Red Bush Tea

Scientific Name(s): Aspalathus linearis (Burm. f.) R. Dahlgr.
Common Name(s): Red bush tea, Rooibos tea, Rooibosch

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 6, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Limited clinical studies exist to recommend red bush tea for any indication. Due to the plant’s potential for improving oxidative stress, it may have a role in diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Dosing

The traditional dosage of the tea is 1 to 4 teaspoons of dry leaf tea per cup taken up to 3 times per day. Limited studies have used 6 cups of rooibos tea daily for 6 weeks.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

In a study using human serum, rooibos acted as an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor in a manner similar to that of enalaprilat.

Adverse Reactions

Information regarding adverse effects is lacking. A study of human volunteers receiving 6 cups of tea daily for 6 weeks noted increased serum levels of creatinine, as well as ALT and AST enzymes.

Toxicology

Long-term, high-dose use may impair kidney and liver function, but few case reports exist.

Scientific Family

• Fabaceae (bean)

Botany

Rooibos ("red bush") grows as a low shrub, reaching a height of 1.2 to 1.5 m. It has long, needle-like leaves and small yellow flowers. The plant is native to South Africa and is cultivated extensively for its commercial value as a substitute for common tea. The leaves and twigs are collected, washed, bruised, fermented, dried, cut, and packaged for use as teas. During this process, the leaves change from green to brick red due to the release of a red pigment found in the leaves and stems.1 Synonyms are Borbonia pinifolia Marloth or Aspalathus contaminata (Thunb.) Druce.

History

"Bush teas" are common throughout Africa and are frequently used as substitutes for common tea. Red bush tea has been popular in South Africa for decades, and commercial preparations are sometimes found in Europe and the United States. In 1994, an American company registered the name "Rooibos" with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. However, the American Herbal Products Association and a number of import companies successfully petitioned to defeat the trademark in 2005, returning the name to the public domain.2 In 2013, the South African Department of Trade and Industry issued geographic indicator trade restrictions on the name rooibos in that country.3

The tea’s lack of caffeine and tannin make it popular as a fragrant and bittersweet, nonstimulating beverage. It has also been used to treat asthma, colic, eczema, headache, nausea, and mild depression.1, 3, 4, 5

Chemistry

Chemical constituents detailed for red bush tea primarily consist of flavonoids (ie, catechin, quercetin, rutin, vitexin, dihydrochalcones aspalathin, nothofagin) and phenolic acids (ie, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, vanillic acids).5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Aspalathin, a dihydrochalcone C-glucoside, was identified in 1965,10 with green (unfermented) rooibos possibly containing more aspalathin than the commercial fermented rooibos tea.11 An enolic phenylpyruvic acid glucoside ...