An Overview of the phytochemical, in Vitro, in Vivo, and Clinical Evidence Supporting Rosa Damascena's Antioxidant Potential

A Critical Synthesis of Antioxidant Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications

الملخص

This article is a comprehensive narrative review of the published evidence on Rosa damascena antioxidant activity. The main aim is to summarise relevant findings from phytochemical, in vitro, in vivo and limited clinical trials and to identify research gaps that could be addressed in future studies. Given the narrative nature of this review, the results should be seen as a basis for formulating hypotheses rather than conclusive evidence of efficacy. Resources for this review have been collected through searches in the databases of PubMed, Scopus, the Web of Science and Google Scholar until the end of 2025. Keywords included: 'Rosa damascena', 'Damask rose', 'antioxidant', 'oxidative stress', 'DPHP', 'MDA', 'in vivo', and 'clinical studies'. Studies which focused only on the aromatic or aesthetic characteristics of the plant have been excluded. Rosa damascena, also known as the Damask, rose, is a member of the Crassulaceae family and is found in northern Asia and in the mountains of central Europe. For centuries, the plant has been used as a convenient and effective treatment for a wide range of ailments and in traditional medicine for many ailments, such as anti-inflammatory treatments, menstrual bleeding, digestive disorders, heart and chest pain, and abdominal pain.

Anti-inflammatory effects of R. damascena and its constituents were shown in different inflammatory disorders by reducing white blood cell, neutrophil, eosinophil, and serum levels of inflammatory mediators such as phospholipase A2 and total protein. This important ornamental plant has long been applied for industrial, physiological, and medicinal purposes. The physiological functions of Damask Rose may be somewhat related to the abundance of anthocyanidins and flavonoids. The plant and its constituents showed antioxidant effects by reducing malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels but increased thiol, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels in disorders associated with oxidative stress. Therefore anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects of R. damascena and its constituents, indicate a potential therapeutic effect of the plant and its constituent for treating inflammatory, oxidative, and immune dysregulation disorders.