Rooibos
OTHER NAME(S): Green Red Bush, Infusion Rooibos, Kaffree Tea, Red Bush, Red Bush Tea, Rooibos Rouge, Rooibos Tea, Té Rojo, Té Rojo Rooibos, Thé Rooibos, Thé Rouge, Aspalathus linearis, Aspalathus contaminatus, Borbonia pinifolia, Psoralea linearis
Overview
Rooibos is a fragrant, caffeine-free tea made from the leaves and stems of a shrub called Aspalathus linearis. It's the national drink of South Africa.
Rooibos contains chemicals that might protect the heart and might also prevent age-related changes in the brain.
People use rooibos for hay fever, age-related decline in memory and thinking skills, anxiety, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Uses
We currently have no information for Rooibos overview.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Rooibos is commonly consumed in food and beverages. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if using rooibos in larger amounts as medicine is safe.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Rooibos is commonly consumed in food and beverages. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if using rooibos in larger amounts as medicine is safe.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if rooibos is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Interactions
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
- Medications for high blood pressure (ACE inhibitors) interacts with RooibosRooibos might have a similar effect to ACE inhibitors. Taking rooibos with ACE inhibitors might cause increased effects and side effects.
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates) interacts with RooibosSome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Rooibos might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) substrates) interacts with RooibosSome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Rooibos might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) substrates) interacts with RooibosSome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Rooibos might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) substrates) interacts with RooibosSome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Rooibos might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
- Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates) interacts with RooibosSome medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Rooibos might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor) interacts with RooibosRooibos might increase levels of atorvastatin in the blood. This may increase the effects and side effects of atorvastatin. Before taking rooibos, talk to your healthcare provider if you take atorvastatin.
Dosing
Traditionally, rooibos has been prepared as tea. But as medicine, there isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of rooibos might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.
References
- Foster S, Tyler VE. Tyler's Honest Herbal: A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies. 3rd ed., Binghamton, NY: Haworth Herbal Press, 1993.
- The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999.
- Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler VE. Rational Phytotherapy: A Physician's Guide to Herbal Medicine. Terry C. Telger, transl. 3rd ed. Berlin, GER: Springer, 1998.
- Nakano M, Nakashima H, Itoh Y. Anti-human immunodeficiency virus activity of oligosaccharides from rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) extracts in vitro. Leukemia 1997;11:128-30.
- Nakano M, Itoh Y, Mizuno T, Nakashima H. Polysaccharide from Aspalathus linearis with strong anti-HIV activity. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 1997;61:267-71.
- Shimoi K, Masuda S, Shen B, et al. Radioprotective effects of antioxidative plant flavonoids in mice. Mutat Res 1996;350:153-61.
- Inanami O, Asanuma T, Inukai N, et al. The suppression of age-related accumulation of lipid peroxides in rat brain by administration of Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis). Neurosci Lett 1995;196:85-8.
- Standley L, Winterton P, Marnewick JL, et al. Influence of processing stages on antimutagenic and antioxidant potentials of rooibos tea. J Agric Food Chem 2001;49(1):114-117.
- Kunishiro K, Tai A, Yamamoto I. Effects of rooibos tea extract on antigen-specific antibody production and cytokine generation in vitro and in vivo. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2001;65(10):2137-2145.
- Ulicna O, Greksak M, Vancova O, et al. Hepatoprotective effect of rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) on CCl4-induced liver damage in rats. Physiol Res 2003;52(4):461-466.
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- Ulicna O, Vancova O, Bozek P, et al. Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) partially prevents oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Physiol Res 2005;
- Fantoukh OI, Dale OR, Parveen A, et al. Safety Assessment of Phytochemicals Derived from the Globalized South African Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus linearis) through Interaction with CYP, PXR, and P-gp. J Agric Food Chem. 2019;67(17):4967-4975.
- Marnewick JL, Rautenbach F, Venter I, et al. Effects of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) on oxidative stress and biochemical parameters in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011;133(1):46-52.
- Persson IA, Persson K, Hägg S, Andersson RG. Effects of green tea, black tea and Rooibos tea on angiotensin-converting enzyme and nitric oxide in healthy volunteers. Public Health Nutr. 2010;13(5):730-7.
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- Yang S, Lee C, Lee BS, Park EK, Kim KM, Bae JS. Renal protective effects of aspalathin and nothofagin from rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) in a mouse model of sepsis. Pharmacol Rep. 2018;70(6):1195-1201.
- Patel O, Muller CJF, Joubert E, et al. Pharmacokinetic Interaction of Green Rooibos Extract With Atorvastatin and Metformin in Rats. Front Pharmacol. 2019;10:1243.
- Damiani E, Carloni P, Rocchetti G,et al. Impact of Cold versus Hot Brewing on the Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Capacity of Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) Herbal Tea. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019;8(10):499.
- Kotzé-Hörstmann LM, Bedada DT, Johnson R, Mabasa L, Sadie-Van Gijsen H. The effects of a green Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) extract on metabolic parameters and adipose tissue biology in rats fed different obesogenic diets. Food Funct 2022;13(24):12648-12663.
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