Cistus (Cistus ladaniferus) Research

Latin Name: Cistus ladaniferus

Family: Cistaceae

The aroma from cistus, also called rock rose, has been used for a calming effect.  This is likely related to the alpha pinene content.  Its constituents may also offer neuro-protective potential related to diseases like Alzheimer’s.  Leaves from the shrub have been traditionally used for diabetes, diarrhea, inflammation, and skin ailments.

The listings of research below represent a compilation of scientific articles found on the species, with a very brief overview description of each article/study.  Research found is catalogued by therapeutic action.  This categorized compilation of research articles does not necessarily imply that there are adequate results to demonstrate safe and/or effective human use.

RESEARCH

GENERAL

• Petersen, D. (2015). Aromatherapy materia medica.  Essential oil monographs.  American College of Healthcare Sciences.
• WebMD. (n.d.).  Cistus. Retrieved in November, 2015, Retrieved from www.webmd.com
• Mariotti, J. P., Tomi, F., Casanova, J., Costa, J., & Bernardini, A. F. (1997). Composition of the essential oil of Cistus ladaniferus L. cultivated in Corsica (France). Flavour and fragrance journal, 12(3), 147-151.

ANTIOXIDANT

• Extracts from dried C. incanus and C. ladanifer were high in polyphenol content and these constituents: epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, and myricitrin.  In vitro analysis demonstrated these potential skin benefits: antioxidant, UV-protecting, anti-hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer-preventative.  From: Gaweł-Bęben, K., et al. (2020). Characterization of Cistus× incanus L. and Cistus ladanifer L. extracts as potential multifunctional antioxidant ingredients for skin protecting cosmetics. Antioxidants, 9(3), 202.
• Antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities from dry plant leaves of Cistus ladanifer were demonstrated as useful for food preservation.  From: Bakrim, H., et al. (2021). Bioactive Properties of Natural Compounds Extracted from Leaves of Cistus ladanifer.

  Extract from Cistus laurifolius caused remarkable acetylcholinesterase inhibition and had potent antioxidant activity. From:  Akkol, E. K., Orhan, I. E., & Yeşilada, E. (2012). Anticholinesterase and antioxidant effects of the ethanol extract, ethanol fractions and isolated flavonoids from Cistus laurifolius L. leaves. Food chemistry, 131(2), 626-631.

• Cistus species may be effective as food additives based on strong inhibitory activity against butyrylcholinesterase.  From:  Loizzo, M. R., Jemia, M. B., Senatore, F., Bruno, M., Menichini, F., & Tundis, R. (2013). Chemistry and functional properties in prevention of neurodegenerative disorders of five Cistus species essential oils. Food and chemical toxicology, 59, 586-594.
• Extracts of pollen from cistus are good scavengers of active oxygen species that may be useful in prevention of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.  From:  Nagai, T., Inoue, R., Inoue, H., & Suzuki, N. (2002). Scavenging capacities of pollen extracts from cistus ladaniferus on autoxidation, superoxide radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and DPPH radicals. Nutrition Research, 22(4), 519-526.
• Antioxidant activities from extracts of the leaves of cistus were assessed. From; Moussaoui, F., & Alaoui, T. (2017). CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF LEAVES EXTRACTS OF CISTUS LADANIFERUS (L).
• Extracts from two cistus species demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in vitro. From: Mahmoudi, H., Aouadhi, C., Kaddour, R., Gruber, M., Zargouni, H., Zaouali, W., … & Hosni, K. (2016). Comparison of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of two cultivated Cistus species from Tunisia. Bioscience Journal, 32(1).
• Antioxidant activities of three cistus species was demonstrated in vitro. From: Nicoletti, M., Toniolo, C., Venditti, A., Bruno, M., & Ben Jemia, M. (2015). Antioxidant activity and chemical composition of three Tunisian Cistus: Cistus monspeliensis Cistus villosus and Cistus libanotis☆. Natural product research, 29(3), 223-230.

