Hibiscus
Other Names: Ambashthaki, Bissap, Gongura, Groseille de Guinée, Guinea Sorrel, Hibisco, Hibiscus Calyx, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Jamaica Sorrel, Karkade, Karkadé, Oseille de Guinée, Oseille Rouge, Pulicha Keerai, Red Sorrel, Red Tea, Rosa de Jamaica, Roselle, Sour Tea, Sudanese Tea, Thé Rose d’Abyssinie, Thé Rouge, Zobo, Zobo Tea, Luo Shen Hua (洛神花), or Mei Gui Qie (玫瑰茄).
Hibiscus is a bushy annual plant. Parts of the flower are used to make a popular drink in Egypt called Karkade. Various parts of the plant are also used to make jams, spices, soups, and sauces. The flowers are used to make medicine.
Special Precautions of Hibiscus
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Hibiscus is UNSAFE to take during pregnancy. There is some evidence that hibiscus might start menstruation, and this could cause a miscarriage. Not enough is known about the safety of taking hibiscus during breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side, and avoid use.
- A 2013 review of studies reported that very high doses of hibiscus extract could potentially cause liver damage.
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) interacts with hibiscus.
- Hibiscus extract was shown to interact with hydrochlorothiazide (a diuretic) in animals and with acetaminophen in humans.
- Effects on Estrogen : Consuming hibiscus tea lowers estrogen levels, and those using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or taking birth control pills should avoid drinking the tea, according to research done by Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, India, and published in "eCAM," an alternative medicine journal.
- Blood Pressure : Hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure, has diuretic properties and mild effects on dilation of blood vessels, according to Maureen Williams, ND, of the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle, Washington. People with low blood pressure or those with hypertension who take blood pressure-lowering medicines should avoid drinking the tea due to possible contradictory interactions between the tea and medications.
- Hallucinatory Effects : Some people have experienced an hallucinogenic effect from drinking hibiscus tea or a sensation of feeling intoxicated. Take care when driving or using machinery if you are unfamiliar with the side effects of this tea.
- Anti-cancer treatments : People taking anti-cancer drugs, undergoing radiation or chemotherapy should avoid the tea, due to possible interactions between it and their medications.
- People taking statin medication should probably not drink hibiscus tea. Research suggests that this lovely red beverage can reduce the concentration of simvastatin and might interfere with its effectiveness.
- There is also a concern about the high manganese level in hibiscus tea.
The benefits of Hibiscus are
When it comes to antioxidant content, hibiscus beats out green tea, but hibiscus still lacks the weight of clinical evidence. There are only a few hundred studies published on hibiscus, compared to thousands on green tea, but hibiscus does appear to have anti-inflammatory properties, help lower high blood pressure, help lower uric acid levels in gout sufferers, and improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels in pre-diabetics and diabetics. Like Chamomile and Honeybush, hibiscus tea also appears to inhibit the growth of human cancer cells in a petri dish. You know there’s something to it when the meat industry tries adding hibiscus to their burgers to make them less carcinogenic.
- High cholesterol. An early study shows that taking 1 gram daily of a specific extract of hibiscus leaves (Green Chem, Bangalore, India) does not seem to improve cholesterol levels.
- High blood pressure : Hibiscus tea seems to act as an ACE inhibitor, similar to the blood pressure drug lisinopril. The same clinical team found that it worked better than hydrochlorothiazide, a standard blood pressure medication. In another recent comparative study by these investigators, hibiscus tea improved markers of kidney function at least as well as lisinopril did.
- Loss of appetite.
- Colds.
- Avian Influenza : High antiviral effects of hibiscus tea extract on the H5 subtypes of low and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses.
- Constipation.
- Irritated stomach.
- Fluid retention.
- Heart disease.
- Nerve disease.
- The leaves and petals of the plant work to help improve the overall health of your scalp. It also can leave your hair looking shiny and lustrous and help prevent premature graying.
- Cancer : There are some early indications that hibiscus has an effect on cancerous cells in the brain and skin, based on research on medicinal plants from the Americas for the treatment of cancer and AIDS performed at the New York Botanical Garden, in coordination with the National Cancer Institute. Although this is good news, those taking anti-cancer drugs, undergoing radiation or chemotherapy should avoid the tea, due to possible interactions between it and their medications
- Melanoma : Gossypin, a natural Hibiscus extract may be an effective Melanoma treatment.
- antiviral effects on the H5 subtypes of low and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses,”
- Presently, studies on hibiscus have shown it to be beneficial for reducing cadmium toxicity, easing Parkinson's disease
- Metabolic Syndrome : research has indicated a positive connection between hibiscus consumption and managing metabolic syndrome.
