Carnosol (CS)

Carnosol is a phenolic compound found in the antitumorigenic herbs rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and Mountain desert sage (Salvia pachyphylla). Carnosol, a dietary diterpene, displays growth inhibitory effects in human prostate cancer PC3 cells leading to G2-phase cell cycle arrest and targets the 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. Carnosol is a dietary diterpene isolated from culinary herbs that include rosemary, sage, and oregano and has been noted for its potent antioxidant activity, however, carnosol has received little attention for its cancer chemoprevention properties. Approximately 5% of the dry weight of rosemary leaves is comprised of the antioxidant phenolic diterpenese carnosol and carnosic acid. Carnosol and carnosic acid have been shown to be responsible for 90% of the antioxidant activity found in rosemary.