Medicinal Components and Pharmacological Effects of Rosa rugosa

Rosa rugosa is a widespread ornamental plant and generally utilized for food and medicinal purposes. The previous studies focused on the potent ingredients extracted from R. rugosa, such as essential oils, flavonoids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, pigments, vitamins and so on. Moreover, sufficient evidences and research data revealed that pharmacological effects of R. rugosa on various diseases were associated with these functional components. 19a-Hydroxyursane-type triterpenoids, such as euscaphic acid (EA) and tormentic acid (TA), are responsible for the anti-inflammatory action. Antioxidants such as flavonoids and polyphenols play a critical role against tumors and diabetes. Sesquiterpene and hydrolyzable tannins are essential for antimicrobial ability. Rosamultin reduces hepatotoxicity through enhancing the epoxide hydrolase activity. These studies suggest that R. rugosa has prospects of curing many diseases or assisting in traditional chemosynthetic drugs treatment.