Rose Geranium Health Benefits

Rose Geranium Health benefits, side effects

What is Rose geranium is an aromatic herb valued for its rose scented oil that is used in food preparation, perfumery and herbal medicine.
Rose geranium Health Benefits Used in aroma therapy to promote relaxation and calmness, it has antiseptic, astringent and anti inflammatory effects. 

Rose geranium

Rose geranium Side effects and warnings. Rose geranium is considered safe to most people at recommended dosages May cause side effects such as skin sensitivity and rash.


What is Rose geranium

Scientific Name: Pelargonium Graveolens

Other Names: Aceite de Geranio Rosa, Bourbon Geranium Oil, Extrait de Géranium, Geranamine, Geranium Extract, Geranium Oil, Moroccan Geranium, Oleum Geranii, Pelargonium Oil, Tiges de Géranium.

Rose geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens) is an evergreen shrub that is native to southern part of Africa valued for its rose scented oil that is used in food preparation, perfumery and herbal medicine. The flowers and leaves are used as scent and flavouring in food preparation while the leaves and extracted oil are used in traditional remedies for the many health benefits it provides. Geranium oil has value in aroma therapy and massage therapy applications.

Description

Rose geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) is an erect, much-branched shrub, that can reach a height of up to 1,3 m and a spread of 1 m. Geranium has  hairy stems that are herbaceous when young, woody upon maturity. The leaves are strongly rose scented having numerous glandular hairs. The umbel like flowers, white or pinkish in color, bloom from late winter to summer.



Health Benefits of Rose geranium

Rose geranium is a scented and aromatic herb widely used in traditional medicine as antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, astringent and sedative.

The aromatic scent of rose geranium plant is used as relaxant, sedative and anti-depressant in aroma therapy. It is used to relieve tension, anxiety, nervousness, stress and fatigue.
Other plant parts are used as antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and astringent to treat skin wounds, bruises, pimples, eczema, ringworms and hemorrhoids.

Herbal concoction from leaves and flowers or the extracted oils are used to treat premenstrual and menopausal problems, nausea, tonsils, diarrhea, rheumatism and poor circulation.

Rose geranium oil is applied to the skin for nerve pain (neuropathy), especially pain following shingles. Some people also use it topically as an astringent to tighten and lighten the skin.

It is useful for treating jaundice, gall stones and can also be used for restraining nose bleeds and other hemorrhage.



Scientific Studies of Rose geranium Health Benefits


Geranium as Anti Oxidant
In a study published in “Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences”, 2009; entitled “Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Citrus reticulate (Petitgrain Mandarin) and Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) Essential Oils” showed that extracts from Pelargonium graveolens or Geranium exert pronounced antioxidant activities. Compounds found in Geranium extract were found to have scavenging action against free radicals that have potential employment as additives in food and cosmetics.
http://www.aensionline.com/rjabs/rjabs/2009/740-747.pdf

Geranium as Anti Cancer
In the same study stated above, the antioxidant and anticancer activities of geranium essential oil may be attributed to the major contents of citronellol and transgeraniol. These oil soluble compounds found in Geranium showed active inhibition of the  nchorage-independent growth of human MIA and PaCa2 pancreatic tumor cells.
>Geranium oil or geranium essential oil is more effective on NB4 cell line than HL-60 cell line.

Anti inflammatory, Anti Cancer Property of Geranium extract
In as study published in “British Journal of  Nutrition 2012”, entitled “Effects of a Chinese medical herbs complex on cellular immunity and toxicity-related conditions of breast cancer patients”, Rose geranium (Pelargonium graveolens, Geraniaceae) was found to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, and promotes wound healing. Extracts from Geranium can improve the immune cell count of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to prevent leucopenia and immune impairment that usually occurs during cancer therapy.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21864416

Geranium Antibacterial Activity
In a study published in  “Phytotherapy Research 2011” entitled “Potentiation of antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin by Pelargonium graveolens essential oil against selected uropathogens” showed that Pelargonium graveolens L' Hér (Geranium) essential oil in combination with ciprofloxacin has antimicrobial action when evaluated on uropathogens, namely, Klebsiella pneumoniae KT2, Proteus mirabilis PRT3 and Staphylococcus aureus ST2.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21618302



Rose geranium Side Effects and Warnings

Side Effects and Warnings

Rose geranium is considered safe if taken in food amounts or used externally.

There is no sufficient study that investigated the safety of taking rose geranium in large amount. Do not take in large doses if pregnant or breast feeding.

Rose geranium may cause a sensitivity side effects to some people that may result to rash or burning sensation. Rose geranium oil can irritate the eyes.   


Rose geranium Availability and Preparation

Availability

Fresh flowers and leaves may be a little hard to find unless you have one in your garden or available in a nearby plant nursery.

Rose geranium oil can be found in most health stores. There are however other cheaper geranium oils derived from other geranium plant varieties which may have a different scent (citrus, fruity) but may also offer similar health benefits.

How to use Rose geranium

The flowers of Rose geranium are edible and can be used as flavouring in food such as jellies, ice cream, salads and desserts.

The flowers, leaves and branches may be boiled in water and prepared as tea or mixed in baths.

Rose geranium oil may be mixed with other oils for body massage or it can be used with vaporizers or burners for aroma therapy.

Rose geranium may also be massaged or applied to the skin using lotions and creams. It is considered as an effective insect repellent.

Rose geranium oil can also be diluted in shampoo to help with head lice.


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