Shakespeare's secret is proven by science

The great writer of Great Britain was absolutely right when he thought that rosemary could improve memory.

Rosemary has long been thought to be good for memory. The most famous reference is the great literary work of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Today, it is still used in modern herbal medicine as a mild pain reliever, a remedy for migraine and digestive problems.

Rosemary. (Photo: Daily Mail)

Recent researchers from a group of psychologists at Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK have discovered essential oils from herbs that increase the chance of remembering things to do in the future, increasing alertness. and enhance memory.

Dr. Mark Moss, who led the research team, presented their findings at the British Psychological Association conference in Harrogate town, North Yorkshire, England. He said: 'The benefits of aromatherapy have become clear through scientific research. In this study, we focus on future memory, including the ability to remember future events and completed tasks at specific times. This is very important for everyday activities. "

Rosemary essential oil is diffused into a room for 5 minutes before people enter. Sixty-six people participated in the study and were randomly assigned to one of two rooms: rosemary or not.

In each room, participants must complete a test designed to evaluate their future memory functions. The test presents tasks and requires participants to complete. The more reminders, the lower the score.

Volunteers are healthy adults who have completed their mood assessment. Volunteers were given blood and analyzed the concentration of 1.8-cineole compounds in the blood to see how well the mood changed after exposure to the fragrance.

This compound is also found in rosemary essential oil and works in biochemical systems, which are the foundation for memory.

The results showed that the participants in the rosemary performed better tasks than the participants in the room without fragrance. Researcher Jemma McCready said: "The difference between the two groups is 60% - 75%. The oil smelling group completes 7 tasks and has better memory than the other group with 4 completed tasks."

Results from blood analysis showed that a significantly greater amount of 1.8-cineole was present in the plasma of those who smelled the rosemary.

Previous research has shown that volatile molecules from essential oils can be absorbed into the blood through the nose. These chemicals also directly stimulate the olfactory nerves and may have an effect on brain function.

Researcher Jemma McCready said: 'These findings may have implications for the treatment of individuals with memory disabilities. It supports our previous studies that the aroma of rosemary essential oil can enhance cognitive function in healthy adults, prolonging the ability to remember events and complete future tasks. ".

'Remember when, where to go and for what reason are the foundation for everything we do, and we all went through small failures that can be frustrating and sometimes dangerous. Further research is needed to investigate whether this treatment is useful for older people with a history of memory impairment, ' Jemma McCready added.