The Hindu : International : South Africa's anti-cancer tea

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 01, 2004

International

International

South Africa's anti-cancer tea

By Rory Carroll

CAPE TOWN, AUG. 31. Scientists say there are three major ways to cut the risk of cancer. Do not smoke, do not become fat, and follow a balanced diet. Now from South Africa comes a potential fourth tip: drink rooibos tea. Rooibos has been one of the more esoteric products in the herbal-remedy section of health shops, a strange-sounding name to match a strange taste drawn from the needle-like leaves of a plant found only on the slopes of the Cederberg mountains outside Cape Town.

For centuries, indigenous bushmen have sworn by the health-giving properties of the tea. European settlers who picked up the habit agreed there was something special about rooibos — Afrikaans for red bush — and even bathed their children with it. Now science suggests they may have been on to something. New research provides tantalising evidence that the tea can help ward off cancer. Rats and mice that drank it were found to have effective protection against a variety of cancers.

No proof

There is no proof yet that humans benefit, but makers are anticipating increased demand. Boxes are popping up in supermarkets and Coca-Cola is rumoured to be preparing to get in on the act with a rooibos-flavoured iced tea.

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) is a legume, not a tea in the conventional sense.

Laboratory tests show the rich level of antioxidants help rodents prone to cancer by "scavenging" the free-radical molecules which attack their cells.

In other words, rooibos boosts the body's ability to prevent the disease by increasing detoxifying liver enzymes and arresting, or at least slowing down, DNA mutation ("antimutagenic activity").

"If the presence of these reactive cellular components is not controlled, damage to the genetic material of the cell may occur, resulting in an increased risk of cancer. An optimal balance of antioxidants is needed to strengthen the body's defence in controlling the level of these cancer-causing free radicals," said Dr. Marnewick. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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