Rose Hip as a Nutraceutical

Abstract

From ancient times, rose hip has been used as food source and as part of herbal remedies. Modern research has confirmed that rose hip, especially when containing seeds and shells, reduces pain and improves daily activity in animal models and in patients with osteoarthritis. The effect size on pain is comparable to that observed with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and superior to that obtained with paracetamol. For example, treatment with a subspecies of Rosa canina (Lito) resulted in 50% reduction in intake of pain killers. There are also strong indications that conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, aging skin, and wrinkles benefit from treatment with rose hip. Cardiovascular diseases, especially where hyperlipidemia plays a major role, can be treated with rose hip, since a modest reduction of blood cholesterol levels as well as kidney and liver protection has been reported with the treatment. Variation in efficacy and amount of active ingredients in the different species, as well as with different ways of production, should be recognized. Rose hip can be collected from nature. It takes 5–7 Rosa canina berries to produce the daily dose of 5 gram of mixed shell-seed powder.