A comprehensive review reveals how roselle’s bioactive compounds may combat inflammation across multiple diseases, but scientists caution that rigorous human trials are still essential.
Applicability of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Extract With Anti-Inflammatory Potential in Human Health: A Review. Image Credit: Background Photo / Shutterstock
In a recent review in the journal Food Science & Nutrition, researchers synthesized evidence from recent studies on the anti-inflammatory effects of the e plant, focusing on its bioactive compounds and therapeutic potential.
They concluded that roselle shows anti-inflammatory potential relevant to atherosclerosis, intestinal dysfunction, and degenerative diseases, based largely on preclinical and limited clinical evidence, demonstrating promising but preliminary potential across these indications.
Roselle: traditionally used but clinically understudied
Research on medicinal plants has gained global momentum due to their potential to provide natural therapeutic agents. Among these, Hibiscus sabdariffa L., commonly known as roselle, has been widely cultivated in tropical regions and is valued both as a delicacy and as a medicinal resource.
Roselle calyxes are rich in anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and organic acids (including hibiscus acid), contributing to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidemic, and neuroprotective effects.
Leaves also provide proteins, minerals, vitamins, and polyphenols, such as chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol, that support antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
These compounds act through multiple mechanisms, including free radical scavenging and the suppression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, a key mediator of inflammation. Growing evidence associates roselle with benefits for conditions ranging from cardiovascular health to neurodegenerative diseases, but its mechanisms remain complex and multifaceted.
To better understand these therapeutic properties, researchers compiled research from 2019 to 2024. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 articles were retrieved, forming the basis for analysis of roselle’s anti-inflammatory and broader health-promoting activities.
Most of the evidence summarized is preclinical, with a small number of human studies; therefore, efficacy claims should be considered preliminary.
Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Metabolic Effects
Across the reviewed studies, roselle demonstrated notable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Protocatechuic acid, a key bioactive compound, has been shown to protect against septic lung injury in mice by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, suggesting its potential in preclinical sepsis models.
Other studies highlighted the role of hibiscus in modulating gut health, as supplementation in mice increased butyrate synthesis, reduced inflammatory cells, and prevented the formation of aberrant crypt foci, indicating its potential to counter intestinal inflammation and early precancerous changes. The gut microbiota have been shown to biotransform roselle compounds into active metabolites, thereby further enhancing these protective effects.
Roselle extracts also influenced metabolic health. In obese rats, hibiscus calyx extract suppressed fat cell formation by downregulating adipogenic genes, helping prevent obesity-related insulin resistance in rodent models.
Similar protective effects were reported in studies exploring hibiscus-based nutraceutical blends, which enhanced antioxidant defenses and improved nutrient quality. For instance, turmeric-fortified hibiscus drinks provided higher iron, zinc, and vitamin C content, as well as enhanced antioxidant capacity, thereby strengthening both their nutritional and antioxidant potential.
Research further supported hibiscus’s role in combating oxidative stress in skin cells, where hibiscus acid reduced cellular aging markers in skin cell assays. Additionally, delphinidin-3-glucoside from hibiscus calyxes has been shown to alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation in rabbit models of atherosclerosis, providing experimental support for its cardiovascular protective effects.
Neuroprotective and Anticancer Potential
Several studies emphasized roselle’s neuroprotective and anticancer properties. Preparations combining hibiscus with olive leaf extract protected brain cells from oxidative stress, suggesting potential applications in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.
In a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, hibiscus administration improved memory and reduced neuroinflammation and amyloid plaque buildup, supporting its potential as a plant-based neuroprotective agent in experimental contexts.
Anticancer effects were also reported in both breast and oral cancer models. Hibiscus extracts inhibited proliferation and triggered apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines, with evidence suggesting estrogen receptor pathways played a role.
Gossypetin, another hibiscus compound, has been shown to suppress tumor growth in oral squamous cell carcinoma by blocking migration, invasion, and cell cycle progression, while inducing apoptosis.
On the other hand, the evidence for hibiscus in wound healing was less conclusive. Although roselle leaf extract gel (15% concentration) showed some potential at higher concentrations, no statistically significant differences were found in healing outcomes compared with controls, highlighting the need for further research in this area.
Conclusions
Research on roselle highlights its therapeutic potential, largely attributed to its rich content of organic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and other polyphenols, which possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
Clinical and experimental evidence shows that hibiscus extracts can reduce inflammatory markers (such as TNF-α and hs-CRP), protect against oxidative stress, and improve metabolic outcomes. Key compounds, including protocatechuic acid and delphinidin-3-glucoside, have been shown to have protective roles in conditions such as septic lung injury, atherosclerosis, and neurodegeneration.
Additional benefits were observed in oncology research, where hibiscus-derived compounds inhibited tumor growth, and in gastrointestinal studies, where extracts improved gut health by enhancing butyrate production and modulating microbiota-derived metabolites.
The review’s strengths lie in its synthesis of recent evidence across diverse health domains, reinforcing hibiscus’s broad pharmacological relevance. However, limitations include the small number of high-quality clinical studies, reliance on preclinical models, and gaps in specific areas such as wound healing, where evidence remains inconclusive.
In conclusion, roselle exhibits strong anti-inflammatory and disease-modulating potential; however, further well-designed randomized clinical trials are necessary to confirm its effectiveness, refine dosages, and explore under-researched therapeutic applications.
Journal reference:
- Applicability of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Extract With Anti-Inflammatory Potential in Human Health: A Review. Nogueira da Cruz, A.C.S., Madruga Mesquita, M.J.T.A., Dantas, G.K.R., Silva, E.R., Falcone De Oliveira, V.C., Rezende, H.M., Frota, G.M., Cavalcante, M., Garcês, J.R.C., Souza de Andrade, M. and Cartagenes, M.D.S.D. Food Science & Nutrition (2025). DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.70938, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fsn3.70938