|
| |
This page contains information on hibiscus and how it is used as a herb in alternative herbal treatments to treat ailments and problems, such as loss of appetite, colds, wound healing, treating damaged and irritated tissue and rejuvenating the skin.
 
On this page
Please note that we are not advocating that people stop using their normal medication, but would like to make people aware that some alternative therapies can be very effective to help treat problems and create a healthier, younger and more vital you. For more information on our range of products, please click here.
Although we believe in the therapeutic and healing properties of herbs, care must be taken in the use thereof, as they are powerful compounds.
|
Family |
Malvaceae | |
Genus and specie |
Hibiscus sabdariffa as well as H. rosa-sinensis |
It is also known as hibiscus, sorrel, red-sorrel and Jamaica sorrel.
It is an erect annual with lobed leaves and brightly colored flowers and woody stems. Rosa-sinensis has red flowers, while sabdariffa has pale yellow flowers with a purple center, followed by capsules, surrounded by an enlarged, fleshy and brightly red calyx.
The fresh and dried epicalyces and calyces are used for herbal remedies.
It is an aromatic, astringent and cooling herb that has diuretic properties and helps to lower fever as well as providing vitamin C.
It contains mucilage polysaccharides and pectins, organic acids (hibiscus, ascorbic (vitamin C), citric, malic and tartaric acids).
- Internal use
- This sweet-sour herb is often used in herbal teas, and is traditionally used to treat loss of appetite, colds, catarrh of the respiratory tract, as an expectorant, mild laxative and diuretic.
- External use
- It is used for various allergic eczemas and other skin conditions.
- It has possibilities due to the I-hydroxy-acids, anthocyanocides and mucilages contained, as the I-hydroxy-acids act on the horny layer of the skin, to reduce the cohesion between the corneocytes, which affects the thickness of the layer and increases skin moisture. This improves skin flexibility and elasticity, as well as creates higher moisture levels in the skin.
- The anthocyanocides again have astringent, anti-inflammatory, and free radical scavenging, as well as enzyme inhibition properties – and is especially useful to inhibit elastase and hyaluronidase.
- Finally, the high mucilage content enhances the retention of the skin’s hydric content.
- This makes the herb useful against the effects of aging, due to the power of the I-hydroxy-acids, together with the moisturizing ability of the mucilages in combination with the astringent, anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenger properties of the anthocyanocides.
- In hair treatments, shampoos with hibiscus restore the hair's natural barrier, rehydrate the keratin fibers and regenerate its structure. The active ingredients, I-hydroxy-acids, mucilages and anthocyanocides intervene in this action. In this case in particular, the anti-inflammatory, astringent and anti free radical properties of the anthocyanocides are of special interest.
- Hibiscus can also be incorporated into dandruff products as it contains a high degree of a-hydroxy-acids. These substances collaborate in restoring the balance of the cellular division in the germinative layer and in loosening the outer cells of the corneous layer. They also enable the scale produced in washing to be eliminated.
- In treatments for dry hair, the components of Hibiscus increase the moisture in the horny layer and generate the hydro- lipid film, which gives hair its silky, shiny look.
- Jonadet et al. 1990 studied the in vitro inhibitory activity on the enzymes ACE, elastase, trypsin and chymotrypsin, and the in vivo blood vessel-protective activity of two enriched fractions of Hibiscus extract (anthocyans enriched fraction and flavones enriched fraction).
- The flavones fraction was found to inhibit ACE. Both fractions inhibited elastase, as well as trypsin and chymotrypsin, to a lesser degree.
- It was already known that the aqueous-extract of Hibiscus had a relaxing effect on the smooth muscle fibers and consequently exerted anti-hypertensive actions. However the underlying action mechanism had not been completely characterized.
- Owolabi et al. 1995, demonstrated that these relaxing effects resulted from the inhibition of the calcium influx through adrenergic receptors by specific blockade of the agonist receptors. Additionally, a simultaneous inhibition of calcium mobilization in the intracellular deposits occurred.
- Duhn et al. 1997 evaluated the antioxidant activity of Hibiscus and evaluated the extract lipid per oxidation inhibitory activity on linoleic acid, as well as on a liposome model, by following the thiobarbituric acid method.
- The results showed that it had strong antioxidant activity and that such an activity was closely related to the polyphenolic substances contents in the extract.
- Finally, Tee et al. 2002 assessed the antioxidant properties of Hibiscus by comparing its activity with those of BHA and b-carotene. The results showed that the Hibiscus extract had stronger antioxidant activity than BHA and b-carotene. In that study, the generation of conjugated diene compounds and of malonic dialdehyde were evaluated by using the thiobarbituric acid method.
- Use of essential oil
None noted.
To promote the interest and use of herbs and natural complementary health alternatives, we have included information on the following herbs.
Please note - although we discuss a wide variety of herbs, not all of them are used or sold by us.
| |
 |
To view our products, please click here. | | |
|
|
|
 |
|
You are as young as your faith, as old as your fear and as long as your heart receives messages of beauty, cheer,
courage, grandeur, and power - from the earth, from man and from the Infinite - so long will you stay
Ageless. |
|
