Stellenbosch University investigating if Rooibos extract is safe to use alongside existing cancer treatment therapies

As October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, researchers at Stellenbosch University are investigating whether Rooibos extract could support conventional cancer treatments.

They say the aim of the study is not to develop a cure but to confirm whether Rooibos is safe to use alongside existing therapies.

Early findings suggest the extract may block estrogen receptors on cancerous tumors.

Estrogen is known to speed up tumor growth once the disease has developed.

Senior Biochemistry Lecturer Dr Nicky Verhoog said that the research is still in its early stages.

"Our recent research has found that Rooibos extract may counter the effects of estrogen in breast cancer cells. Now estrogen is known to fuel the growth of many breast cancers making these early findings especially significant, in laboratory tests we found that Rooibos slowed down the growth of estrogen driven breast cancer cells and stopped them from spreading"