This project was a systematic review and meta-analysis where we examined whether rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) improves symptoms of depression, anxiety, or psychological stress in adults. We searched multiple medical databases for randomized controlled trials that tested rosemary against placebo, another active treatment, or no treatment, then assessed study quality and pooled results where possible. Overall, we found no clear benefit of rosemary for depression, anxiety, or stress across all studies, and results varied widely. However, when we looked more closely, oral rosemary taken for four to eight weeks was associated with a significant improvement in anxiety symptoms, suggesting that the form and duration of treatment may matter and that more high-quality trials of oral rosemary are needed. This paper is currently under review for publication.
