A Review of the Patentability of Rosemary-Derived Drugs and Bioactive Compounds

Abstract

We reviewed the patentability of rosemary-derived drugs and bioactive compounds over the last 20 years and analyzed patent documents related to the rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Linné) plant using patent analysis techniques. A total of 12,320 patent documents (patent applications and granted patents) were identified, with China having the highest number of patent documents at 4384. The year 2017 had the most patent documents (1122). Patent classification codes indicate that most inventions are for medicinal preparations and cosmetics characterized by their composition. Further, expert driving forces and knowledge clusters showed that research and development has focused on methods to bring pharmaceutical products into specific physical or administering forms, which are described in the majority of patents. To demonstrate the innovation trends in rosemary-derived drugs and bioactive compounds, a selection of relevant patent documents, with publication dates between 2002 and 2022, is described at the end of the study. This selection contains a total of 13 patent documents, including six patent applications and seven granted patents, and deals with pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, processes for extracting rosemary-derived biomolecules (e.g., rosmarinic acid, carnosic acid, and carnosol), and cosmetic and food applications.