Evidence for the Use of Rosmarinic Acid as a Neuroprotective Agent: A Review

Abstract

Rosmarinic acid (RA; C 18H16O8), a phenolic ester derived from caffeic acid, is found in several vegetal species, including Rosmarinus officinalis L., Perilla frutescens Britton, Mentha spp., and Melissa officinalis L. RA exerts antioxidant, anti- inflammatory, and antimutagenic activities, to cite a few. Moreover, RA has been viewed as a neuroprotective agent in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models. In spite of the efforts made to understand how RA protects brain cells against certain insults, the full mechanism by which RA rescued these cells was not elucidated yet. In the present review, the effects of RA upon brain cells are described and discussed, summarizing the findings obtained by several research groups.