**5.1 Can administration of rose hips improve the immune system?**

As previously indicated, there are numerous claims in folk medicine worldwide, that rose hip improves the functions of the human immune system. Not surprisingly therefore, the anti-inflammatory effects of *Rosa canina,* subspecies Lito, (referred to in some studies as Hyben Vital), which contains both seeds and shells dried at low temperatures, have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties when tested in humans. It was also documented that the preparation contained a compound capable of inhibiting the chemotaxis of neutrophil leucocytes *in vitro* and in lowering the levels of the anti-inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP), in human volunteers treated with rose hip at high doses for a month [59]. Likewise, in a study on volunteers with osteoarthritis and treated with the same rose hip powder at low dose (5 gram daily) for 3 months, CRP was significantly reduced when comparing the

#### **Figure 6.** *Seeds and shells from rose hip dried at low temperature and then milled.*

rose hip–treated group with placebo [60]. A significant reduction in the inflammatory marker—erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was also observed in the test group of a placebo-controlled study, where 5 gram of the same *R. canina* species was administered to rheumatoid patients for 6 months [61]. It is interesting to note that in these two studies, administration of a preparation composed of only the shells of rose hip did not cause significant changes in CRP levels [62, 63].

Another interesting query was: will rose hip treatment influence the likelihood of catching a flu or the common cold during the winter season? This was investigated in a clinical study, where rose hip shells (2 grams dispensed in liquid form) of the Lito subspecies or placebo were administered daily to 120 middleclass volunteers from the autumn season, for a total of 6 months. After 2 months of treatment, there was a statistically significant reduction in the number of volunteers catching a cold in the actively treated group when compared with placebo. In addition, the different symptoms related to colds were significantly reduced as the result of rose hip treatment. There was no statistically significant change in the likelihood of getting the flu. The levels of the inflammatory marker, CRP, were also not affected in this study [63].

It would be interesting if more studies were available on the effects of rose hip treatment on the immune system, especially as regards the studies involving rose hip preparations consisting of both seeds and shells. Preliminary results currently available suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of rose hip formulations containing both seeds and shells may be stronger than preparations with shells alone. It is interesting to note that the number of colds was also influenced by elderberry, which has much in common with rose hip regarding bioactive ingredients [64].
