The efficacy of rose damascena on liver enzymes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a double-blind clinical trial
Iranian scientists Saeed Ahmad Ali Hosseini Moravej, Farzaneh Mohammadi, Mostafa Rezazadeh, Seyed Hamdollah Mosavat, Nasir Malekzadeh and Ali Ahmadi dedicated their research to one of the most common liver diseases in the modern world – non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, also known as NAFLD. This condition affects millions of people worldwide and is characterized by the accumulation of fat in the liver, without it being associated with excessive alcohol consumption. If not controlled in time, it can lead to inflammation, fibrosis and even cirrhosis of the liver.
The study, published in 2021, is titled “The Effectiveness of Rosa damascena on Liver Enzymes in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.” In it, scientists are trying to find out whether rose petal powder can have a beneficial effect on liver function and metabolic health in patients.
The study is a clinical, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study – this means that participants are randomly assigned to groups, neither they nor the researchers know who is getting what, and some people are given a placebo to compare the effects objectively. 74 people with proven NAFLD were included. One group took one gram of Rosa damascena powder three times a day for 12 weeks, while the other received a placebo. Both groups were instructed to follow a healthy regimen – diet, more exercise, and weight control.
The researchers tracked key indicators. First and foremost are the liver enzymes ALT and AST – these are proteins that are released into the blood when liver cells are damaged. The higher their values, the more severe the damage. In addition, fasting glucose and lipid profile – triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and HDL (“good”) cholesterol – were measured. Waist circumference was also examined, as it is directly related to body fat accumulation.
The results are impressive. Patients taking Rosa damascena showed a significant decrease in ALT – a signal that the liver was undergoing less damage. They also experienced a decrease in waist circumference, a drop in triglycerides and total cholesterol, a decrease in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and an increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol. In other words, not only the liver but also the cardiovascular system seemed to benefit from this intervention. Ultrasound examinations also showed clearer improvements in the degree of fatty liver compared to the control group.
This does not mean that Rosa damascena powder is a miracle cure, but it provides a solid basis for future studies. The authors emphasize that even larger and longer-term clinical trials are needed to confirm the effectiveness, specify optimal doses, and ensure safety in different patient groups. However, the fact that a natural product with a thousand-year tradition of use shows such potential in the fight against one of the most common modern diseases is more than encouraging.
Source: Moravej S. A. A. H., Mohammadi F., Rezaeizadeh M., Mosavat S. H., Malekzadeh N., Ahmadi A. The Efficacy of Rosa damascena on Liver Enzymes in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. 2021. PMC8378945. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
