Rose hip seed oil

Rose hip seed oil is a pressed seed oil, extracted from the seeds of the wild rose bush (Rosa moschata or Rosa rubiginosa) in the southern Andes. Rosehip seed oil can also be extracted from Rosa canina, which grows in many regions of the world including South Africa and Europe. The fruits of the rosehip have been used in folk medicine for a long time. Rosehips have prophylactic and therapeutic actions against the common cold, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, urinary tract diseases, and inflammatory diseases.

Nutrition

The oil contains provitamin A (mostly beta-Carotene). It has been wrongly said to contain retinol (vitamin A) which is a vitamin solely made by animals from provitamin A. It does however contain levels (up to .357 mg/L) of tretinoin or all-trans retinoic acid, a vitamin A acid that retinol converts to.^[1]

Similarly, while the fruit is rich in vitamin C, the oil does not contain any, as it is a water-soluble vitamin.^{[citation needed]}

Rose hip seed oil is high in the essential fatty acids: linoleic acid or omega-6, and α-linolenic acid or omega-3.

Uses

Researchers have tested the efficacy of topical rose hip seed oil together with an oral fat-soluble vitamins on different inflammatory dermatitis such as eczema, neurodermatitis, and cheilitis, with promising findings of the topical use of rose hip seed oil on these inflammatory dermatose. Due its high composition of UFAs and antioxidants, rose hip oil has relatively high protection against inflammation and oxidative stress.^[2]

Research on rose hip oil has shown that it reduces skin pigmentation, reduces discolouration, acne lesions, scars and stretch marks, as well as retaining the moisture of the skin and delaying the appearance of wrinkles. Cosmetologists recommend wild rose seed oil as a natural skin-vitaliser.^[3]

A 2014 study on the nutritional composition and phytochemical composition of the rosehip seed, and the fatty acid and sterol compositions of the seed oil showed that rosehip seed and seed oil were good sources of phytonutrients.^[4] Consumption of foods rich in phytonutrients is recommended to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The nutritional composition and the presence of bioactive compounds make the rosehip seed a valuable source of phytonutrients. The rosehip seed was highly rich in carbohydrates and ascorbic acid, and the rosehip-seed oil was highly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols. The rosehip seed and seed oil proved to have antioxidant activity. The findings of the study indicated that the rosehip seed and seed oil may be proposed as ingredients in functional food formulations and dietary supplements.^[5]

References

^ J. Concha; C. Soto; R. Chamy; M. E. Zúñiga (2006). "Effect of rosehip extraction process on oil and defatted meal physicochemical properties". Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 83 (9): 771–775. doi:10.1007/s11746-006-5013-2.
^ Lin, T.K.; Zhong, L.; Santiago, J.L. (2017). "Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils". International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 19 (1): 70. doi:10.3390/ijms19010070. PMC 5796020. PMID 29280987.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
^ Michalak, Monika; Kiełtyka-Dadasiewicz, Anna (4 March 2019). "Oils from fruit seeds and their dietetic and cosmetic significance". Herba Polonica. 64 (4): 63–70. doi:10.2478/hepo-2018-0026. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
^ "Rosehip Oil".
^ Ilyasoğlu, H. (2014). "Characterization of Rosehip ( Rosa canina L . ) Seed and Seed Oil". International Journal of Food Properties. 7 (17): 1591–1598. doi:10.1080/10942912.2013.777075.

Nutrition

Uses

References

Further reading