Effectiveness of rosemary extract on the cardiovascular risk of emergency nursing professionals – an intervention study

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effectiveness of the oral administration of rosemary dry extract capsules (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) (1g/day) on the estimated cardiovascular risk, over ten years, in nursing professionals working in emergency and urgent care services. METHOD: Quasiexperimental study conducted in Southern Brazil. Participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, had blood collected for glycemic and lipid profile analysis, and took oral capsules containing 500 mg of dry rosemary extract twice a day for 8 weeks; subsequently, a new blood sample was taken. The Framingham Global Risk Score was used to estimate cardiovascular risk. Data analysis used descriptive and inferential statistics; significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The study included 36 professionals, predominantly obese and those with elevated total cholesterol. When comparing the variables before and after the intervention, differences were found in blood pressure (p = 0.048), in total cholesterol (p < 0.001), and in the Framingham Global Risk Score (p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Dry rosemary extract was effective in reducing the estimated cardiovascular risk of nursing professionals. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials No. RBR 88hrnnw.