“It could be that aromas affect electrical activity in the brain or that pharmacologically active compounds can be absorbed,” said researcher Mark Moss.
He described it as "almost like a drug interaction" where the brain is influenced by what is being inhaled.
Now students are bulk buying the herb ahead of exam season, in a bid to improve their memory skills.
According to health food shop Holland & Barrett, sales of rosemary have increased by 187 per cent over the past year.
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The high street chain says it has had to order in extra stocks to meet the unprecedented high demand for the herb.
“We saw a sharp rise in customer demand,” a spokesperson for Holland & Barrett said. “As the exam season continues, we have increased provision in store to meet demand.”
As news of the rosemary rush spread, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver took to Twitter to give students some top tips on getting the most out of their herbs.
“Students i hear you’ve been using #rosemary to boost revision memory??,” he Tweeted.
“Top tip - dip in boiling water to release more oils!!! good luck guys!”
People have linked rosemary with memory-improvement for hundreds of years. Students in Ancient Greece even went as far as wearing thick garlands of rosemary around their necks for good luck.
The researchers how hope to extend the study, with "large-scale trials of aroma application in education settings".
They believe that adults, as well as teens and children, could benefit from inhaling the memory-boosting aroma.
