Rosmarinic acid is an acid containing polyphenolic hydroxyl groups, named after the first isolation and extraction from the rosemary plant in 1958. Rosemary acid is widely distributed, from low bryophytes to higher dicotyledonous plants, mainly in the family Lipaceae, Comfrey family, Cucurbitaceae, Linden family, and Umbellifera.
Since there are many polyphenols with similar structures in rosemary acid extract, high-purity rosemary acid can be obtained by synthetic methods. At present, the synthesis pathways of rosmarinic acid mainly include three kinds of biological enzymatic synthesis pathways, chemical-enzymatic synthesis pathways and chemical synthesis pathways.
First, the biological enzyme synthesis pathway. The bioenzymatic synthesis pathway of rosmarinic acid has two parallel branching pathways of phenylalanine and tyrosine. This method is highly selective and the raw materials used are inexpensive.
Second, the chemical-enzymatic synthesis pathway. Related studies have confirmed that the combination of chemical synthesis and biological enzymatic method has great advantages, chemical synthesis method can improve the conversion rate of certain steps, biological enzyme method is conducive to improving the regional selectivity and stereoselectivity of the reaction, which is also one of the ways to efficiently synthesize natural products.
Third, the chemical method synthesis pathway. Researchers synthesized piperine as raw material in 1991 to obtain rosemary acid, but because rosemary acid has a chiral center, the above synthesis is non-optical activity rosemary acid. Until 1997, David EB et al. synthesized (S)-(-)-rosemarylic acid with optical rotation by pure chemical methods using (S)-tyrosine as raw material.
Rosemary acid has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and other aspects of biological activity, in medicine, cosmetics has been widely used.
First, the application of medicine
1. Antioxidant effect
Rosmarinic acid can terminate the chain reaction of lipid peroxidation by competitively binding lipid peroxy groups, or it can exert antioxidant effects by inhibiting protein synthesis and nitric oxide production of induced nitric oxide synthase.
2. Antibacterial effect
Rosmarinic acid has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and has inhibitory effects on both bacteria and fungi.
3. Antiviral effect
Rosmarinic acid has inhibitory effects on human immunodeficiency virus, herpes virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus.
4. Anti-inflammatory effect
Rosmarinic acid has good anti-inflammatory activity. Because of its anti-inflammatory high efficiency, low toxicity, low adverse reactions and other advantages.
Second, the application of cosmetics
Photoprotective effect of rosmarinic acid. Ultraviolet rays and other ionized radiation lines of the sun lead to the production of reactive oxygen species, causing DNA damage to cells and altering the stability of the environment within the skin. Rosemary acid can inhibit changes in the skin caused by ultraviolet radiation, and has photoprotective properties for human keratinocytes. Therefore, rosemary acid can be used in skin care cosmetics, can combat the oxidative stress caused by UVA, and can be used as a photoprotective agent in dermatology.
There are many more roles of rosemary acid, you can find out more about it yourself.
Source Xinhua Net