The potential antioxidant properties of Rosemary extracts

Research into new bioactive compounds is attracting the interest of consumers and the global market for their positive impact on personal health and well-being. As a result, the demand for ecofriendly and safe food products is growing [ 1 ]. In particular, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants (AMPs) from Mediterranean basin are important source of phytochemicals and essential oils (EOs). Among the AMPs, Rosmarinus officinalis L., commonly known as rosemary, belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Rosemary can be cultivated or grow wild as an evergreen shrub in the Mediterranean region and the leaves are usually used fresh or dried to flavor foods and beverages [ 2 ]. Nowadays, the European Commission authorized the use of rosemary extracts and EO in food preservation, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, natural therapies, and alternative medicine [ 1 ] [ 2 ]. The aim of this study was the characterisation of the polyphenolic and terpenic fractions of a wild R. officinalis variety harvested in the province of Naples (Italy). The polyphenols were extracted from leaves by means of 80% ethanol, at 70°C for 60 minutes and the EO extraction was performed using hydro-distillation. Furthermore, the polyphenolic extracion was also carried out on the rosemary post-distillation solid residue, a biomass with no apparent commercial value. As a result, the phytochemical potential of EO and rosemary extracts is exploited here and several compounds with valuable antioxidant function are present. Furthermore, these results fall within the circular economy strategy for sustainable valorisation of agricultural waste as a source of useful bioactive compounds. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany