EXAMPLE MONOGRAPH: ROSE

Download the Rose Monograph as a PDF

Common, Botanical, & Family Names

Rose, hip rose, dog rose, wild dog rose, cabbage rose, red rose (Skenderi, 2003), shatapatri, gulab (Khalsa & Tierra, 2011)

Rosa spp. (e.g., Rosa rugosa, Rosa damascena, Rosa canina, Rosa gallica)

Rosaceae

Botanical Description

Roses are perennial, deciduous plants with sharply thorned stems. Some rose species are climbers, while others are more shrubby in form. While leaf characteristics vary from species to species, rose leaves are often alternately arranged and pinnately divided (Pemberton, 1920). 

Rose flowers come in all different colors and numbers of petals. Red and pink rose flowers are most often used by herbalists. Regardless of species, the flowers have five sepals and petals in multiples of five (Pemberton, 1920). The flowers often have a pleasant floral aroma, and the more fragrant species may be more useful to herbalists.

Rose fruits are known as rose hips. They are typically orange to red in color. The hips have many seeds in the center, surrounded by hairs and an outer layer of flesh (Barker, 2001).

Part of Plant Used

Flower buds, flower petals, and fruits (hips); this monograph will only discuss the flowers/petals

Types of Preparations

Infusion, tincture, glycerite, infused honey, elixir, cordial infused oil, powder, syrup, infused vinegar, cream, lotion, jellies and jams

Harvesting Guidelines and Sustainability Issues

Harvest flower buds and rose petals on a dry morning when they are at their most fragrant. Petals should be harvested immediately after blooming or in early bloom stage (the petals should not be widely open) (Barker, 2001). Harvest can occur all season long. If stamens have been collected along with the buds or petals, they should be removed after harvesting (Grieve, 1931/1971).

While it is possible to harvest buds and petals without coming into contact with the thorny stems, wearing long sleeves and bringing along gloves to use if needed may be advisable. 

Cultivated roses are sometimes heavily sprayed with chemicals, and choosing organically grown roses may be preferable.

No sustainability concerns noted.

Chemical Constituents

Volatile oils (e.g., citronellol, geraniol, eugenol, myrcene), tannins, phenolic compounds (e.g., quercetin, kaempferol, flavonoids), beta-sitosterol, polysaccharides, organic acids (e.g., malic acid, tartaric acid), saponins, resin (Elizabeth, n.d.; United States Department of Agriculture, n.d.).

Actions

Astringent, anti-inflammatory, nervine, antidepressant, aphrodisiac, carminative, refrigerant (Khalsa & Tierra, 2011; Lad & Frawley, 1986; Pole, 2013)

Taste & Energetics

Bitter, pungent, astringent, sweet (Khalsa & Tierra, 2011; Pole, 2013); cooling, dry, light (Pole, 2013)According to Ayurveda, rose has a sweet post-digestive effect, and is beneficial to all three doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha), especially pitta (Lad & Frawley, 1986; Pole, 2013).

Uses

Rose has long been considered a symbol of love and beauty, and it has a lengthy history of use in both aromatherapy and herbalism. Rose blossoms were employed in ancient Greece for their perfume, and the flower itself was associated with passion in poetry and particularly with Aphrodite/Venus, the goddesses of love, although roses eventually became a symbol of excess in the Roman Empire (D’Andrea, 1982). Many varieties were used in ancient days for feasts, wreathing, worship, and for honoring the dead (D’Andrea, 1982).

Rose also played a role in the healing arts in antiquity, often used as an astringent and vulnerary, but also in addressing a variety of different body systems and issues; some of these uses have continued to the present day. Rose was used in ancient Greece and the Roman Empire in plasters and eye unguents (Pliny, 77/1906). Dioscorides (70/2000) recorded recipes for rose including oil preparations and remarked upon its astringency and cooling nature; many of his indications demonstrate a vulnerary use.

Rose as a Vulnerary

Because of this long history of use as a vulnerary, promoting tissue repair, along with rose’s aromatic perfume, it is often incorporated into skincare products. Rose’s vulnerary properties may be partially due to its tannin content—astringent tannins help to bind tissue together, preventing blood loss and encouraging wound healing. Rose’s anti-inflammatory nature can also help to ease the pain and inflammation associated with wounds and irritated or itchy skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis (Khalsa & Tierra, 2011; Pole, 2013), and rose is particularly beneficial for pitta-type skin issues, characterized by heat and inflammation (Khalsa & Tierra, 2011). Rose makes an excellent addition to an astringent facial toner and helps to clear acne (Pole, 2013).

This vulnerary effect also applies to mucous membranes. Lad and Frawley (1986) suggest using fresh rose petals infused in honey or sugar for a sore throat or mouth sores. And rose can also be used for inflammation of the digestive tract (Pole, 2013).

To investigate rose’s purported anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, Houseinpour et al. (2011) held a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study that evaluated the efficacy of Rosa damascena to treat recurrent mouth lesions. The researchers concluded that the mouthwash made from an aqueous extract of rose was found to be more effective than placebo (Hoseinpour et al., 2011). 

Rose for the Eyes

Rose has been employed since antiquity and across cultures for eye complaints, both physical and energetic (Dioscorides, 70/2000; Pliny, 77/1906; Wood, 2009). Prior to the Medieval period, German Benedictine abbess and herbalist Hildegard von Bingen (1155/2001) mentions using rose to clear the eyes, and rose was mixed with other preparations for the eyes in the Renaissance period (Parkinson, 1640).

