Mesta and its Medicinal Uses
Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is an annual herbaceous plant
that has many industrial, pharmaceutical uses in many countries all over the
world. It is commonly called as Rosella or Roselle and belongs to family Malvaceae.
More than 300 tropical and subtropical Rosella species are there .It is cultivated
in warm countries particularly like India, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia,
Tropical Africa, Brazil, Australia, Hawaii, Florida etc.. Nowadays, it is
cultivated in both tropical and subtropical regions including India, Saudi
Arabia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Vietnam, Sudan, Egypt,
Nigeria and Mexico. There are many coloured types of Rosella depending
on sepals’ colours.
Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is cultivated for its stem,
leaves, calyces and seeds as all parts have industrial, medicinal and other
applications. Fresh juicy and dried calyces are used in the preparation of
beverages, jams, jellies, sauces, cakes, puddings, syrup and wine. Tender leaves
and stalks are used in food items like sauces, curries and chutneys. This herb
is also used in traditional medicine.
There are more than 300 species of hibiscus around the
world among them Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle) is best known for its
sour test. Its native distribution is uncertain; some believe that, it is from
India or Saudi Arabia. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is commonly known as Roselle, hibiscus, Jamaica
sorrel, Indian sorrel or red sorrel (English), karkadeh (Arabic) and in Indian
language Gongura, Lal-ambari or Patwa (Hindi), Lal-mista or Chukar (Bengali),
Lal-ambadi (Marathi), Yerra gogu (Telugu), Pulichchaikerai (Tamil), Pulachakiri
or Pundibija (Kannada), Polechi or Pulichchai (Malayalam), Mesta (Odia) and
Chukiar (Assam).
Roselle is an edible plant used for various activities including
foods, Fibre, medicinal purpose etc. The fleshy red calyces are used for making
wine, juice, jam, syrup, pudding cakes, pickle, ice cream or herbal tea.
Roselle flowers and calyces are also known for their antiseptic, diuretic,
antioxidant and anti-mutagenic properties. The traditional medicine use the
aqueous extract of this plants as diuretic, for treating gastrointestinal
disorders, liver diseases, fever, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension. Leaves
of Gongura are being used for skin
ailments by Yanadi tribe in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India. So there is a need to assess the potential
effects of this plant. Keeping this in view, the present study has been
undertaken to compile the research results regarding the medicinal properties
of this herb.
Two varieties among Hibiscus
sabdariffa L. one
is variety sabdariffa, cultivated for its red or pale yellow inflated edible
calyces, and the other is altissima cultivated for its fibre. It is an erect
and mostly branched shrub of about 3.5 metres tall. The stems are cylindrical
and typically dark green to red in colour with a deep penetrating tap root
system. Leaves are alternate, green to red in colour and are petiolate,
palmately lobed (3-7) with serrated margins. Flowers are white pale to yellow in
colour with fleshy red calyces. The sepals of the calyx enlarge and become
succulent. Fruits are velvet capsules and turn brown when mature, then they
split open and dry. Seeds are brown in colour and are kidney shaped.
By the studies with standardized extract of Mesta it was proved to reduce the
systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an infusion prepared with 10 mg of dry
calyx. Another experiment with Rosella suggests that the daily consumption of
hibiscus tea, in an amount readily incorporated into the diet, lowers blood
pressure in pre hypertensive and mild hypertensive adults.
Hibiscus sabdariffa L. leaf
extract offers hepato-protection by influencing the levels of lipid peroxidation
products and liver markers in experimental hyper-ammonemia and this could be
due to its free radical scavenging property and the presence of natural
antioxidants.
Dry
fermented calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa
L. exhibited a very low pH value which enhanced mineral (iron, zinc, calcium
and magnesium) availability and can be use as an alternative source of iron for
the treatment of anaemia and some other mineral deficiency diseases.
Protocatechuic acid of Rosella found to induce apoptosis or
cell death in leukaemia cells through reduction of Retinoblastoma
phosphorylation and Bcl-2 Expression and inhibiting the survival of human Promyelocytic
Leukemia HL-60 cells in a concentration and time dependant manner.
It shows anti-atherosclerosis activity which was tested by
inducing the extract of Rosella in rabbits along with high cholesterol diet and
the results showed the levels of triglyceride, cholesterol, and low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol were lower in the serum of rabbits fed high cholesterol
diet plus Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract
than in the serum of rabbits fed high cholesterol diet. Aqueous extracts of
petals of Rosella decreases total plasma concentration in rats indicating the cardiovascular protective properties.
Roselle contains three times more vitamin C than Black
currants and that of nine times more than Citrus. Due to the anti-oxidation
properties of aqueous extract of Rosella, nephrotoxicity induced by
organo-phosphorus pesticide like Malathion in albino rats was inhibited as it
effectively reduce the oxidative stress on the kidneys.
Roselle can be used as a natural anti-oxidative supplement
in the prevention of oxidative damage in diabetic patients. The extracts from Hibiscus sabdariffa L. shows
antibacterial, anti-oxidant, nephro- and hepato-protective, renal or diuretic
effect, effects on lipid metabolism (anti-cholesterol), anti-diabetic and
anti-hypertensive effects and is popularly used in traditional medicines. Instant
Gongura spice mix is a
convenient and economical product which is rich in protein and bioactive
components and possessed good antioxidant activity, due to the presence of
bioactive components such as polyphenols and ascorbic acid.
The glycoside derivative in Rosella may play a role in the
treatment of cancer and as a potential
source against tumour promotion.
Roselle flowers and calyces are reported to be good sources of anti-mutagenic
compounds.
It was reported to change the composition of urine as well
have beneficial renal effects on consumption of Hibiscus sabdariffa
L. extract. It shows
antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-cholesterol properties. Its
seeds are good source of antioxidants and their effect increases when combined
with other antioxidants. It also acts as antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent,
cholagogue, demulcent, digestive, diuretic, emollient, purgative, refrigerant,
resolvent, sedative, stomachic, laxative, and tonic. Rosella is commonly used
as a folk remedy for abscesses, bilious conditions, cancer, cough, debility,
dyspepsia, dysuria, fever, hangover, heart ailments, hypertension, neurosis, andscurvy, strangury. Roselle protein fractions and its isolates have good nutritional
quality and could be a good source of protein fortification for a variety of
food products for protein deficient consumers as well as a potential food
ingredient. Roselle flowers and calyces are also known for their antiseptic,
diuretic and antioxidant properties. The traditional medicine uses the aqueous
extract of this plant for diuretic, treating gastrointestinal disorders, liver
diseases, fever, hyper-cholesterolemia and hypertension.
It is an
excellent source of dietary phyto-chemicals such as anthocyanins, flavonoids,
phenolic acids, vitamins and various minerals. The use of Roselle petals as
natural antioxidants, natural colorants, anti-cancerous drugs, antibacterial,
anti-fungal, anti inflammatory, anti-cholesterol and an ingredient of functional
foods seem to be promising and health security enhancing.
