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A recent study by the Diabetes Discovery Platform and the Infruitec-
Nietvoorbij Institute has found promising capabilities of the Rooibos os
plant to lower blood sugar levels which is good news for all Diabetics.
team of South African researchers released results
in October 2012 of a Diabetes study showing
the beneficial effect of Rooibos on blood sugar
levels. The study found that an Aspalathinenriched
extract of Green Rooibos is able to
lower raised glucose levels in the blood.
According to the South African Rooibos Council, when Aspalathin
(Aspalathus Linearis), an antioxidant found only in the Rooibos
plant is combined with Rutin, another key ingredient in Rooibos
Tea, the two ingredients together, succeed in lowering the blood
glucose level monitored over a six hour period. This could have the
same effect as drugs that are currently available on the market to
counter Diabetes.
The study was conducted by the Diabetes Discovery Platform
from South Africa’s Medical Research Council (MRC) and the South
African Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) Infruitec-Nietvoorbij
Institute. It was carried out with extracts of Green Rooibos prepared
by Prof Lizette Joubert of the ARC, analysed by the MRC and the
results were published in the online version of the Phytomedicine
Journal.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Diabetes
will affect 439 million people around the world by 2030. Currently
6.5 million South Africans have Diabetes, although experts feel that
number may be under-reported. The disease develops when the
body does not produce enough insulin, a hormone that enables
cells to absorb glucose from the blood and convert it into energy.
Dr Johan Louw, of the MRC and team leader of the study,
says their team of researchers are the first in the world to discover
this effect with Rooibos extract and their work confirms the
constituents present in Rooibos could prove beneficial in the
fight against Diabetes.
“Rooibos has many compounds with different effects at
different concentrations. On its own Rutin has no effect
while Aspalathin has a slight effect, but when
they are combined the results are remarkable.
We believe Rooibos can provide a basis to
develop a standardised anti-Diabetic product. In
a country like South Africa. Where a large section of
the population relies on herbal medicines, such a
product could be of huge value,” he says.
“Our focus as scientists is the promotion of
healthy lifestyles and a healthier population, not
just in South Africa but all over the world, so don’t
hesitate to drink that cup of Rooibos as part of a
good diet,” he says.
Prof Joubert of ARC says their Rooibos
research to date, focused mostly on the
antioxidant activity of Rooibos, but this
evidence of its ability to lower blood glucose
levels opens up new and exciting possibilities for
this unique South African herb.
“We now need to dig deeper
to determine the optimal
combination and ratio of the
active compounds such
as Aspalathin and Rutin
in controlling
blood glucose
levels, and also
understand the
exact mechanisms
involved,” she says.
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