Gongura and it's health benifits

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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.

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