South African Rooibos Council - Research References

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Research References

KEY ROOIBOS RESEARCH REVIEW ARTICLES

The four research reviews listed below provide a comprehensive overview of recent research into the potential health benefits, production and quality aspects of Rooibos and related products.

Joubert, E; Gelderblom, WCA; Louw, A & De Beer, D. South African herbal teas: Aspalathus linearis, Cyclopia spp. and Athrixia phylicoides – A review. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 119 (2008) 376 – 412.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18621121
McKay DL, Blumbehttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18621121rg JB. A Review of the bioactivity of South African herbal teas: Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and Honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia). Phytother. Res. 21, 1-16 (2007). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16927447&dopt=AbstractPlus
Joubert E, Schulz H. Production and quality aspects of rooibos tea and related products. A review. Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality 80, 138 - 144 (2006).
Erickson L. Rooibos tea: Research into antioxidant and antimutagenic properties. HerbalGram 59:33-45 (2003). Full article (with photos) at http://content.herbalgram.org/wholefoodsmarket/herbalgram/articleview.asp?a=2550

Summary: Rooibos is a flowering shrub in South Africa that is finding its way into the market place as a health beverage. This article summarizes research that shows health benefits of rooibos including acting as a powerful antioxidant, inhibiting cancerous cell changes, and reducing artery-clogging lipid peroxidation. In addition, it is caffeine-free and has a delicious taste.

ROOIBOS RESEARCH REFERENCES

More than a 100 scientific articles relevant to Rooibos research have been published in the South African and international scientific literature since the 1960’s. The references for some key articles are listed (alphabetically according to first author) below. [NB: Abstracts for most of these articles are available at www.pubmed.gov and/or www.sciencedirect.com and/or www.scirus.com ]

Bramati L, Aquilano F, Pietta P. Unfermented rooibos tea: quantitative characterization of flavonoids by HPLC-UV and determination of the total antioxidant activity. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Dec 3;51(25):7472-4.
Cha B, Shi WL, Yonezawa T, Teruya T, Nagai K & Woo J. An inhibitory effect of chrysoeriol on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced proliferation and PDGF receptor signalling in human aortic smooth muscle cells. Journal of Pharmacological Science, Vol 110, page 105 – 110, 2009.
Joubert E, Winterton P, Britz TJ, Gelderblom WC. Antioxidant and pro-oxidant activities of aqueous extracts and crude polyphenolic fractions of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis). J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Dec 28;53(26):10260-7.
Kazuyoshi K, Akihiro T & Itaru Y. Effects of Rooibos Tea Extract on Antigen-specific Antibody Production and Cytokine Generation in Vitro and in Vivo. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 65 (10), 2137 – 2145 (2001).
Khan AU, Gilani AH. Selective bronchodilatory effect of Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) and its flavonoid, chrysoeriol. Eur J Nutr. 2006 Dec;45(8):463-9. Epub 2006 Nov 1.
Komatsu K, Kator K, Mitsuda Y, Mine M, Okumura Y. Inhibitory effects of Rooibos tea, Aspalathus linealis, on X-ray-induced C3H10T1/2 cell transformation. Cancer Lett. 1994 Feb 28;77(1):33-8.
KUCHARSKÁ J et al. Regeneration of Coenzyme Q9 Redox State and Inhibition of Oxidative Stress by Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus linearis) Administration in Carbon Tetrachloride Liver Damage. Physiol. Res. 53: 515-521 (2004).
Marnewick J, Joubert E, Joseph S, Swanevelder S, Swart P, Gelderblom W. Inhibition of tumour promotion in mouse skin by extracts of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia), unique South African herbal teas. Cancer Lett. 2005 Jun 28;224(2):193-202.
Marnewick JL, Batenburg W, Swart P, Joubert E, Swanevelder S, Gelderblom WC. Ex vivo modulation of chemical-induced mutagenesis by subcellular liver fractions of rats treated with rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) tea, honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia) tea, as well as green and black (Camellia sinensis) teas. Mutat Res. 2004 Mar 14;558(1-2):145-54.
Marnewick JL, Gelderblom WC, Joubert E. An investigation on the antimutagenic properties of South African herbal teas. Mutat Res. 2000 Nov 20;471(1-2):157-66.
Marnewick JL, Joubert E, Swart P, Van Der Westhuizen F, Gelderblom WC. Modulation of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes and oxidative status by rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and Honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia), green and black (Camellia sinensis) teas in rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Dec 31;51(27):8113-9.
Simon M, Horovska L, Greksak M, Dusinsky R, Nakano M. Antihemolytic effect of Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) on red blood cells of Japanese quails. Gen Physiol Biophys. 2000 Dec;19(4):365-71.
Snijman PW, Swanevelder S, Joubert E, Green IR, Gelderblom WCA. (2007) The antimutagenic activity of the major flavonoids of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) - some dose-response effects on mutagen activation-flavonoid interactions. Mutat Res. 613: 111-123.
Ulicná O et al. Hepatoprotective effect of Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus linearis) on CC14-Induced liver damage in rats. Physiol. Res., 52, 461-466 (2003).
Van der Merwe JD, Joubert E, Richards ES, Manley M, Snijman PW, Marnewick JL, Gelderblom WC. A comparative study on the antimutagenic properties of aqueous extracts of Aspalathus linearis (rooibos), different Cyclopia spp. (honeybush) and Camellia sinensis teas. Mutat Res. 2006 Dec 10;611(1-2):42-53.

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