Rosemary extract and metabolic syndrome in mice
What it found
In mice fed a high-fat diet, rosemary extract reduced weight gain, body fat, blood sugar, insulin and liver fat.
The extract was rich in carnosic acid.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Weight and body fat
Mice given rosemary extract gained less weight and had a lower percentage of body fat than mice on the high-fat diet alone.
Blood sugar and insulin
Rosemary extract lowered blood glucose and insulin levels compared with the high-fat diet group.
Liver health
The extract reduced liver weight, liver triglycerides, free fatty acids, and the liver enzymes ALT and AST. Liver samples showed less fat buildup in liver cells.
Oxidative stress markers
Rosemary extract decreased malondialdehyde and advanced glycation end products in plasma and liver, and lowered the liver expression of the receptor for AGEs. It also raised the liver GSH/GSSG ratio.
Fat absorption
Mice given the extract excreted more fat in their feces, which suggests less fat was absorbed.
What the authors conclude
“Our results demonstrate that rosemary is a promising dietary agent to reduce the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say rosemary is a promising dietary agent to reduce the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see whether carnosic acid, a main active part of rosemary extract, could help prevent obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Mice were fed a low-fat diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet with different amounts of rosemary extract for 16 weeks. The extracts contained either 80% or 45% carnosic acid.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are animal studies. They can't show what happens in people.
- The study can't show whether rosemary extract would have the same effects in people or at what dose.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, United States
The paper
- Title
- Carnosic acid as a major bioactive component in rosemary extract ameliorates high-fat-diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Zhao Y, Sedighi R, Wang P, Chen H, Zhu Y, Sang S (2015). Carnosic acid as a major bioactive component in rosemary extract ameliorates high-fat-diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.5b01246PubMed 25929334DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error