Antihemolytic effect of Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) on red blood cells of Japanese quails

The antihemolytic activity of Rooibos and black tea on Japanese quail eryth rocytes was studied. Peroxide and hypotonic hemolysis of the red blood cell s of quails, either fed with Rooibos tea supplemented food or fed without t ea, was performed. Long-term consumption of Rooibos tea did not change the erythrocyte fragility to either peroxide or hypotonia induced hemolysis. Ho wever, Rooibos and black teas decreased peroxide induced hemolysis of eryth rocytes incubated with each of them, but not hemolysis induced by hypotonic NaCl solution. Stronger inhibition of hemolysis has been obtained when a b oiled water extract of Rooibos tea was used for the inhibition. The degree of inhibition was comparable with the effect of ascorbic acid.