Rose Hips Side Effects
Rose hips, the red globes that replace the rose bloom after the petals have fallen, are tart fruits that contain more vitamin C by weight than an orange. They can be dried for use in rose hip tea, cooked into a syrup or processed into pills or powders for use a natural vitamin C supplement. They contain high amounts of antioxidents and iron, and the various phytochemicals naturally occurring in rose hips may also provide health benefits. Natural, however, does not mean "safe to consume in all quantities and in all situations."
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History of Rose Hips as Medicine
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Rose hips have been used to treat ailments since ancient times, and were harvested, processed into a syrup and used as a vitamin C source in England during World War II. They have been used to treat colds, infections, scars, urinary tract and bladder problems and constipation. They were even thought to promote mental clarity. The hips were used dried, powdered or cooked; they were also eaten raw or brewed as a tea. Currently, rose hips are sold as syrups, powders, capsules, teas or creams, intended for treatment of arthritis and as a natural vitamin C supplement.
Chosing and Harvesting Rose Hips
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Most roses produce hips, although some are smaller and less showy and have a less pleasing flavor. Rosa Rugosa has the sweetest, best flavor. Rugosas and Rosa Canina have the highest concentration of vitamin C in their flesh. Rugosas also have the largest hips, which makes them ideal for harvesting; their size means you get more "flesh" per hip. Rose hips are ready to be harvested when they are deep red and only slightly soft, and they are somewhat sweeter if harvested just after the first fall frost. Pull or cut the hips from the rose bush, being careful to avoid the thorns.
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Rose Hips In Clinical Research
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The journal Osteoarthritis Cartilage, in 2008, published the results of randomized controlled trials that showed powdered rose hips to be effective in reducing pain and stiffness in patients with osteoarthritis. In addition, a study published in Inflammopharmacology in 1999 additionally found that rose hips had anti-inflammatory effects.
Caution Recommended
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Workers who process rose hips for supplements and other uses can develop allergies to the dust that results from the processing; those with plant material allergies should be cautious about using supplements containing rose hips. Pregnant women and breast-feeding women should not use products containing rose hips before consulting a physician. Rose hips can alter the affects of birth control pills, increase the body's absorption of dietary iron, interfere with blood-thinning drugs, and skew glucose tests.
Side Eeffects
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Reported but rare side effects from the consumption of rose hips include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, allergic reaction, and aggravation of kidney disease or kidney stones. Exposure to rose hip dust in large quantities, such as experienced by those who work processing the rose hips, can cause asthma or trigger an asthma attack. Even less common though sometimes reported side effects include headaches and dizziness.
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References
- "Inflammopharmacology"; Rose hip inhibits chemotaxis and chemiluminescence of human peripheral blood neutrophils in vitro and reduces certain inflammatory parameters in vivo; Kharazmi A, Winther K.; 1999, 7.
- vegetarianism & vegetarian nutrition
- "Osteoarthritis Cartilage"; Review: Does the hip powder of Rosa canina (rosehip) reduce pain in osteoarthritis patients?; Christensen R, Bartels E M, Altman R D, Astrup A, Bliddal H.; 2008 doi:10.1016/j.joca.2008.03.00
