Biological importance
Because of the antioxidant activity of Lamiaceaeous herbs in laboratory test models they have been suggested to have beneficial effects in humans. Rosmarinic acid has a number of interesting biological activities, e.g. antiviral, antibacterial, antiinflammatory and antioxidant. The presence of rosmarinic acid in medicinal plants, herbs and spices has beneficial and health promoting effects. In plants, rosmarinic acid is supposed to act as a preformed constitutively accumulated defense compound.
Metabolism
Rosmarinic acid is known to undergo metabolism in humans and rats to methylated rosmarinic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid and caffeic acid.
