ACTIVE INGREDIENTS / Hibiscus

HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA L.
PROPERTIES AND USES

Hibiscus sabdariffa is a plant of the Malvaceae family, Hibiscus genus.

It is a perennial plant found in Africa and Asia. It yields a drink known as Karkadè, obtained from its dried flowers and used in traditional medicine to prevent bacterial infections of the urinary system, but also hypertension, cough and cold.

From the plant are gathered red flowers containing organic acids, minerals, anthocyanidins and other phenolic compounds with the following properties:

  • Sambubiosides and proanthocyanidins: prevent the adhesion of Escherichia coli to urothelial cells and the replication and colonization of the urinary tract. They also protect blood vessels.

  • Organic acids (Protocatecuic acid, malic acid, citric acid, ibiscus acid): they have diuretic action and normalize urinary pH, making bacterial proliferation unfavorable.

 

In particular, protocatecuic acid possesses dose-dependent antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic species (Staphilococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii).

  • Vitamin C with its antioxidant action, guarantees cell protection against oxidative damage.

  • Mucillages that exert soothing and protective action on the tissues and in contact with the water form a gelatinous mass that in the intestine helps bowel movement, preventing constipation. In recent decades, science has validated and supported this antimicrobial activity with numerous studies.

On the market, Hibiscus is available in different formulations and at different concentrations. Recent studies have ruled that UTIROSE™ is particularly effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections. This patented extract, titrated in the measure of 50% in phenolic compounds and 40% in organic acids, is the only one that has undergone in vitro and in vivo efficacy tests.

In these studies, hibiscus has proven to be very effective in reducing urinary tract episodes, showing antimicrobial capacity against the major pathogenic agents and antimycotic agents against Candida albicans at low concentrations. Hibiscus has also been useful in counteracting the formation of biofilm bacterium 1-2-3.