Jamaica is a member of the Malvaceae family. It is believed hibiscus was brought to western hemisphere, to Jamaica, in the 1700’s by African slaves, likely from Angola, hence the name, Jamaica. It grows in the mountains of Cabo Corrientes and the west coast of Mexico at about 1,000 meters above sea level. The calyces of the Jamaica plant are used traditionally as a refreshing beverage called Agua de Jamaica.
Jamaica is used traditionally in the Bahía de Banderas as a medicine to reduce fever, for colds and coughs and to provide nourishment during illness. Jamaica can be used hot or cold.
While Hibiscus sabdariffa L., is used in many traditional systems of medicine, its potential for integration into biomedical practice has been well researched and documented.
Its efficacy is likely due to its high levels of vitamin C and anthocyanins, a group of water-soluble pigments, powerful antioxidants that scavenge inflammatory cell reactions in the body, which makes it protective to internal organs including the liver and kidneys. Jamaica is rich in calcium and has hypotensive (lowers blood pressure) activity and has been found to be antispasmodic, anthelmintic (kills worms) and antibacterial.
It is also a potential preventative in the development and proliferation of cancer cells (Da-Costa-Rocha et al. 2014). In one study, an extract of H. sabdariffa was found to be beneficial for male athletes suffering from oxidative stress by reducing levels of malondialdehyde, a marker for oxidative stress, in the body, while also significantly increasing the total antioxidant capacity of those who take it (Hadi et al. 2017).
H. sabdariffa’s traditional use as a treatment for hypertension has been supported by clinical research, with one study finding that three servings daily of hibiscus tea effectively reduced blood pressure in pre- and mildly-hypertensive adults (McKay et al. 2010). This, along with its anti-cholesterol (Hopkins et al. 2013), and hypolipidemic effects (Su et al. 2018), make H. sabdariffa a good candidate for integrative therapeutics use in the mitigation of health risks associated with cardiovascular disease.
Da-Costa-Rocha, I., Bonnlaender, B., Sievers, H., Pischel, I., & Heinrich, M. (2014). Hibiscus sabdariffa L. – A phytochemical and pharmacological review. Food Chemistry, 165, 424–443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.05.002
Hadi, A., Pourmasoumi, M., Kafeshani, M., Karimian, J., Maracy, M. R., & Entezari, M. H. (2016). The Effect of Green Tea and Sour Tea (Hibiscus sabdariffaL.) Supplementation on Oxidative Stress and Muscle Damage in Athletes. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 14(3), 346–357. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2016.1237400
Hopkins, A. L., Lamm, M. G., Funk, J. L., & Ritenbaugh, C. (2013). Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia: A comprehensive review of animal and human studies. Fitoterapia, 85, 84–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2013.01.003
McKay, D. L., Chen, C. Y. O., Saltzman, E., & Blumberg, J. B. (2009). Hibiscus Sabdariffa L. Tea (Tisane) Lowers Blood Pressure in Prehypertensive and Mildly Hypertensive Adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 140(2), 298–303. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.109.115097
Su, N., Li, J., Yang, L., Hou, G., & Ye, M. (2018). Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of fermented milks with added roselle ( Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) extract. Journal of Functional Foods, 43, 234–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2018.02.017