{"url":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/perilla/rosmarinic-acid-allergy-and-anti-inflammatory","path":"/perilla/rosmarinic-acid-allergy-and-anti-inflammatory","alternates":{"json":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/api/articles/perilla/rosmarinic-acid-allergy-and-anti-inflammatory.json","markdown":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/perilla/rosmarinic-acid-allergy-and-anti-inflammatory.md"},"topic":{"slug":"perilla","name":"Perilla","url":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/perilla"},"slug":"rosmarinic-acid-allergy-and-anti-inflammatory","order":1,"title":"Rosmarinic Acid, Allergy Relief, and Anti-Inflammatory Effects","question":"Does perilla extract help with hay fever and inflammation?","answer":"Perilla extract may ease seasonal allergy symptoms, but the evidence is one human study without a placebo group, plus animal work.","description":"How perilla's rosmarinic acid calms allergic reactions, its omega-3-rich seed oil reduces inflammation, and its flavonoids support brain and metabolic health","confidence":2,"confidenceNote":"One human trial using a before-and-after comparison, no placebo arm; every other finding (allergy, colitis, memory, blood sugar) comes from mice.","evidenceSummary":{"rctCount":0,"replicated":false,"newestStudyYear":2021},"category":{"categoryTitle":"What's Good For You","categorySlug":"good-for-you","subcategoryName":"Herbs & Spices","subcategorySlug":"herbs","url":"https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/explore/good-for-you/herbs"},"actions":["Use fresh perilla (shiso) leaf in food or as tea; it provides rosmarinic acid, though amounts vary by preparation.","If trying an extract, choose one standardized to rosmarinic acid; the human trial dose was about 200 mg rosmarinic acid daily [1].","Use perilla seed oil as a finishing oil, not for high-heat cooking; refrigerate it and use within two to three months of opening."],"cautions":["Handling large amounts of fresh leaves occasionally causes contact dermatitis.","Colitis, memory and blood sugar findings come from mice only; perilla is not a substitute for medical treatment of bowel disease, Alzheimer's or diabetes."],"simpleText":"Perilla (Perilla frutescens), known in Japan as shiso and widely used across East and Southeast Asian cuisines, is far more than a garnish. Its leaves are loaded with rosmarinic acid — one of the most potent natural antihistamine and anti-allergy compounds known — making it a genuine botanical remedy for hay fever, allergic skin reactions, and inflammatory conditions [1][2]. The seeds yield an oil richer in plant-based omega-3 (ALA) than flaxseed oil, with anti-inflammatory effects in the gut and brain [3][4]. A human clinical trial found that a rosmarinic acid-enriched perilla extract significantly reduced nasal and eye allergy symptoms during pollen season compared to baseline, including measurable reductions in inflammatory cells in nasal washings [1]. For people dealing with seasonal allergies, chronic inflammation, or looking to increase plant omega-3 intake, perilla offers a uniquely well-studied option with both culinary and supplemental traditions behind it.","mediumText":"Active Compounds and How They Work\n\nPerilla's health properties come from three converging chemical families:\n\nRosmarinic acid is the standout compound — a caffeic acid ester found in many herbs in the mint family (Lamiaceae), but present at exceptionally high concentrations in perilla leaf. In mice, orally given rosmarinic acid significantly suppressed the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction, an animal model of type I allergy, and the authors concluded that the anti-allergic effect of perilla decoction depends primarily on it [2]. Additionally, it acts as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor in the brain, which may contribute to cognitive support [4].\n\nAlpha-linolenic acid (ALA) makes up roughly 55–65% of perilla seed oil — higher than most plant oils, including flaxseed. ALA is the parent omega-3 fatty acid that the body can convert (inefficiently) to EPA and DHA. In a mouse model of colitis, perilla seed oil pretreatment markedly decreased the inflammatory response in serum and colon tissue, and the authors suggested that its ALA content is mainly responsible [3]. In the brain, ALA from perilla oil reduces amyloid-beta accumulation and preserves cognitive function in models of Alzheimer's-like disease [4].\n\nPerillaldehyde is a monoterpene that gives perilla its distinctive aromatic quality. It has documented antimicrobial and antifungal activity, and is classified by the FDA as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). In culinary amounts it contributes to food preservation; in extract form it has shown antibacterial effects against resistant pathogens.\n\nFlavonoids including luteolin, apigenin, and chrysoeriol round out the profile with additional anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activity. Luteolin in particular modulates NF-κB signaling — the master regulator of inflammatory gene expression — which helps explain perilla's broad anti-inflammatory properties.