Anti-radical foods for human health: rooibos tea as a healthy and anti-aging beverage

摘要

Free radicals attack cellular components and produce oxidatively damaged constituents such as lipid peroxides and oxidative proteins. Lipofuscin is the end product of lipid peroxidation and its accumulation is dependent on the metabiolic rate of the cells. From the data of the accumulation of lipofliscin, it is infered that longer lived animals have good antioxidative defense systems, and that the brain has better protective systems against oxygen stress. Hot water extract of Aspalathus linearis, one of herbal tea, shows a high antioxidants and scavenging activity. The extract contains rich in minerals, many kinds of flavonoids and polyphenols, but no caffeine, no alkaloids and a small amount of tannin. During a one-week drinking of the herbal tea about 60% to 80% of young women were free from constipation. The tea extract shows anti-allergic activity and anti-iching activity. Using in vivo brain microdialysis, the tea extract contains anti-anxiety/anti-depression substances. More importantly, the alkaline extract of Aspalathus linearis protected anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus-induced cytopathicity and the active component of the extract was acid polysaccharides containing uronic acids. From these results, it is inferred that Aspalathus linearis which contains many kinds of antioxidants/scavenging substances, is a wonder health drink.