Rosmarinic acid
Polyphenols
The polyphenol of the mint family — rosemary, mint, sage, basil — and one of the few that withstands drying.
Unlike volatile terpenes, it CONCENTRATES when the herb dries: gram for gram, a dried herb provides more than a fresh one.
Effects and benefits
Rosemary, mint, sage, basil, lemon balm: the mint family shares this polyphenol. In a three-month trial, a spearmint extract rich in it improved the working memory of adults over fifty.
Rosmarinic acid protects the leaves of the mint family against herbivores and microbes. A cup of lemon balm or mint tea provides tens of milligrams; part is absorbed, the rest is turned by the microbiota into caffeic acid and derivatives.
In a 90-day controlled trial, 900 mg a day of a spearmint extract rich in rosmarinic acid improved working memory and spatial reasoning in adults aged 50 to 70 who complained about their memory (Herrlinger et al., 2018).
Sources: Herrlinger et al., J Altern Complement Med, 2018
Where to find it (10)
Also, in smaller amounts (34)
- African basil
- Anise hyssop
- Avishan shirazi (Shirazi thyme)
- Baby sage (Graham's sage)
- Clary sage
- Clerodendrum leaves
- Cuban oregano
- Ground ivy
- Harlequin glorybower (kusagi)
- Haumaniastrum
- Holy basil (tulsi)
- Hyssop
- Kakuti (wild mint)
- Kinh giới (Vietnamese balm)
- Lamb's ear
- Lavender
- Lemon basil
- Lesser calamint (nepitella)
- Lovage
- Meadow sage
- Mexican oregano (poliomintha)
- Mountain mint
- Muña
- Pennyroyal
- Perilla seeds
- Pignut (Hyptis suaveolens)
- Pineapple sage
- Purple dead-nettle
- River mint
- Self-heal
- Solenostemon
- Tarragon
- Thumba
- White dead-nettle