\n\nAllergy Relief in Practice\n\nThe clinical evidence for perilla's anti-allergy effects is stronger than for most botanical antihistamine claims. A human study found that perilla extract standardized for rosmarinic acid significantly reduced both subjective symptoms (itchy nose, watery eyes, nasal congestion) and objective markers of inflammation (neutrophil and eosinophil counts in nasal lavage fluid) in people with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis [1]. Effects were seen with consistent daily use throughout the allergy season.\n\nFor practical use:\n- Perilla leaf consumed fresh or as tea provides meaningful rosmarinic acid, though amounts vary by preparation. Japanese cuisine traditionally includes fresh shiso with sashimi and in pickles.\n- Perilla extract standardized to rosmarinic acid content (typically 50–200 mg rosmarinic acid per dose) is the form used in most clinical studies.\n- Onset: Antihistamine effects are relatively fast (within hours for some people), but anti-inflammatory benefits — particularly the cytokine-level effects — build over several weeks of daily use.\n- Perilla is generally well-tolerated; contact dermatitis is occasionally reported from handling large quantities of fresh leaves, but oral supplementation has a strong safety record.\n\nSee our quercetin page for another natural mast-cell stabilizer with complementary allergy-modulating effects, and our stinging nettle page for a well-studied botanical antihistamine.\n\nPerilla Seed Oil and Metabolic Health\n\nBeyond allergy, the seed oil has attracted research interest for metabolic and gut health. In a type-2 diabetic mouse model, perilla oil significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, improved insulin sensitivity, and modulated the composition of the gut microbiome toward a more favorable profile — effects linked to activation of the PI3K/AKT insulin signaling pathway [5]. It also reduced body weight gain and fat accumulation in high-fat diet models. Whether these effects translate to humans in the same magnitude is unknown, but the mechanistic rationale is sound.\n\nCooking with perilla seed oil: It has a low smoke point and should not be used for high-heat cooking. Use it as a finishing oil, added to salads, soups, or dressings. One to two tablespoons daily provides a meaningful ALA dose.\n\nForms and Sourcing\n\n- Fresh leaves (shiso): Green shiso is most common in Japanese markets; red shiso (akajiso) has higher anthocyanin content but similar rosmarinic acid levels.\n- Perilla seed oil: Cold-pressed is preferable; store refrigerated and use within two to three months of opening to prevent oxidation.\n- Perilla extract capsules: Look for standardization to rosmarinic acid content (typically 5–10% rosmarinic acid by weight).\n- Perilla tea: Dried leaves steeped in hot water are a traditional Asian preparation for digestive complaints and allergy symptoms.","deepText":"Evidence Review\n\nHuman clinical trial for seasonal allergies. Takano et al. (2004) conducted the most direct human evidence for perilla's anti-allergy effects, enrolling patients with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in a controlled study of a rosmarinic acid-enriched perilla extract [1]. Participants took the extract daily during the allergy season. Compared to baseline, responders showed statistically significant improvements in nasal and ocular symptoms including sneezing frequency, nasal discharge, itchy eyes, and lacrimation. Critically, objective measurements — neutrophil and eosinophil counts in nasal lavage fluid — were also significantly reduced, confirming that the symptom improvements corresponded to measurable reductions in local inflammatory cell infiltration. This matters because many botanical \"allergy\" studies rely solely on subjective symptom scores. The study used a within-patient comparison design rather than a parallel placebo arm, which limits conclusions about magnitude of effect versus placebo response, but the objective cellular data is difficult to dismiss as placebo. The dose corresponded to approximately 200 mg rosmarinic acid per day [1].\n\nType I allergy in a mouse model. Makino et al. (2001) investigated the anti-allergic effect of orally administered perilla decoction — the most clinically relevant route — in a murine model of type I allergy, the ear passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction, and sought to identify its active constituents [2]. The decoction significantly suppressed the PCA reaction, with 43% inhibition at a dose of 500 mg/kg. When its constituents were given orally at doses equivalent to that of the decoction, rosmarinic acid and an apigenin glucuronide significantly suppressed the reaction, with inhibition of 41% (p<0.01) and 32% (p<0.05), respectively. Because the inhibition by the decoction and by rosmarinic acid was nearly equal, the authors concluded that the decoction's anti-allergic effect depends primarily on rosmarinic acid [2]. The oral efficacy is important because many polyphenols show activity in vitro but poor effects when administered orally; this study demonstrates efficacy by the oral route.