Benefits
Joint pain relief in placebo-controlled trials of a rosehip powder
A pooled analysis of three placebo-controlled trials (287 people with knee or hip osteoarthritis, median 3 months, 5 grams a day) found less pain with rosehip powder than with placebo, with about one extra responder for every six people treated. All three trials were supported by the manufacturer, and the authors called the data sparse and asked for independent replication.
Better hip mobility and less joint stiffness
In a 4-month trial of 100 people with hip or knee osteoarthritis, 5 grams a day of a standardized rosehip powder improved hip joint mobility and reduced pain compared with placebo. In a separate 94-person crossover trial, stiffness, disability and overall severity scores did not change by 3 weeks but improved after 3 months.
Less use of rescue pain medicine
In a 94-person crossover trial, people with knee or hip osteoarthritis could cut back on rescue pain medicine after 3 weeks, and their use fell significantly more while taking 5 grams of rosehip powder daily than while taking placebo.
Inflammation markers: no change in a one-month study
In an open study, 20 women with rheumatoid arthritis and 10 healthy women took 10.5 grams of rosehip powder daily for 28 days. C-reactive protein and antioxidant enzyme activity did not change, which the authors noted differed from earlier reports of a CRP drop. A rosehip galactolipid slows neutrophil movement in a test tube, a laboratory finding only.
Mechanism of action
Galactolipid that slows white blood cell movement (lab finding)
A galactolipid isolated from dried rosehip fruit inhibited the movement (chemotaxis) of human neutrophils in a test tube without harming the cells. Its discoverers proposed it may explain anti-inflammatory effects reported for rosehip remedies, but this has not been measured in people.
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions in laboratory studies
A systematic review of 24 pharmacological studies reported that rosehip preparations and constituents reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, NF-kB signaling, the enzymes COX-1/2, 5-LOX and iNOS, and cartilage-degrading metalloproteases, and act as antioxidants. These are mostly laboratory findings; a one-month human study found no change in CRP or antioxidant enzymes.
Several compound groups acting together
The same review attributes rosehip's effects to several compound groups together: phenolics, terpenoids, galactolipids, carotenoids, fruit acids, fatty oils and vitamin C. Which compound matters most in people is not known.
Clinical trials
Meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials using random-effects (REML) models, with pain reduction as the primary outcome (Christensen et al. 2008, Osteoarthritis Cartilage).
3 trials, 287 people with osteoarthritis (145 rosehip, 142 placebo), median duration 3 months. All three trials were supported by the manufacturer, Hyben-Vital International.
Rosehip powder reduced pain scores versus placebo (effect size 0.37, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.60; P=0.002), with no sign of differences between trials (I2=0%). Patients on rosehip were about twice as likely to respond (odds ratio 2.19), a number needed to treat of 6. The authors called the data sparse and asked for a large, long-term independent trial.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial: 5 g/day rosehip powder or placebo for 3 months, then switched for another 3 months (Winther et al. 2005, Scand J Rheumatol).
94 people with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.
Rosehip reduced WOMAC pain versus placebo after 3 weeks (p<0.014) and reduced use of rescue medication (p<0.027). WOMAC disability, stiffness and global severity did not change by 3 weeks but improved significantly after 3 months.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial: Hyben Vital 5 g/day or identical placebo for 3 months each, the second period following the first immediately (Rein et al. 2004, Phytomedicine).
112 people with osteoarthritis.
In the group that took placebo first, rosehip improved pain (p<0.0078) and stiffness (p<0.0025) more than placebo. In the group that took rosehip first, placebo performed about as well, which the authors attributed to a carryover effect. In the first 3 months, 66% responded on rosehip versus 36% on placebo (p<0.0185). No major side effects occurred.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: five 0.5 g capsules of standardized rosehip powder twice daily (5 g/day) or placebo for 4 months (Warholm et al. 2003, Curr Ther Res Clin Exp).
100 people (65 women, 35 men, mean age 65) with X-ray confirmed hip or knee osteoarthritis, 50 per group.
Hip joint mobility (P=0.033) and pain (P=0.035) improved significantly more than with placebo, and 64.6% of treated patients reported at least some pain reduction. Two patients in each group withdrew early for reasons the authors judged unrelated to treatment.