Ayurvedic Herbs: Rose

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Rose

  • Latin Name: Rose spp.

  • Plant Family: Rosaceae

  • Sanskrit Name: Shatapatri

  • Part Used: flowers

  • Taste (Rasa): bitter, pungent, astringent, sweet

  • Energetics (Virya): cooling

  • Post-Digestive Effect (Vipaka): sweet

  • Quality (Guna): dry, light

  • Dosha: VPK= (may increase Kapha or ama in excess)

  • Tissues (Dhatu): plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), marrow/nerve (majja), reproductive tissue (shukra [male]/artava [female])

  • Systems (Srotamsi): circulatory (rakta vaha srotas), female reproductive (artava vaha srotas), nervous (majja vaha srotas)

  • Constituents: essential oils (citronellol, geraniol, eugenol); organic acids (gallic); flavonoids (quercetin); tannins

  • Actions: alterative, emmenagogue, refrigerant, nervine, carminative, laxative, astringent

  • Ayurvedic Actions: awakens digestion (dipana); affinity for the heart and benefits blood flow (hridaya); increases semen (sukrala); improves intellect (medhya); balances all three dosha and the blood (doshatrayaraktajit)

  • Biomedical Actions: carminative, emmenagogue, nervine, antidepressant, astringent, anti-inflammatory, laxative, aromatic, aphrodisiac

  • Indications: gynecology, nerves, skin, digestion, reproduction

  • Precautions: high Kapha, caution during pregnancy, may reduce the absorption of iron

  • Preparations: infusion, powder, rosewater

References

Frawley D, Lad V. The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press; 2001.

Pole S. Ayurvedic Medicine: The Principles of Traditional Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Singing Dragon; 2013.