Rose is also strongly associated with the eyes in Ayurveda, where it is used for inflamed, itchy, and red eyes—all signs of excess pitta in the eyes. It is also employed as a specific for inflamed eyelids (Pole, 2013). A common ayurvedic preparation for eye health is rose water, which is spritzed on the eyes to cool and refresh them (Lad & Frawley, 1986). It is also specifically used for headaches behind the eyes (Pole, 2013).

Rose as a Reproductive Restorative 

Rose is valued for its ability to act as a reproductive restorative, particularly in Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. In both traditions it is used to increase semen production, libido, and fertility, and to address menstrual cycle dysregulation (Holmes, 2007; Pole, 2013). 

This indication for regulating the menstrual cycle is also found in Western traditions, at least as far back as the Renaissance period and probably much further; both Parkinson (1640) and Culpeper (1653/1850) noted that dried and powdered roses infused in water or wine were used to help “stay women’s courses.” In Ayurveda, rose is often combined with shatavari as a reproductive tonic, and with safflower and hibiscus to regulate the menstrual cycle (Lad & Frawley, 1986).

In Western herbalism, rose is commonly used as a uterine astringent, helpful for menorrhagia, postpartum blood loss, and uterine prolapse. It is also frequently added to sitz bath formulas during the postpartum period and for vaginal irritation or inflammation (Bensky & Gamble, 1993; L. Olson, personal communication, February, 23, 2022; Wood, 2008). These properties are likely due to rose’s tannin content.

Rose as a Nervine

Meditating on the rose, we can clearly see its healthy boundaries: a soft but strong heart that is open yet protected. Rose’s connection with grief may be traced back to ancient days wherein they were symbolically used in funerals and honoring the dead (D’Andrea, 1982). Today roses are often used to soothe and open the energetic heart and for a lack of self-love, vulnerability, broken hearts, and grief (Hardin, n.d.), as well as for emotional shock, depression (Holmes, 2007). These properties may be partly due to rose’s aromatic volatile oils.

In Ayurveda, rose is considered to be medhya (having the ability to improve the intellect), and is known to have a calming effect on the heart and mind. Note only that, it is used to nourish the nerves, and can be used long term to manage depression and anxiety (Pole, 2013).

Dosage

Infusion: 1-10 g dried petal/day (Pole, 2012)

Tincture: 5-15 mL (1:2, 50%) per day (fresh herb) (Pole, 2012); 5 drops – 2 mL (1:5, 40%) 3x/day (dried herb) (Easley & Horne, 2016)

Safety

Rose is generally deemed safe. Due to its tannin content, rose petals may reduce the intestinal absorption of iron and alkaloids; caution is advised in cases of iron deficiency and for those taking pharmaceuticals containing alkaloids (Brinker, 2010).

References

Barker, J. (2001). The medicinal flora of Britain and northwestern Europe. Winter Press.

Bensky, D., & Gamble, A. (1993). Chinese herbal medicine materia medica. Eastland Press.

Brinker, F. (2010). Herbal contraindications and drug interactions (4th ed.). Eclectic Medical Publications.

Culpeper, N. (1850). The complete herbal. Thomas Kelly. (Original work published 1653). http://www.gutenberg.org/files/49513/49513-h/49513-h.htm  

D’Andrea, J. (1982). Ancient herbs in the J. Paul Getty Museum gardens. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Dioscorides. (2000). De materia medica (T.A. Obaldeston & R.P.A. Wood, Trans.). Ibidis Press. (Original work published 70 CE)

Easley, T., & Horne, S. (2016). The modern herbal dispensatory: A medicine-making guide. North Atlantic Books.

Elizabeth, C. (n.d.). Rose monograph. Herb Rally. https://www.herbrally.com/monographs/rose  

Lad, V., & Frawley, D. (2001). The yoga of herbs. Lotus Press.

Grieve, M. (1971). A modern herbal. Dover Publications. (Original work published 1931)

Hardin, K.R. (n.d.). Rose (Rosa spp.). http://animacenter.org/rosa.html 

Holmes, P. (2007). The energetics of Western herbs: A materia medica integrating Western and Chinese herbal therapeutics (Vol. 1). Snow Lotus Press.

Hoseinpour, H., Peel, S.A., Rakhshandeh, H., Forouzanfar, A., Taheri, M., Rajabi, O., … Sohrabi, K. (2011). Evaluation of Rosa damascena mouthwash in the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Quintessence International, 42(6), 483-491. 

Khalsa, K.P.S., & Tierra, M. (2011). The way of ayurvedic herbs. Lotus Press.

Parkinson, J. (1640). Theatrum botanicum: The theater of plants or, an herbal of large extent. The Cotes.

Pemberton, J.H. (1920). Roses: Their history, development, and cultivation. Applewood Books.

Pliny. (1906). C Plini secundi naturalis historiae (K. Mayhoff, Ed.). Leipzig, Germany: Teubner. (Original work published 77 CE)

Pole, S. (2012). Ayurvedic medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Singing Dragon.

Skenderi, G. (2003). Herbal vade mecum. Herbacy Press

Tobyn, G., Denham, A., & Whitelegg, M. (2016). The Western herbal tradition: 2000 years of medicinal plant knowledge. Singing Dragon.

United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Database. https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/search 

von Bingen, H. (2001). Hildegard’s healing plants: From her Medieval classic Physica (B.W. Hozeski, Trans.). Beacon Press. (Original work published 1155)

Wood, M. (2008). The earthwise herbal: A complete guide to Old World medicinal plants. North Atlantic Books.

Wood, M. (2009). The earthwise herbal: A complete guide to New World medicinal plants. North Atlantic Books.