Rock Rose (Cistus)

We evaluated 4 human studies on Rock rose (Cistus), including 3 randomised controlled trials and 0 meta-analyses or systematic reviews; the controlled studies include 280 participants in total. As of 3 October 2026.

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1. What Is Rock Rose (Cistus)? Occurrence, Origin and Forms

Rock rose (Cistus) is a shrub of the Mediterranean region; for tea and supplements mainly Cistus incanus (also Cistus creticus) is used. The leaves and twigs are rich in polyphenols, and the plant secretes a fragrant resin, labdanum.

Rock roses grow on dry, sunny slopes around the Mediterranean, for example in Greece, on Crete and in Turkey. The leaves and young shoots are used.

Products include dried herb for tea, extracts, lozenges and mouth rinses.

Forms and Preparations Studied

• Tea from the leaves and shoots
• Extracts, for example as lozenges
• Mouth rinses
• Combination products with rock rose – the other ingredients are named in each case

Not covered on this page:

• Ecological and plant research on rock roses (wildfire, soil, germination)

2. What Does Rock Rose (Cistus) Do? Results by Area

How to read the table: counted are human studies whose results concern the area. “High” means at least one meta-analysis and two controlled studies showing improvement, or at least three controlled studies of which three quarters show improvement, with at least 300 participants in total. “Moderate” means at least two controlled studies showing improvement, as a majority, or one meta-analysis alongside controlled studies. “Low” means one controlled study showing improvement. Where an area has no controlled study, the strength of evidence is at most “low” (result “reviews only” or “observational data only”). Everything else is “unclear”. A study counts as showing improvement when at least half of its outcomes in this area improved. Reviews of combination products do not count as meta-analyses; results that only describe side effects or shares of users do not count as an effect. The same study is counted only once.

3. What the Studies Show in Detail

Rock Rose (Cistus), Mouth, Teeth and Gums: Human Studies

For the mouth and gums, the picture is mixed: a combination product was better than placebo 2, a tea mouth rinse was not better than sage tea 3. A randomized controlled trial in adults with gingivitis found improvements in gum bleeding, gum inflammation, oral health, pain and disease severity for a chewing gum with extracts of Cistus × incanus and Scutellaria lateriflora compared with a placebo chewing gum 2; since the mixture contains two plants, the contribution of the rock rose cannot be separated. The strength of evidence is low: only two controlled studies with a total of 120 participants are available, no meta-analysis, and the forms studied are a combination product chewing gum and a mouth rinse made from tea, not tea as a drink. It remains open whether the rock rose alone – for example as tea from Cistus incanus or Cistus creticus – has a benefit for the mouth and gums.

Rock Rose (Cistus), Colds and Respiratory Tract: Human Studies

In a randomized controlled study with 160 patients with upper respiratory tract infections, symptoms decreased more clearly with an extract of rock rose than with placebo 1. The extract form was studied, for example as a lozenge. The evidence is low because only one controlled study is available; details on the species studied and the duration of use are open.

Rock Rose (Cistus), Immune Defence and Inflammation: Human Studies

In a randomized controlled study of 160 patients with upper respiratory tract infections, C-reactive protein decreased in the group with Cistus extract; the summary does not mention a comparison with placebo 1. An extract of rock rose was studied, not the tea from leaves and shoots. The evidence is low because only this one controlled study is available; details on manufacturer funding are missing. Further controlled studies on immune defense and inflammation, including on other preparations such as tea or mouth rinses, are still pending.

Rock Rose (Cistus): Further Outcomes in Studies

For rock rose as a tea from leaves and shoots (Cistus incanus), a study in healthy adults found improvements in HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, malondialdehyde and advanced oxidation protein products 4. It was a pilot study without a control group with measurements before and after use 4. The evidence is therefore unclear because no controlled or randomized studies are available for these measurements. It remains open whether the observed changes can be confirmed in controlled studies.

4. How Is Rock Rose (Cistus) Dosed? Preparation, Dose and Duration in Studies

The studies examined a Cistus extract as a lozenge for respiratory infections 1, a chewing gum with extracts of Cistus × incanus and Scutellaria lateriflora for gingivitis 2, and a mouth rinse made from Cystus tea in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radio(chemo)therapy 3. In a pilot study, tea made from leaves and shoots of Cistus incanus was tested as a drink 4. The doses and durations of use are shown in the table.

5. Is Rock Rose (Cistus) Safe? Side Effects in Studies

In the study with the mouth rinse made from Cystus tea, the tea was well tolerated, without significant differences from the comparison rinse 3. In the study on the chewing gum with Cistus × incanus and Scutellaria lateriflora, tolerability was examined but not reported 2. Details on reported side effects are shown in the table.

6. What Remains Open: Limits of the Evidence

• For the lozenge, chewing gum and mouth rinse, only one controlled study each is available; for tea as a drink, none.
• The contribution of the rock rose in combination products cannot be separated from the other ingredients.
• Information on the species studied and the duration of use is missing in several studies.
• Information on manufacturer funding is missing.
• For blood lipids and oxidation markers, there is only one pilot study without a control group.

7. Bottom Line: What Is Established About Rock Rose (Cistus)

The rock rose is studied as tea, extract, mouth rinse and in combination products. In humans, a randomized controlled trial in upper respiratory tract infections shows an improvement in the symptom score and a decrease in C-reactive protein with an extract as a lozenge 1. In gum inflammation, a chewing gum with rock rose and Scutellaria lateriflora was better than placebo in a randomized controlled trial, but the share of the rock rose remains open 2. A mouth rinse made from Cystus tea showed no difference from sage tea mouth rinse for mucositis, oral mucosa and tolerability 3.

The strength of evidence is consistently low: there is no meta-analysis, and most results come from individual controlled studies with small groups.