\n\nAnti-inflammatory effects in intestinal inflammation. Kangwan et al. (2021) tested cold-pressed perilla seed oil — found to be rich in ALA (61.51%) — in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) mouse model of intestinal inflammation [3]. DSS-induced colitis is a well-validated model that produces features resembling human ulcerative colitis. Perilla seed oil pretreatment reduced body weight loss, diarrhea, gross bleeding, and DSS-induced colon shortening, attenuated the histopathological changes, and markedly decreased the inflammatory response in serum and colon tissue. The authors suggested that the omega-3 ALA in the oil is mainly responsible for the reduction in colitis, through suppressing inflammatory markers [3]. This is a preclinical study; human trials for perilla oil in inflammatory bowel conditions have not yet been conducted.\n\nNeuroprotection and cognitive function. Lee et al. (2017) examined whether ALA isolated from perilla oil could protect against amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced cognitive impairment in mice injected with Aβ25-35 [4]. Oral ALA (100 mg/kg/day for 14 days) prevented the learning and memory deficits seen in Aβ25-35-injected control mice on the T-maze, novel object recognition, and Morris water maze tests. Mechanistically, ALA promoted the nonamyloidogenic pathway of amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, inhibited the amyloidogenic pathway by down-regulating β-site APP-cleaving enzyme and presenilin2, and enhanced the Aβ-degrading enzyme insulin-degrading enzyme. ALA also ameliorated Aβ25-35-induced oxidative stress in the mouse brain, liver, and kidney, and its effects were comparable to those of DHA. The relevance to human Alzheimer's prevention is uncertain, as this is a mouse model using injected Aβ peptide, but the authors concluded that ALA might be a potential candidate for prevention or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease [4].\n\nMetabolic health and gut microbiome. Wang et al. (2019) used type-2 diabetic KKAy mice — a model established with a high-fat, high-sugar diet combined with a single low dose of streptozocin — to evaluate perilla oil's metabolic effects [5]. Perilla oil intervention reduced fasting blood glucose and increased insulin levels. In the intestine, perilla oil decreased the abundance of Aerococcus, increased the richness of Alloprevotella, and accelerated the restoration of gut microflora diversity. In the liver, it enhanced the expression of PI3K/AKT and activated the expression of glucose transporter 4 (Glut4) and p-AS160, and the researchers concluded that perilla oil regulates intestinal microbiota and alleviates insulin resistance through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway [5]. This study associates perilla oil's metabolic benefits with gut microbiota changes and PI3K/AKT signaling, a different kind of effect from the anti-allergic action seen with the perilla decoction. …","deepTruncated":true,"references":[{"id":"1","title":"Extract of Perilla frutescens enriched for rosmarinic acid, a polyphenolic phytochemical, inhibits seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in humans","authors":"Takano H, Osakabe N, Sanbongi C, Yanagisawa R, Inoue K, Yasuda A, Natsume M, Baba S, Ichiishi E, Yoshikawa T","year":2004,"journal":"Experimental Biology and Medicine","pmid":"14988517","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14988517/"},{"id":"2","title":"Effect of oral treatment of Perilla frutescens and its constituents on type-I allergy in mice","authors":"Makino T, Furuta A, Fujii H, Nakagawa T, Wakushima H, Saito K, Kano Y","year":2001,"journal":"Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin","pmid":"11642335","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11642335/"},{"id":"3","title":"Anti-inflammatory effect of Perilla frutescens seed oil rich in omega-3 fatty acid on dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice","authors":"Kangwan N, Pintha K, Khanaree C, Kongkarnka S, Chewonarin T, Suttajit M","year":2021,"journal":"Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences","pmid":"34522194","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34522194/"},{"id":"4","title":"Alpha-Linolenic Acid from Perilla frutescens var. japonica Oil Protects Aβ-Induced Cognitive Impairment through Regulation of APP Processing and Aβ Degradation","authors":"Lee AY, Lee MH, Lee S, Cho EJ","year":2017,"journal":"Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry","pmid":"29092397","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29092397/"},{"id":"5","title":"Perilla oil regulates intestinal microbiota and alleviates insulin resistance through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in type-2 diabetic KKAy mice","authors":"Wang J, He Y, Yu D, Jin L, Gong X, Zhang B","year":2019,"journal":"Food and Chemical Toxicology","pmid":"31743741","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31743741/"}],"wordCount":1665,"source":{"path":"src/content/topics/perilla/rosmarinic-acid-allergy-and-anti-inflammatory.md"},"citeAs":"“Does perilla extract help with hay fever and inflammation?.” What's Healthy and Why. https://whatshealthyandwhy.com/perilla/rosmarinic-acid-allergy-and-anti-inflammatory","notice":"General information backed by peer-reviewed research, not medical advice."}