Rosa canina in Herbalist: Properties of Rosa canina

Scientific name

Rosehip

Family

Rosaceae

Origin

Europe

Synonyms

Blotch or wild rose

Used Parts

The seeds, or hazels, that are actually the true fruits of the dog rose are used

Chemical constituents

L-ascorbic acid;
pectin;
Tannins;
Sugars;
Organic acids;
Essential oil;
Carotenoids;
Anthocyanins;
Flavonoids.

Rosa canina in Herbalist: Properties of Rosa canina

Dog rose preparations are used as antioxidants, immunomodulating, vitaminizing, antiastenic, adjuvants in flu syndromes, capillaroprotectors and as intestinal astringents.

Biological activity

Dog rose is used mainly in food supplements as a rich source of vitamin C. However, the high content of ascorbic acid is not the only interesting aspect possessed by this plant. In fact, several studies have confirmed that dog rose has a noteworthy antioxidant activity, probably due to its high vitamin C content and flavonoid content.

Furthermore, it seems that the dog rose is also able to exert a vasoprotective action, which occurs above all at the level of the microcirculation.

However, there are several studies conducted on this plant to investigate its different properties. In this regard, an interesting study conducted on diabetic animals has highlighted the potential hypoglycemic and cholesterol-lowering abilities of rosehip extract.

A clinical study conducted on overweight patients showed that - following the daily intake of 100 mg of rosehip extract for a period of twelve weeks - these same patients experienced a significant decrease in the amount of fat abdominal, body weight and body mass index.

Another in vitro study has also shown that the flavonoids present in the dog rose are able to inhibit the growth of some types of cancer cells, making this plant and the chemical constituents it contains of potential future allies in the fight against cancer.

However, despite the promising results obtained from the aforementioned studies, the use of wild rose has not yet been officially approved for any type of medical application.

Rosa canina in folk medicine and homeopathy

The fruits of wild rose are used in folk medicine to treat disorders of the urinary tract and kidneys (including kidney stones) and as a remedy for rheumatism, colds and fever and even gout and scurvy.

Popular medicine also uses the receptacle (freed from hair) of false rose hip fruits to treat different types of disorders, such as flu and cold, gastrointestinal disorders, vitamin C deficiency, gallstones and leucorrhoea.

Dog rose is also widely used in the homeopathic field. It can be found in the form of granules, mother tinctures and oral drops, with indications for the treatment of rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchial inflammation, pollinosis, hives and rheumatism.