ANTIMICROBIAL / ANTIFUNGAL / ANTIBACTERIAL

• Antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities from dry plant leaves of Cistus ladanifer were demonstrated as useful for food preservation.  From: Bakrim, H., et al. (2021). Bioactive Properties of Natural Compounds Extracted from Leaves of Cistus ladanifer.

  Cistus was antimicrobial against gram negative and gram positive bacteria.  From:  Demetzos, C., Katerinopoulos, H., Kouvarakis, A., Stratigakis, N., Loukis, A., Ekonomakis, C., … & Tsaknis, J. (1997). Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Cistus creticus subsp. eriocephalus. Planta medica, 63(05), 477-479.

• Cistus species showed antibacterial activity.  From:  Tomás-Menor, L., Morales-Soto, A., Barrajón-Catalán, E., Roldán-Segura, C., Segura-Carretero, A., & Micol, V. (2013). Correlation between the antibacterial activity and the composition of extracts derived from various Spanish Cistus species. Food and chemical toxicology, 55, 313-322.  L
• Cistus ladanifer and C. arbutus were effective against the bacteria, Klebsiella pneumonia, Candida tropicalis and Helicobacter pylori. From:  Ferreira, S., Santos, J., Duarte, A., Duarte, A. P., Queiroz, J. A., & Domingues, F. C. (2012). Screening of antimicrobial activity of Cistus ladanifer and Arbutus unedo extracts. Natural product research, 26(16), 1558-1560.
• Extracts from Cistus ladanifer and its isolated phenolic constituents demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida species. From: Barros, L., Dueñas, M., Alves, C. T., Silva, S., Henriques, M., Santos-Buelga, C., & Ferreira, I. C. (2012). Cistus ladanifer as a source of phenolic compounds with antifungal activity. In Planta Medica; 8th Joint Meeting of AFERP, ASP, GA, PSE & SIF, 28th July-1st August 2012 (Vol. 78, p. 1126).
• Cistus essential oil and its constituents of viridiflorol and ledol had an antimicrobial effect against a tested Staphyloccocus aureus strain. From: Guinoiseau, E., Luciani, A., Serra, D. D. R., Quilichini, Y., Berti, L., & Lorenzi, V. (2015). Primary mode of action of Cistus ladaniferus L. essential oil active fractions on staphylococcus aureus strain. Advances in Microbiology, 5(13), 881-890.
• Cistus essential oil showed strong antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal activity against tested microbes. From: Mohammed, B., Said, C., Fouzia, F. R., Kawtar, F. B., Zoubida, H., Abdelilah, O., … & Ghizlane, E. (2018). CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF CISTUS LADANIFER VAR. MACULATUS DUN. The Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences, 8(3), 925.
• Extracts from two cistus species demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in vitro. From: Mahmoudi, H., Aouadhi, C., Kaddour, R., Gruber, M., Zargouni, H., Zaouali, W., … & Hosni, K. (2016). Comparison of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of two cultivated Cistus species from Tunisia. Bioscience Journal, 32(1).
• C. incanus herbal tea extracts reduced Streptococcus adhesion on tooth enamel in vitro. From: Wittpahl, G., Koelling-Speer, I., Basche, S., Herrmann, E., Hannig, M., Speer, K., & Hannig, C. (2015). The polyphenolic composition of Cistus incanus herbal tea and its antibacterial and anti-adherent activity against Streptococcus mutans. Planta medica, 81(18), 1727-1735.
• Tested cistus species showed a broad range of antibacterial activity, especially against pathogens associated with skin infections. From: Politeo, O., Maravić, A., Burčul, F., Carev, I., & Kamenjarin, J. (2018). Phytochemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils of Wild Growing Cistus species in Croatia. Natural Product Communications, 13(6), 1934578X1801300631.

