The antimicrobial and associated antioxidant activity of rooibos (aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (cyclopia intermedia) herbal teas

Abstract

The increase in antibiotic resistant bacterial and fungal infections and the prevalence of oxidative stress-related conditions including cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes has led to a consensus among pharmaceutical companies, clinicians and researchers that novel antimicrobial and antioxidant approaches are needed. These should be ideally efficacious, non toxic, easily accessible and affordable. There has been an increased interest in the identification of medicinal plants that possess both these bioactivities in an intrinsically related manner, allowing the simultaneous prevention of these ailments. Two South African herbal teas, rooibos and honeybush have been associated with a long history of medicinal use, hence their consideration for the current study. Numerous studies have been performed to evaluate the antioxidant activities of these South African herbal teas, however limited information about their antimicrobial activity currently exists.