Herb & supplement monograph

Rosemary Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Rosemary interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Rosemary is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Rosemary is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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On this page

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Rosemary

372 medications have a known interaction with Rosemary, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Rosemary using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Rosemary interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Rosemary combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Rosemary affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Rosemary is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 6 drug categories Rosemary interacts with

Anticoagulant/antiplatelet DrugsAntidiabetes DrugsAspirinCholine Magnesium Trisalicylate (trilisate)Salsalate (disalcid)Cytochrome P450 1a2 (cyp1a2) Substrates

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, rosemary may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
In vitro and animal research suggests that rosemary inhibits platelet aggregation.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, taking rosemary with antidiabetes drugs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Animal research shows that rosemary extract can decrease blood glucose levels in diabetic models. However, research in humans is conflicting. Although rosemary powder decreased blood glucose levels in healthy adults, no change in blood glucose levels was seen in adults with type 2 diabetes, most of whom were taking antidiabetes drugs.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Aspirin

Theoretically, rosemary might have additive effects with salicylate-containing drugs such as aspirin.
Rosemary is reported to contain salicylates.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Choline Magnesium Trisalicylate (Trilisate)

Theoretically, rosemary might have additive effects with salicylate-containing drugs such as choline magnesium trisalicylate.
Rosemary is reported to contain salicylate.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Salsalate (Disalcid)

Theoretically, rosemary might have additive effects with salicylate-containing drugs such as salsalate.
Rosemary is reported to contain salicylate.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Cytochrome P450 1A2 (Cyp1A2) Substrates

Theoretically, rosemary might decrease the levels and clinical effects of CYP1A2 substrates.
In vitro research shows that rosemary induces CYP1A2 enzymes. This effect has not been reported in humans.

Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D

Monograph

Rosemary: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

Rosemary is a fragrant Mediterranean herb that is safe and flavorful in normal food amounts. Some early research suggests possible benefits for memory, mood, and hair growth, but the evidence is limited and far from conclusive. Concentrated supplements and the essential oil should be used carefully, and the essential oil should never be swallowed.

Scientific name: Rosmarinus officinalis
Family: Lamiaceae
Part used: Leaves and essential oil
Common forms: Culinary herb, tea, capsules, dried leaf extract, essential oil (for aromatherapy and topical use)

People commonly use it for

Memory and concentration
Digestive upset
Hair growth
Anxiety and stress (aromatherapy)
Muscle and joint discomfort
Antioxidant support

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallLikely safe

Safe in normal culinary amounts; concentrated extracts and undiluted essential oil require caution.

PregnancyPossibly Unsafe

When used orally in medicinal amounts. Rosemary might have uterine and menstrual flow stimulant effects, and might increase metabolism of estradiol an...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of using rosemary in medicinal amounts during lactation; avoid using.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Jump to a section

Overview

Rosemary is a woody, evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves and a strong, pine-like aroma. It is native to the Mediterranean region and is now grown around the world, including in home gardens.

Most people know rosemary as a kitchen herb used to flavor meats, breads, soups, and roasted vegetables. Beyond cooking, it has a long history in traditional medicine and is used today as a tea, a capsule or extract, and as an essential oil for aromatherapy or diluted skin and scalp use.

How it works

Rosemary contains several plant compounds believed to be responsible for its effects, including rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid, carnosol, and aromatic oils such as 1,8-cineole.

In laboratory and animal studies, these compounds can act as antioxidants (neutralizing unstable molecules), reduce certain markers of inflammation, and affect chemical messengers in the brain. The scent of the essential oil may also influence mood and alertness.

It is important to remember that much of this research is from test-tube or animal studies, and findings in the lab do not always carry over to real benefits in humans.

Effectiveness

Does Rosemary work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 25 uses evaluated

1 Possibly effective 24 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Possibly Effective Memory