For the experiment, Wang and colleagues divided rats up into three groups, according to the atherosclerosis-inducing diet they were to be placed on. One group was placed on a high cholesterol diet, while the second group was placed on a high fructose diet. High glucose levels are thought to increase triglyceride levels, contributing to the fact of why diabetics are more susceptible to higher cholesterol levels and heart disease. Some groups containing each diet were supplemented with hibiscus extract to see whether or not it had any affect on their cholesterol levels.
According to the results, both groups saw a surprising decrease in LDL upon the administration of hibiscus flower extract. Additionally, the rats consuming a high fructose diet also saw a decrease in triglyceride levels. It is thought that the antioxidant chemicals, such as flavonoids, polyphenolics and anthocyanins, contained in the flower play a large role in preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. This oxidation is what contributes to atherosclerosis, the build up of a waxy plaque on the walls of arteries.
Does the news that hibiscus flower extract actually has some therapeutic value surprise scientists? Not really. Hibiscus flower extract has been used in many folk remedies for liver disorders and high blood pressure. However, this is the first piece of research that establishes the healthy benefits of consuming hibiscus flower extract.