PRESERVATIVE

• Cistus species may be effective as food additives based on strong inhibitory activity against butyrylcholinesterase.  From:  Loizzo, M. R., Jemia, M. B., Senatore, F., Bruno, M., Menichini, F., & Tundis, R. (2013). Chemistry and functional properties in prevention of neurodegenerative disorders of five Cistus species essential oils. Food and chemical toxicology, 59, 586-594.
• Antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities from dry plant leaves of Cistus ladanifer were demonstrated as useful for food preservation.  From: Bakrim, H., et al. (2021). Bioactive Properties of Natural Compounds Extracted from Leaves of Cistus ladanifer.

HERBICIDAL

• C. ladanifer had strong phytotoxic activity.  From:  Verdeguer, M., Blázquez, M. A., & Boira, H. (2012). Chemical composition and herbicidal activity of the essential oil from a Cistus ladanifer L. population from Spain. Natural product research, 26(17), 1602-1609.

ANTIDIABETIC

• Oral extracts from the leaves of Cistus ladaniferus had a hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect in diabetic rats. From: El Kabbaoui, M., Chda, A., Azdad, O., Mejrhit, N., Aarab, L., Bencheikh, R., & Tazi, A. (2016). Evaluation of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of aqueous extract of Cistus ladaniferus in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 6(12), 1044-1049.

HYPOLIPIDEMIC

• Oral extracts from the leaves of Cistus ladaniferus had a hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect in diabetic rats. From: El Kabbaoui, M., Chda, A., Azdad, O., Mejrhit, N., Aarab, L., Bencheikh, R., & Tazi, A. (2016). Evaluation of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of aqueous extract of Cistus ladaniferus in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 6(12), 1044-1049.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

• Aqueous extracts from two cistus species showed in vivo anti-inflammatory and both central and peripheral analgesic activities. From: Sayah, K., Chemlal, L., Marmouzi, I., El Jemli, M., Cherrah, Y., & Faouzi, M. E. A. (2017). In vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Cistus salviifolius (L.) and Cistus monspeliensis (L.) aqueous extracts. South African Journal of Botany, 113, 160-163.

ORAL HEALTH

• C. incanus herbal tea extracts reduced Streptococcus adhesion on tooth enamel in vitro. From: Wittpahl, G., Koelling-Speer, I., Basche, S., Herrmann, E., Hannig, M., Speer, K., & Hannig, C. (2015). The polyphenolic composition of Cistus incanus herbal tea and its antibacterial and anti-adherent activity against Streptococcus mutans. Planta medica, 81(18), 1727-1735.

ANALGESIC

• Aqueous extracts from two cistus species showed in vivo anti-inflammatory and both central and peripheral analgesic activities. From: Sayah, K., Chemlal, L., Marmouzi, I., El Jemli, M., Cherrah, Y., & Faouzi, M. E. A. (2017). In vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Cistus salviifolius (L.) and Cistus monspeliensis (L.) aqueous extracts. South African Journal of Botany, 113, 160-163.

DIURETIC

• Extracts from Silybum marianum and Cistus ladaniferus had a diuretic effect in mice. From: El Menyiy, N., Al-Waili, N., El-Haskoury, R., Bakour, M., Zizi, S., Al-Waili, T., & Lyoussi, B. (2018). Potential effect of Silybum marianum L. and Cistus ladaniferus L. extracts on urine volume, creatinine clearance and renal function. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 11(6), 393.

SKIN / WOUNDS

• Tested cistus species showed a broad range of antibacterial activity, especially against pathogens associated with skin infections. From: Politeo, O., Maravić, A., Burčul, F., Carev, I., & Kamenjarin, J. (2018). Phytochemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils of Wild Growing Cistus species in Croatia. Natural Product Communications, 13(6), 1934578X1801300631.
• Extracts from dried C. incanus and C. ladanifer were high in polyphenol content and these constituents: epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, and myricitrin.  In vitro analysis demonstrated these potential skin benefits: antioxidant, UV-protecting, anti-hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer-preventative.  From: Gaweł-Bęben, K., et al. (2020). Characterization of Cistus× incanus L. and Cistus ladanifer L. extracts as potential multifunctional antioxidant ingredients for skin protecting cosmetics. Antioxidants, 9(3), 202.

Compiled by: Kathy Sadowski

Updated: 5/7/2022