Rose hip (Rosa canina) has been used as an herbal remedy against a wide range of ailments including inflammatory disorders. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of rose hips have been evaluated in vitro and active constituents have been isolated. Rose hip contains antioxidant nutrients and an anti-inflammatory galactolipid. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease where activated cells release reactive oxygen substances. Thus it could be relevant to investigate if rose hip had an anti-inflammatory and/or antioxidant effect in this situation.
In this open case-control study 20 female patients with RA and 10 female controls were given 10.5 g rose hip powder daily (Litozin®) for 28 days. Blood samples were analysed at baseline and follow-up for the capacity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and catalase and the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP). The participants kept a food diary for the first 3 days and the last 3 days of the intervention period. The RA-patients completed The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire at baseline and follow-up.
CRP-concentrations of both patients and healthy controls did not change. Nor was any effect found on the activity of antioxidant enzymes. There was no difference in food intake at baseline, but in the last week the RA-group reduced their energy intake.
10.5 g Litozin® in 28 days had neither effect on clinical symptoms or laboratory measurements in patients with RA or healthy controls. This is in contrast to previous intervention studies with rose hip powder that found a reduction in the concentration of CRP. The results of the present study indicate that a daily amount of approximately 10 g rose hip powder for one month has no anti-inflammatory and/or antioxidant effect.