roselle
Hibiscus sabdariffa · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (1134 studies) · ★★★★★
Roselle, scientifically known as Hibiscus sabdariffa, is a vibrant tropical shrub celebrated for its striking, deep-red calyces. Renowned in traditional medicine, it is widely utilized for its potent antioxidant properties, ability to support cardiovascular health, and its ability to assist in managing blood pressure and promoting overall wellness.
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Native range
- Africa
- Parts used
- Calyx · Calyces
- Common names
- Not available
- Scientific synonyms
- Sabdariffa Rubra · Hibiscus Cuneatus · 7 more
Names
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Sabdariffa rubra
- Rosa de Abisinia
- Hibiscus cruentus
- Flor de Jamaica
- Rosa de Jamaica
- Hibiscus palmatilobus
- Jamaica
- Hibiscus masuianus
- Hibiscus fraternus
German:
- Roselle
- Bissap
- Sabdariff-Eibisch
- Sudan-Eibisch
- Afrikanische Malve
- Karkade
French:
- Karkadé
- Roselle
- Carcadé
- Bissap
- Carcade
- Ketmie acide
- Oseille de Guinée
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Hibiscus sabdariffaSynonyms
- Sabdariffa rubra
- Hibiscus cuneatus
- Sabdariffa digitata
- Furcaria sabdariffa
- Hibiscus palmatilobus
- Hibiscus fraternus
- Hibiscus digitatus var. kerrianus
- Hibiscus masuianus
- Hibiscus gossypifolius
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is categorized within the order Malvales and the family Malvacaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Hibiscus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malvales | WCVP |
| Family | Malvaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Hibiscus | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, it can be found growing in Egypt. Moving toward the West Tropical Africa region, its presence is noted in Benin and Burkina. Additionally, the plant is widely distributed through the coastal and inland areas of Gambia. Finally, its reach extends significantly into the territory of Ghana.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mauritania | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known commonly as Roselle, is highly valued for its therapeutic properties which are concentrated in several specific botanical structures. The most prominent feature used in herbal teas and medicinal preparations is the fleshy calyx, which surrounds the seed capsule. These vibrant, deep-red calyxes are harvested once the fruit has matured, providing the intense pigment and tart flavor characteristic of the species. While the calyces are the primary medicinal component, the leaves are also utilized in various cultures for their nutritional and antioxidant benefits. By utilizing both the nutrient-rich foliage and the potent red calyxes, practitioners can harness the full spectrum of this plant's medicinal potential.| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| calyx | Nigerian journal of physiological sciences : official publication of the Physiological Society of Nigeria (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| calyces | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| calyxes | Recent advances in inflammation & allergy drug discovery (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| leaves | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Calyces | Natural product communications (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Calyx | African journal of medicine and medical sciences (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flower | Journal of the American Nutrition Association (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| petals | Food chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| red calyxes | Foods (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Hibiscus sabdariffa has 206 reported phytochemicals identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Anthocyanins, ANTHOCYANIN, Flavonoids, Ash, ascorbic acid.
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anthocyanins | Dr. Duke (and other 9 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| ANTHOCYANIN | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 7 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| Flavonoids | Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands) (and other 5 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Ash | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| ascorbic acid | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| polyphenols | Cardiovascular & hematological agents in medicinal chemistry (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| CALCIUM | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Delphinidin 3-sambubioside | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| IRON | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| POTASSIUM | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
Activities
Hibiscus sabdariffa has 627 reported activities identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antihypertensive, Diuretic, Neuroprotective, Antihyperglycemic.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 13 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| Antihypertensive | Dr. Duke (and other 7 sources) | ★★★★☆ |
| Diuretic | Dr. Duke (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Neuroprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antihyperglycemic | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antispasmodic | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Hepatoprotective | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| ACE-Inhibitor | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiapoptotic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Hibiscus sabdariffa has 75 reported medicinal uses identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, COVID-19, hyperglycemia.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| hypertension | Journal of agricultural and food chemistry (and other 11 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| obesity | Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| hyperlipidemia | Journal of the American Nutrition Association (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| COVID-19 | Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| hyperglycemia | Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Microorganisms (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| apoptosis | Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| blood pressure | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| extracts | Metabolism open (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| aqueous extract | Planta medica (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extract | Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| powder | Foods (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aqueous extract | PloS one (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Extracts | Natural product communications (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HS | Cells (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HS extract | Cells (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HS tea | Acta cirurgica brasileira (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HSE | Journal of agricultural and food chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |