyben Vital’’. In a 4-month double-blind ran-
domized controlled trial on hip and knee osteoarthritis,
2,500 mg of this powder twice a day did not improve active
or passive mobility. In a 3-month crossover double-blind
RCT, 2,500 mg of rose hip powder twice a day decreased
pain more efficiently. The lack of significance after
3 months could have been due to the decreased paracetamol
consumption observed when patients were under active
treatment. Daily intake of 45 g of rose hip powder reduced
chemotaxis of peripheral blood neutrophils and serum cre-
atinine and C-reactive protein levels in healthy and osteo-
arthritic subjects. Chrubasik et al. [27] evaluated the
evidences of therapeutic efficacies of rose hip extracts in
clinical research. After searching through several databases,
it was reported that moderate evidence exists for the use of
R. canina hip derived seed and husk of R. canina in patients
suffering from osteoarthritis. Rossnagel et al. [28] also
conducted a systematic search of the literature dealing with
rose hips and their clinical roles. Two double-blind ran-
domized studies were analysed and a moderate effect of
rose hip powder in patients with osteoarthritis were repor-
ted. Jager et al. [29] studied that a petroleum ether extract of
rose hip contained linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid as
obtained from HPLC analysis. It was further observed that
linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid contributed to the COX-1
and -2 inhibitory activities. Christensen et al. [30] con-
ducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of
R. canina hip preparation for therapy of osteoarthritis. The
rose hip administered patients responded better to therapy
and the reduction in pain was consistent. Cameron et al. [31]
searched electronic databases dealing with randomized
controlled trials that compared herbal medicinal products
with placebo in patients with osteoarthritis. Along with
some other plant extracts, rose hip and seed was reported to
show favourable effects on joint pain. Willich et al. [32]
investigated the rheumatoid arthritis treating capacity of
R. canina hip powder. In a double-blind placebo-controlled
trial, patients with rheumatoid arthritis were randomised to
treatment with capsulated rose hip powder 5 g/day or
matching placebo for 6 months. The Physicians Global
Scale demonstrated more improvement in the rose hip
compared to the placebo group. The results indicate that
patients may benefit from additional treatment with rose hip
powder. de Silva et al. [33] evaluated the evidence
regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
taken orally or applied topically in the treatment of osteo-
arthritis. Randomized clinical trials of osteoarthritis using
CAM, in comparison with other treatments or placebo,
published up to January 2009 were considered. The review
of databases furnished the evidence of capsaicin gel and
S-adenosyl methionine in osteoarthritis management. How-
ever, rose hip also showed certain degree of efficacy with-
out any major adverse effects.
Deliorman et al. [34] investigated the aqueous and etha-
nol extracts of R. canina L. fruits and its fractions for their
antiinflammatory and antinociceptive activities in several
in vivo experimental models. The ethanolic extract was
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shown to possess significant inhibitory activity against car-
rageenan-induced and prostaglandin E1-induced hind paw
edema models, acetic acid-induced increase in a capillary
permeability model and p-benzoquinone-induced writhing
mice model. Ethylacetate and n-butanol fractions displayed
potent antiinflammatory and antinociceptive activities at a
dose of 919 mg/kg without inducing acute toxicity. The
antiinflammatory effects of a hydroalcoholic crude extract
of R. canina hips were tested in carrageenin-induced rat paw
edema model. Data showed that the R. canina extract
inhibited the development of edema; showing antiinflam-
matory power akin to indomethacin. In higher dose of the
extract, the effect was more pronounced. The antiinflam-
matory effect was attributed to the rich antioxidant content
[35]. A complex galactolipid isolated from dried and milled
R. canina hips showed antiinflammatory properties. It was
attributed to the inhibitory effects on chemotaxis of human
peripheral blood neutrophils in vitro [36]. Guo et al. [1]
evaluated the antiinflammatory ingredient of the hip of
R. multiflora Thunb. and deduced its mechanism of thera-
peutic action. The ethanol extract of the hip was fractioned
with a series of solvents and screened for their activity in
xylene-induced mouse ear edema model. The petroleum
ether fraction when administered orally was identified to be
effective fraction in inflammation animal models. This
fraction evoked a dose-dependent inhibition of the edema.
