Wild rose – properties and medicinal effects

The wild rose (Rosa canina) is a plant that has accompanied humans for centuries, both in the landscape and in everyday life, combining natural beauty with practical application. Although many people associate it mainly with gardening and preserves, its significance extends far beyond the kitchen and herbal medicine. Interestingly, during World War II, rosehips were harvested en masse in Great Britain as one of the few local sources of vitamin C to prevent deficiencies in a population subject to food rationing.

1. Appearance of the wild rose
2. Occurrence of wild rose
3. Uses of wild rose
4. Properties and effects of wild rose

Appearance of the wild rose

Wild rose is a perennial shrub with a distinctly branched, arched silhouette, usually reaching up to 3 metres in height. Its shoots are thin, flexible and covered with numerous hooked thorns, which help the plant climb other plants and serve a protective function. The leaves usually consist of 5 to 7 oval leaflets with serrated edges and a dark green surface.

The flowers appear in late spring and have a delicate, five-petalled shape – most often in shades of pale pink, sometimes white – with a yellow centre filled with stamens. Flowering ends with the flower transforming into a characteristic, fleshy fruit, a so-called pseudo-fruit, which is intensely red or orange in colour, oval or egg-shaped, up to 2 cm long. Inside, there are many small, hard nuts surrounded by hairs, which are irritating and require caution during harvesting or processing.

Occurrence of wild rose

This plant is highly resistant to environmental conditions and is commonly found throughout almost all of Europe, as well as in Western Asia and North Africa. In Poland, it grows wild throughout the country, from the lowlands to the lower parts of the mountains. It can be found, among others, on the edges of forests, in thickets, on agricultural wasteland and on the edges of fields.

Uses of wild rose

Wild rose is used in many ways, mainly for food, cosmetics, herbal medicine and decoration, with the most commonly used part being the ripe fruit harvested in autumn before it becomes soft and begins to ferment.

Traditional use

In traditional cuisine, rosehip fruits are used to make jams, marmalades, syrups, mousses, liqueurs, juices and teas, due to their sweet and sour taste and high content of natural pectins, which give the preserves the right consistency. In many regions of Europe, including Poland, rosehip preserves have a long tradition and are prepared at home as seasonal products with an intense aroma and characteristic colour.

Dried fruits are used to make infusions, often in combination with other herbs or forest fruits, used both for their taste and warming properties.

Seeds

Rosehip seeds, although long considered waste, are now increasingly used to press oil – a valuable cosmetic raw material with moisturising, regenerating and soothing properties, used in creams, ointments, massage oils and anti-ageing cosmetics.

Petals

Flower petals, although less popular than the fruit, are sometimes used to produce floral waters and macerates, which are applied to the skin, including as an ingredient in perfumes with a light, plant-based aroma.

General characteristics of wild rose

Properties and effects of wild rose

Clinical trials involving humans indicate that rosehip has health-promoting potential mainly due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but there is still insufficient data to determine its therapeutic effects. These mechanisms are attributed to the presence of lipophilic (fat-soluble) compounds such as phenols, terpenoids, galactolipids, carotenoids, fruit acids and fats, which effectively neutralise free radicals (i.e. molecules that cause oxidative stress, leading, among other things, to cell damage).

Rosehip for joints

The effects of using a preparation containing rosehip extract, including fruit and seeds, in alleviating the symptoms of diseases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic back pain are particularly well documented. An analysis of clinical trial results, in which participants were randomly assigned to a group receiving the test agent or a placebo (inactive substance), showed a moderate but statistically significant reduction in pain.

Inflammation

Patients suffering from osteoarthritis who used rosehip powder were twice as likely to experience an improvement in symptoms compared to those receiving a placebo. The mechanisms underlying this effect include a reduction in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (molecules involved in inflammatory processes) inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes such as cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2), lipoxygenases (5-LOX) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and reduction of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation.

In weight loss

In addition, rosehip is considered as an element of low-calorie (weight loss) diets due to its potential prebiotic effect, regulating bowel movements and relaxing the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. Despite its high preventive potential demonstrated in laboratory and animal studies, clinical data on its effect on LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein fraction) fasting glucose and other metabolic markers are inconclusive and require further research to determine optimal doses and efficacy in different populations, including obese individuals.

Urinary tract infections

Furthermore, in one clinical trial, rosehip was found to be effective in preventing urinary tract infections in women after caesarean section, significantly reducing the incidence of infection compared to placebo, which was attributed, among other things, to its antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli bacteria. This effect may be partly due to the high content of vitamin C.

Sources:

• Chrubasik C, Roufogalis BD, Müller-Ladner U, Chrubasik S. A systematic review on the Rosa canina effect and efficacy profiles. Phytother Res. 2008;22(6):725-733. doi:10.1002/ptr.2400
• Gruenwald J, Uebelhack R, Moré MI. Rosa canina - Rose hip pharmacological ingredients and molecular mechanics counteracting osteoarthritis - A systematic review. Phytomedicine. 2019;60:152958. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2019.152958
• Christensen R, Bartels EM, Altman RD, Astrup A, Bliddal H. Does the hip powder of Rosa canina (rosehip) reduce pain in osteoarthritis patients?--a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2008;16(9):965-972. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2008.03.001
• Belkhelladi M. Effects of Daily Intake of Rosehip Extract on Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Blood Glucose Levels: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2023;15(12):e51225. Published 2023 Dec 28. doi:10.7759/cureus.51225
• Seifi M, Abbasalizadeh S, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Khodaie L, Mirghafourvand M. The effect of Rosa (L. Rosa canina) on the incidence of urinary tract infection in the puerperium: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Phytother Res. 2018;32(1):76-83. doi:10.1002/ptr.5950