The effects of rosehip (Rosa canina) have been studied in both horses and dogs. Research has focused particularly on vitamin C absorption, antioxidant activity, physical performance and mobility.
Scientific interest in rosehip is based on its diverse composition. In addition to vitamin C, it contains polyphenols, carotenoids and galactolipids. Among these, the galactolipid GOPO has attracted particular attention in research involving joints and cartilage.
Animal studies provide interesting information about the nutritional relevance of rosehip. In horses, changes have been observed in vitamin C concentrations and markers related to antioxidant activity. In dogs, researchers have investigated associations between rosehip supplementation, mobility, physical performance and exercise-induced oxidative stress.
1. Vitamin C Absorption from Rosehip in Horses – A Study Involving 16 Trotters
A study published in 2012 investigated the absorption of natural vitamin C from rosehip and the effects of rosehip supplementation on antioxidant activity in horses.
The study involved 16 trotters that received one of two daily doses of rosehip powder for three months:
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25 grams per day, providing 125 mg of vitamin C.
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50 grams per day, providing 250 mg of vitamin C.
Researchers monitored blood vitamin C concentrations and the amount of reactive oxygen species released by white blood cells.
What Did the Study Find?
A daily dose of 50 grams of rosehip significantly increased blood vitamin C concentrations. The change was observed after just 14 days and also in subsequent measurements.
At the higher dose, a statistically significant reduction in the release of reactive oxygen species by the white blood cells studied was also observed.
At the 25-gram dose, an upward trend in vitamin C concentration was observed, but the change was not statistically significant.
The key finding was that vitamin C from rosehip is absorbed in horses and that rosehip supplementation may influence markers associated with antioxidant activity.
This is particularly interesting in the nutrition of active and training horses, as physical exercise affects oxygen consumption and the production of reactive oxygen species.
However, the study was small and did not include a separate group receiving no rosehip. The results therefore cannot be directly interpreted as evidence of improved performance or recovery.
2. Rosehip and Physical Exercise in Horses – A Study Involving 44 Trotters
A study published in 2010 examined the effects of rosehip on the immune system, working capacity and behaviour of horses.
The study involved 44 trotters and was conducted as a three-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
The horses received either a standardised rosehip preparation or a placebo.
What Did the Study Find?
Researchers reported positive observations in horses receiving rosehip, particularly in markers related to inflammatory responses and antioxidant activity.
Changes in blood vitamin C status were also reported.
The study supports scientific interest in rosehip as a natural source of antioxidant compounds, particularly in the diets of regularly trained horses.
The findings complement those of the 2012 study and suggest that the bioactive compounds in rosehip may have measurable physiological effects in horses.
3. Rosehip in Dogs – A Study Involving 86 Greyhounds
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2010 investigated the effects of a rosehip preparation on physical performance, mobility, immune system function and general well-being in greyhounds.
The study involved 86 greyhounds. The dogs received either standardised LitoVet rosehip powder or a placebo for three months.
What Did the Study Find?
Positive observations were reported in several variables among dogs receiving rosehip.
The findings related to mobility and physical performance were particularly interesting.
The researchers reported that greyhounds receiving rosehip were more mobile on the day following strenuous exercise than dogs receiving the placebo.
Improvements in running speed were also observed in the rosehip group. Positive changes in coat quality were reported as well.
The study also found a reduction in total white blood cell count in the rosehip group, which the researchers examined as a finding related to inflammatory responses.
The study is particularly interesting in relation to nutrition for active and highly mobile dogs. Changes were observed in both physical performance and post-exercise mobility.
However, the study was published as a conference abstract, and a detailed report comparable to a full-length peer-reviewed article is not available. The results should therefore be considered promising preliminary findings requiring confirmation in further studies.
The study also did not specifically investigate the effects of rosehip in dogs with osteoarthritis.
4. Rosehip and Oxidative Stress – A Study Involving 40 Working Dogs
A study published in Acta Veterinaria in 2015 investigated the effects of rosehip extract and grape seed extract on oxidative stress in working dogs during physical exercise.
The study involved 40 military working dogs, including German Shepherds, Belgian Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers.
The dogs were divided into four feeding groups:
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A regular balanced homemade diet.
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A commercial dry food formulated for working dogs.
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A homemade diet supplemented with 500 mg of rosehip extract daily.
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A homemade diet supplemented with 100 mg of grape seed extract daily.
The supplementation period lasted 60 days.
The researchers measured blood markers related to oxidative stress before and after exercise. These included malondialdehyde (MDA), associated with lipid oxidation; reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM); and the FRAP value, which reflects antioxidant capacity in the blood.
What Did the Study Find?
Physical exercise increased markers associated with oxidative stress during the initial phase of the study.
However, statistically convincing evidence of beneficial effects from either rosehip extract or grape seed extract was not obtained.
The study therefore did not demonstrate that rosehip extract improved antioxidant capacity in working dogs at the dose and under the conditions investigated.
This finding is an important part of the overall evidence. Compounds found in rosehip have recognised antioxidant properties, but their effects in an animal's body depend on factors such as the preparation used, dosage and the variables measured.
5. GOPO Galactolipid and Research on Rosehip's Effects on Joints
One of the most interesting compounds in rosehip from a joint nutrition perspective is GOPO, a naturally occurring galactolipid.
Its properties have been studied particularly in laboratory research involving inflammatory responses and cartilage metabolism.
A study published in 2003 found that a galactolipid isolated from rosehip reduced the migration of certain white blood cells towards inflammatory signals.
A cartilage cell study published in 2011 found that rosehip powder and its galactolipids influenced the production of inflammatory mediators and enzymes involved in cartilage degradation.
These observations help explain why rosehip has also been investigated in relation to joint function.
Clinical studies in humans have reported beneficial effects of rosehip preparations on osteoarthritis-related pain and physical function.
A meta-analysis published in 2008 examined three randomised studies involving a total of 287 patients with osteoarthritis. The results indicated that a rosehip preparation reduced pain compared with placebo.
However, comparable clinical evidence concerning osteoarthritis in animals remains limited.
What Do These Studies Mean for Horse and Dog Nutrition?
Research on rosehip shows that its effects have been investigated using several different methods, including studies conducted directly in animals.
In horses, the findings are particularly interesting in relation to vitamin C absorption and markers associated with antioxidant activity.
In dogs, the greyhound study reported positive observations regarding mobility, running speed and post-exercise flexibility. In contrast, the working dog study did not confirm an antioxidant benefit from rosehip extract.
From a joint nutrition perspective, the GOPO galactolipid and other bioactive compounds found in rosehip remain interesting subjects for research. Laboratory studies and human clinical trials provide indications of possible mechanisms of action.
The nutritional interest in rosehip for horses and dogs is based on its diverse composition: vitamin C, polyphenols, carotenoids and galactolipids.
Research supports continued interest in rosehip as a plant-based addition to the diets of active animals. At the same time, the findings show that the effects and clinical relevance of different rosehip preparations require further investigation.
Scientific References
Studies in Horses
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Winther, K. et al. (2012). The absorption of natural vitamin C in horses and anti-oxidative capacity: a randomised, controlled study on trotters during a three-month intervention period. Comparative Exercise Physiology.
https://doi.org/10.3920/CEP12006 -
Winther, K. et al. (2010). A randomised placebo controlled double blind study on the effect of subspecies of rose hip (Rosa canina) on the immune system, working capacity and behaviour of horses. EAAP Scientific Series.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289313682_A_randomised_placebo_controlled_double_blind_study_on_the_effect_of_subspecies_of_rose_hip_Rosa_canina_on_the_immune_system_working_capacity_and_behaviour_of_horses
Studies in Dogs
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Winther, K. et al. (2010). A herbal remedy derived from subspecies of Rosa canina improves the immune response, working capacity and well-being of dogs? A parallel, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 18, conference abstract 336.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1063-4584(10)60363-9 -
Kukovska, V., Celeska, I., Ruškovska, T. & Valčić, O. (2015). Effects of rose-hip and grapeseed dietary supplementation on serum oxidative stress parameters in dogs before and after physical exercise. Acta Veterinaria, 65(3), 404–416.
https://doi.org/10.1515/acve-2015-0033
GOPO and Bioactive Compounds in Rosehip
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Larsen, E., Kharazmi, A., Christensen, L. P. & Christensen, S. B. (2003). An Antiinflammatory Galactolipid from Rose Hip (Rosa canina) that Inhibits Chemotaxis of Human Peripheral Blood Neutrophils in Vitro. Journal of Natural Products, 66(7), 994–995.
https://doi.org/10.1021/np0300636 -
Schwager, J., Hoeller, U., Wolfram, S. & Richard, N. (2011). Rose hip and its constituent galactolipids confer cartilage protection by modulating cytokine, and chemokine expression. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 11, 105.
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-11-105
Human Clinical Studies on Joint Function
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Warholm, O. et al. (2003). The Effects of a Standardized Herbal Remedy Made from a Subtype of Rosa canina in Patients with Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Current Therapeutic Research, 64(1), 21–31.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24944354/ -
Winther, K., Apel, K. & Thamsborg, G. (2005). A powder made from seeds and shells of a rose-hip subspecies (Rosa canina) reduces symptoms of knee and hip osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 34(4), 302–308.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16195164/ -
Christensen, R., Bartels, E. M., Altman, R. D., Astrup, A. & Bliddal, H. (2008). Does the hip powder of Rosa canina (rosehip) reduce pain in osteoarthritis patients? – a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 16(9), 965–972.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18407528/