Down-regulating COX-2 expression and reducing NO pro-
duction through inhibiting iNOS activity was assumed to be
the partial mechanism of action. GC–MS analysis indicated
that the unsaturated fatty acids in the extract imparted the
antiinflammatory activity. Schwager et al. [37] investigated
the modulation of pain by rose hip powder and its constituent
galactolipid, GLGPG. In the RAW264.7 cells or human
peripheral blood leukocytes, inhibition of NO and PGE
2
production and reduced secretion of cytokines (TNF-a,
IFN-c, IL-1b, IL-6, IL-12) and chemokines was observed.
Gharabaghi et al. [15] conducted a double-blind placebo-
controlled clinical trial in patients with elective cesarean
sections to evaluate the analgesic property of Rosa
damascena hip extracts. Total dosage of painkillers and the
severity of pain in rose hip administered group were lower
than the placebo group. The pain reduction without any
significant side effects makes rose hip extract an ideal
analgesic candidate as compared to NSAIDS and opiates.
Antidiabetic effect
Orhan et al. [38] administered the ethanol extract of
R. canina hips to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats at
250 mg/kg dose for 7 days. A hypoglycemic effect was
observed which supported the traditional usage of rose hips
as a folk remedy in the treatment of diabetes in Turkey.
Andersson et al. [39] also investigated the possible
metabolic effects of rose hip powder by administering as
dietary supplement to obese C57BL/6 J mice. The results
showed that the powder prevented and reversed the
increase in body weight and body fat mass. Improved
glucose tolerance was observed in mice fed with a sup-
plement of rose hip as compared to control mice. Down-
regulation of the expression of lipogenic proteins, lowering
in the total plasma cholesterol and consequent antidiabetic
effects are also attributed to the powder. So far there are no
positive results from human trials.
Cardioprotective effect
Andersson et al. [40] investigated the possible beneficial
metabolic effect of daily intake of 40 g rose hip powder
over 6 weeks in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over
study. A total of 31 obese individuals were enrolled for the
trial. In comparison with the control drink, consumption of
the rose hip potion resulted in a significant reduction in
systolic blood pressure, total plasma cholesterol, low-den-
sity lipoprotein cholesterol and LDL/HDL ratio. It was
concluded that the daily consumption of rose hip powder
can significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in obese people
mediated by lowered systolic blood pressure and plasma
cholesterol levels. No side effects were recorded.
Antimicrobial effect
Yi et al. [22] investigated the antimicrobial activity of
hip extracts of R. nutkana,R. pisocarpa and R. woodsii
from British Columbia using disc diffusion assays. Both
R. nutkana and R. woodsii pericarp extracts showed anti-
microbial activity against yeast and Gram-positive bacte-
ria. The microbial inhibitory potentials were attributed to
the phenolic richness. Yilmaz and Ercisli [6] assessed
the antibacterial properties of hips from R. pisiformis,
R. canina,R. villosa and R. dumalis subsp. Antalyensis.
Bacillus cereus showed susceptibility towards all hip
extracts. R. canina showed maximum efficacy as an anti-
bacterial agent.
Immunomodulatory effect
Sabby and Nielsen [41] studied the effect of R. canina L.
hip powder on the cytokine production and proliferation of
CD4(?) T cells and CD19(?) B cells induced by a self-
antigen human thyroglobulin and by lipopolysaccharide in
cultures of normal mononuclear cells. The triterpene acid
mixture in the powder inhibited the production of tumour
necrosis factor-aand interleukin-6, also prevented the
CD4(?) T cell and CD19(?) B cell proliferation.
Collectively, the mixture ingredients oleanolic, ursolic
and betulinic acid are demonstrated to be active
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immunomodulatory agents. Saaby et al. [42] investigated
the immunomodulatory effect of standardized hip powder
of R. canina L. Mono Mac 6 cell line was selected as
human macrophage model and treated with crude dichlo-
romethane extract of the hip powder. The extract inhibited
the lipopolysaccharide induced interleukin-6 release in a
dose-dependent manner. Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid are
found responsible for inhibiting the release of the inflam-
matory cytokine from the macrophage cells.
