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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics
Evaluation of Athrixia bush tea for cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity, caffeine content and presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 110, No. 1, Year 2007
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Description
In South Africa, Athrixia phylicoides DC. (bush tea) is widely used as a beverage, cough remedy and purgative. The commercialization of this tea in a similar vein to rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), is being considered. Traditional infusions and decoctions, as well as water and ethanol extracts, were prepared and screened. A related species, Athrixia elata Sond. (daisy tea), was included in many of the assays as a comparison. Extracts of Athrixia phylicoides and Athrixia elata were tested for toxic effects to brine shrimp larvae and the Vero kidney cell line. In both assays, the traditional preparations and aqueous extracts had little effect, but the ethanol extracts were relatively toxic. Antioxidant activity comparable to that found in rooibos was established. No detectable levels of caffeine were present in the Athrixia extracts following analysis using TLC and I/HCl spray reagent. Neither screening using spectrophotometry nor confirmation using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses showed evidence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Athrixia phylicoides. Although a wider range of studies needs to be conducted prior to commercialization, these results support the development of bush tea as a healthy alternative to caffeine-containing beverages. © 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
McGaw, Lyndy J.
South Africa, Pretoria
University of Pretoria
Steenkamp, Vanessa
South Africa, Pretoria
Faculty of Health Sciences
Eloff, Jacobus Nicholaas
South Africa, Pretoria
University of Pretoria
Statistics
Citations: 130
Authors: 3
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.jep.2006.08.029
ISSN:
03788741
Research Areas
Environmental
Study Locations
South Africa