Neuroprotective Effects of Salvia rosmarinus in Cognitive Stress

Cognitive impairment under conditions of sustained physiological stress, such as chronic workload or extreme environments like spaceflight, presents a critical challenge to human performance and operational safety. This review aimed to synthesize the multimodal neuroprotective profile of Salvia rosmarinus (R. officinalis) and its main bioactive compounds (carnosic acid, rosmarinic acid, and 1,8-cineole) against oxidative, inflammatory, and cholinergic dysregulation. A comprehensive narrative review of mechanistic, preclinical, and human clinical trials was conducted to map the evidence. The synthesis demonstrated that the herb’s constituents exert a convergent protective synergy: carnosic acid activates the NRF2 pathway and suppresses NF-κB (anti-inflammatory/antioxidant); rosmarinic acid directly scavenges ROS and protects mitochondrial potential; and 1,8-cineole acts as a competitive AChE inhibitor (cholinergic support). Critically, human studies confirmed that improvements in attention, processing speed, and working memory correlated directly with the plasma concentration of 1,8-cineole, validating its central bioavailability and functional relevance. This review concludes that S. rosmarinus offers a highly relevant, multifaceted phytotherapeutic strategy for enhancing cognitive resilience and neural integrity against the complex stressors encountered in demanding operational settings. Future research should focus on dose–response characterization in space-analogue stress models.