Mei Gui Qie
StarHibiscus sabdariffa L.
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat and Resolves Summer-Heat; Astringes the Lungs and Stops Cough; Generates Fluids and Relieves Thirst; Promotes Urination and Reduces Edema; Lowers Blood Pressure; Relieves Alcohol Toxicity
Traditional Chinese Uses
Mei Gui Qie (eggplant) is a cool, sweet food-herb used in Chinese medicine to clear Heat, activate Blood, reduce swelling, and address certain digestive conditions. Traditional applications include clearing Stomach and Spleen Heat, relieving skin conditions from Blood Heat, and addressing digestive discomfort from Heat accumulation. As one of the most commonly consumed vegetables in Chinese cuisine, its medicinal properties reflect the TCM tradition of food-as-medicine and dietary therapy as a foundation of health maintenance.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Hibiscus sabdariffa (Malvaceae), known as roselle or Mei Gui Qie, is an annual or perennial herbaceous shrub growing 2-2.5 m tall, with deeply lobed, glabrous green to reddish leaves arranged alternately on red, branched stems. The pale yellow to cream flowers, 8-10 cm across, develop bright red, fleshy, accrescent calyces that enclose the seed capsule and constitute the harvested product. These calyces are five-lobed, ovate, and become juicy and sour after pollination. The plant thrives in tropical and subtropical climates on a wide range of soils and is widely cultivated across Africa, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Southeast Asia for beverages, jams, and traditional medicine. (Sources: Wikipedia; POWO; PFAF)
Active Constituents
Anthocyanins (delphinidin-3-sambubioside, cyanidin-3-sambubioside)
Flavonoid pigments (anthocyanins)Concentration: ~1.5-2.5% of dried calyx
The red pigments responsible for most of the calyx's antioxidant and vasorelaxant activity. They inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme and improve endothelial function, mechanisms underlying the documented blood-pressure-lowering and heat-clearing actions.
Hibiscus acid
Organic acid (lactone of hydroxycitric acid)Concentration: ~13-24% of the organic acid fraction
A characteristic calyx acid contributing to the sour taste, diuretic activity and lipid-modulating effects. It supports the traditional actions of promoting urination, reducing edema and relieving summer-heat.
Citric and malic acids
Organic acidsConcentration: Major fraction of ~15-30% total acids
Provide the refreshing sourness and contribute to fluid generation and thirst relief. Their mild diuretic and acidifying effects reinforce the herb's summer-heat resolving and urination-promoting functions.
Flavonoids (gossypetin, quercetin, hibiscetin)
Flavonol polyphenolsConcentration: Variable, sub-percent range
Antioxidant flavonols that scavenge free radicals and exert anti-inflammatory and mild antihypertensive effects, complementing the anthocyanins in clearing heat and protecting the vasculature.
Chlorogenic and protocatechuic acids
Phenolic acidsConcentration: Sub-percent range
Phenolic acids with antioxidant and lipid-lowering activity that contribute to the calyx's cardiometabolic and hepatoprotective effects reported in pharmacological studies.
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Water-soluble vitaminConcentration: Present in the fresh calyx (variable)
Adds antioxidant capacity and supports the generation of fluids and relief of thirst traditionally ascribed to the sour, cooling calyx.
Pectin and mucilage polysaccharides
Soluble dietary polysaccharidesConcentration: Notable fraction of dried calyx
Soluble fibre that provides a demulcent, mildly laxative effect and can bind bile acids, contributing to the calyx's use for lowering blood lipids and soothing the digestive tract.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Antihypertensive drugs
Hibiscus anthocyanins have ACE-inhibitory and diuretic effects that add to the action of antihypertensive medications (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, diuretics), potentially producing excessive falls in blood pressure.
Clinical note: Monitor blood pressure when used with antihypertensives; watch for hypotension and dizziness.
Chloroquine
Human pharmacokinetic data indicate that concurrent Hibiscus sabdariffa extract reduces the bioavailability and maximum plasma concentration of chloroquine, potentially lowering therapeutic efficacy.
Clinical note: Avoid taking hibiscus preparations at the same time as chloroquine; separate dosing.
Diclofenac
Hibiscus has been shown to increase the urinary excretion and shorten the elimination of diclofenac, which could modestly reduce its plasma exposure.
Clinical note: Consider separating administration; monitor analgesic response if used together regularly.
Acetaminophen (paracetamol)
Hibiscus extract has been reported to alter acetaminophen absorption and elimination in pharmacokinetic studies, possibly through effects on gastric emptying and metabolism.
Clinical note: Clinical significance is uncertain; separate dosing if regular concurrent use is anticipated.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
Preparation Methods
Infusion / tisane (hot or cold)
Parts: Dried calyx (Calyx Hibisci Sabdariffae)
Steep 1.5-3 g (about 1-2 teaspoons) of dried calyx in a cup of hot water for 5-10 minutes, or cold-brew, and drink 1-3 times daily. Used to clear summer-heat, generate fluids, relieve thirst and support healthy blood pressure.
Decoction
Parts: Dried calyx (Calyx Hibisci Sabdariffae)
Simmer 5-10 g of dried calyx in water for 10-15 minutes for a stronger sour, cooling beverage used to promote urination, reduce edema and relieve alcohol-related heat.
Clinical Studies
Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults
In 65 pre- and mildly hypertensive adults, three daily servings of hibiscus tea for six weeks lowered systolic blood pressure by 5.5% and diastolic pressure by about 4% versus placebo, with the greatest effect in those with higher baseline pressure.
Effect of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) on arterial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Pooling five randomized controlled trials (390 participants), hibiscus supplementation significantly reduced systolic blood pressure by about 7.6 mmHg and diastolic by about 3.5 mmHg, with effects inversely related to baseline blood pressure.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa on blood pressure and cardiometabolic markers
Hibiscus significantly reduced systolic blood pressure versus placebo (about 7.1 mmHg) and lowered LDL cholesterol, with blood-pressure reductions comparable to those seen with standard antihypertensive medication in the included trials.
Historical Texts
Traditional Nubian, Sudanese and Egyptian folk medicine (karkade)
Pre-modern, longstanding North/West African useModern Chinese materia medica and southern folk usage (mei gui qie)
Modern (introduced to China, 20th century)References
- Ellis LR, Zulfiqar S, Holmes M, Marshall L, Dye L, Boesch C. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa on blood pressure and cardiometabolic markers . Nutrition Reviews (2022) [DOI]
- Serban C, Sahebkar A, Ursoniu S, Andrica F, Banach M. Effect of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) on arterial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials . Journal of Hypertension (2015) [DOI]
- McKay DL, Chen CY, Saltzman E, Blumberg JB. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults . The Journal of Nutrition (2010) [DOI]
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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