Gastroprotective and antiulcerative effect
Hakansson et al. [43] studied the effect of oral administration
of a blend of L. plantarum and rose hip in ischaemia/reper-
fusion injury of the mouse colon. The combination was
selected for polyphenolic abundance of rose hips and the
enzymatic activity of lactic acid bacteria towards the poly-
phenols. It was observed that the mix significantly decreased
MDA levels in caecum tissue and Enterobacteriaceae counts
in caecum stool. It was inferred that rose hip and L. planta-
rum may be used as a pre-treatment to tissue injuries, e.g.
colonic surgery, organ transplantation and vascular surgery.
The gastroprotective effects of a hydroalcoholic crude
extract of R. canina hips were tested on an ethanol-induced
gastric damage rat model. The gastric damage was reported
lower in the rose hip pre-treated stomach as compared to the
control. The antioxidants in the extract were deemed
responsible for the gastroprotective activity [35].
Dermatological applications
Fujii and Saito [44] assessed the effects of compounds
isolated from methanolic extracts of rose hips on melanin
biosynthesis in B16 mouse melanoma cells. Quercetin
emerged as the most potent melanogenesis inhibitor which
decreased the intracellular tyrosinase activity in a dose-
dependent manner. Fujii et al. [45] reinvestigated the
extracts for their possible inhibitory action against mela-
nogenesis using the melanoma cells. The aqueous extract
fractionated with 50 % ethanol reduced the intracellular
tyrosinase activity and lessened the production of melanin.
Oral administration of the extract was studied in brown
guinea pigs and the pigmentation inhibition in the skin was
observed. These in vitro and in vivo results suggested that
procyanidin glycosides-rich extract could be developed as
a skin-whitening agent when taken orally.
Livelihood opportunities
People can achieve self-sufficiency by collecting rose hips
from the withered blossoms, before the pruning. In autumn,
the hips can be gathered in large quantities from wild as
well as domesticated roses. In North East England, school
children go rose hip picking after school, which lands at the
factory for syrup manufacturing.
Future potentials
Non-hybrid roses yield more nutritious hips than the orna-
mentally cultivated ones. Considering the appreciable
health applications established in the current times, it is
important to conserve the wild species. Studies on the
selection and improvement of rose hip cultivars are already
at initial stage in Turkey. Some of the suitable genotypes
have been selected and qualified for registry by the National
Variety Registration and Seed Certification Centre of
Turkey for commercial production of rose hips [46]. Yilmaz
and Ercisli [6] have reported the germplasm preservation of
wild roses in Turkey. Other parts of the world with abun-
dance of wild rose varieties should follow the example of
Turkey. California wild roses grow luxuriantly in South
California chaparrals and bear copious hips that ripe in
autumn. The fruits, despite their considerable food potential
end up being eaten by squirrels, birds or are decayed.
Nutritional research on rose hips must pick up momentum
to develop cheap and accessible health supplements.
Conclusion
Taken together, the results of the studies discussed above
illuminate on the potential of rose hip extracts in treating
various disorders. Apart from being a desirable food
ingredient, rose hips have demonstrated efficacy against
arthritis, inflammation, diabetes, heart ailments, pathogens,
gastric ulcers. In addition, immunological and skin emol-
lient properties are being established. Emerging evidences
corroborate that rose hips have potential to be a comple-
mentary and alternative medicine. Rose hip-based herbal
medicines are already flooding the markets. However, the
efficacy and safety of the products need evaluation for
large-scale production. Substantial numbers of epidemio-
logical trials are required to assure consistent results and
achieve clinical significance. So far, therapeutic success has
been obtained in osteoarthritis and cardiac ailments. This
review is expected to stimulate investigations on the role of
rose hip extracts in addressing other health problems.
Conflict of interest None.
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