Omnia SanaCommon names in 22 European languages →
The complete database record: 4 documented constituents, 4 pharmacological actions, 7 traditional / indicated uses, with 15 cited sources.
Botanical Description
Dense, thicket-forming deciduous shrub (Rosaceae), 1-1.5 m tall (occasionally to 2 m), with stems densely covered in numerous straight, bristly thorns. Leaves are pinnate with 5-9 deeply veined, glossy, leathery leaflets. Large, fragrant, deep pink to white, five-petalled flowers are followed by large, tomato-red, flattened-globose hips.[2]
Habitat & Distribution
Native to coastal eastern Asia (Japan, Korea, China, far-eastern Russia), typically growing on sand dunes and coastal scrub. Widely planted and naturalised as an ornamental and hedging shrub, notably tolerant of salt spray, wind and poor sandy soils, in temperate coastal regions worldwide.[2]
Harvesting
Flowers/petals are picked as they open in summer; hips are picked in autumn once fully coloured and slightly softened.[2]
Key Constituents
The dominant bioactive class, driving much of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
Studied for immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective and gut-microbiota-modulating effects.
Concentrated in the hips, underpinning their traditional food-tonic use.
Isolated from the root and studied for antioxidant/neuroprotective activity.
Pharmacological Actions
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anticancer action
more plants for cancer (anticancer research) →detailed sources →
more plants for cardiovascular / heart health →detailed sources →
inferred from immunomodulator action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Traditional Use & History
Rosa rugosa has a long East Asian tradition - particularly in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where the flower is known as 'Mei Gui Hua' - as a mood-regulating, digestive and menstrual-cycle-supporting remedy, and the vitamin-C-rich hips are used as a food tonic. Modern research on its flavonoid- and polysaccharide-rich extracts supports broad antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory activity.[2]
Preparations
Dosage
Traditional guidance suggests roughly 3-6 g dried flower per cup as an infusion, or hip tea/syrup at similar strength, taken once or twice daily. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Generally safe as a food plant. Rose hips should be used after removing the achenes (seeds and inner hairs), which can cause irritation. Allergic reactions are rare. No significant drug interactions documented.
Harvest Readiness
[11]
[11]
External Identifiers
References & Sources
- Zhang, Z., Hu, W., Yu, A., Bai, M. and others (2024) 'Physicochemical properties, health benefits, and applications of the polysaccharides from Rosa rugosa Thunb.: A review', International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 282(Pt 3), pp. 136975. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136975 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136975 - Dong, X., Li, Y., Yang, K., Zhang, L. and others (2024) 'Total flavonoids from Rosa rugosa Thunb.: A comprehensive review of its extraction and purification process, chemical composition, biological effect and applications', Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 398(3), pp. 2343-2363. doi:10.1007/s00210-024-03504-x Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-024-03504-x - Kim, J., Lee, S., Park, H. and others (2024) 'Hair Growth Effect and the Mechanisms of Rosa rugosa Extract in DHT-Induced Alopecia Mice Model', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(21), pp. 11362. doi:10.3390/ijms252111362 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252111362 - Baiyisaiti, A., Liu, Y., Zhang, J. and Yang, R (2019) 'Rosa rugosa flavonoids exhibited PPAR-alpha agonist-like effects on genetic severe hypertriglyceridemia of mice', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 240, pp. 111952. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2019.111952 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2019.111952 - Lei, L., Zhu, Y., Gao, W., Du, X. and others (2023) 'Ethanol Extract of Rosa rugosa Ameliorates Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury via Upregulating Sirt1 and Subsequent Potentiation of LKB1/AMPK/Nrf2 Cascade in Hepatocytes', Molecules, 28(21), pp. 7307. doi:10.3390/molecules28217307 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28217307 - Dai, C., Zheng, X., Zhu, J., Zhang, H. and others (2025) 'Polysaccharides derived from Rosa rugosa cv. Plena ameliorate colorectal cancer by regulating intestinal microbiota composition and lipid metabolism pathway', NPJ Science of Food, 9(1), pp. 176. doi:10.1038/s41538-025-00544-2 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-025-00544-2 - Chen, M., Peng, Y., Zhu, R., Luo, X. and others (2025) 'Therapeutic potential of Rosa rugosa polysaccharide and its nanofiber membrane in psoriasis via PI3K-AKT/mTOR pathway inhibition', International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 320(Pt 2), pp. 145724. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145724 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145724 - Park, C.K., Choi, S.J., Kim, C.R., Shin, H.R. and others (2025) 'Ethanolic Extract of Rosa rugosa Roots and Its Bioactive Compound, Oleamide, Prevented Amyloid beta-Induced Oxidative Stress and Improved Behavioral Tests in Mice', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(9), pp. 4214. doi:10.3390/ijms26094214 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26094214 - Ashraf, S., Ashraf, M.Z., Miao, B. and Zhao, X (2025) 'Optimizing Extraction Methods for Bioactive Polysaccharides from Rosa rugosa and Rosa damascena', Foods, 14(18), pp. 3211. doi:10.3390/foods14183211 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14183211 - Liu, X., Liu, H., Zhang, Y. and others (2022) 'Rosa rugosa polysaccharide induces autophagy-mediated apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway', International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 212, pp. 257-274. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.05.023 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.05.023 - Plants For A Future 'Rosa rugosa (Rugosa Rose, Japanese Rose)'. Available at: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Rosa+rugosa Traditional / reference
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Rosa+rugosa - Grieve, M (1931) 'A Modern Herbal'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A%20Modern%20Herbal - Chrubasik, C., Roufogalis, B.D., Müller-Ladner, U. and Chrubasik, S (2008) 'A systematic review on the Rosa canina effect and efficacy profiles', 22(6), pp. 725--733. doi:10.1002/ptr.2400 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2400 - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (n.d.). Available at: https://powo.science.kew.org Traditional / reference
https://powo.science.kew.org - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition
Selected studies & references
All 14 studies in the Knowledge Finder →
This profile is assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database, which we curate by hand. How this site is built.