Rooibos and Honeybush: recent advances in chemistry, biological activity and pharmacognosy

Abstract

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis (Brum.f.) Dahlg.) and honeybush (Cyclopia Vent. species) have a long history of traditional uses in South Africa as indigenous herbal health beverages or tisanes. These herbal teas are rich in several unique polyphenolic compounds that not only differ from that of Camellia sinensis teas, but also from one another. The bioactivity of both includes in vitro and in vivo antimutagenic, antioxidant, cancer modulating, cardiovascular and other activities. The first clinical controlled study which showed that rooibos decreased oxidative lipid damage and increased the redox status in plasma is discussed while human studies on honeybush have not yet been studied to date.