Rooibos, South Africa's indigenous tea, may offer an alternative means to halt the increase in skin cancer, according to research.
Previous research has shown the protective properties of Rooibos against DNA damage, according to Jeanine Marnewick of the Medical Research Council.
"Considering the fact that DNA damage can lead to cancer development, extracts of fermented and unfermented Rooibos are being tested as possible chemo-preventive agents," said Marnewick.
Results obtained from the current study "look promising", she said.
"During an in vivo (in live animals) study where mouse skin was treated with Rooibos extracts before cancer promotion, it showed a 75 percent decrease in the development of skin papillomas (tumours)."
"The development and size of the skin tumours were delayed and reduced respectively," Marnewick said on Wednesday.
But she said that data obtained from animal studies cannot be directly projected to humans, due to reasons such as species differences.
"The goal therefore, is to conduct human clinical studies using Rooibos, bearing in mind that one would first need to clarify the various end points to measure in humans," said Marnewick.
Rooibos has been shown to increase the activity of certain important carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes in the liver and to boost the organ's overall anti-oxidant capacity.
Marnewick will also be evaluating the protective effect of Rooibos on liver, oesophageal and colon cancer in live animal models.
For any product to be considered a chemo-preventive agent, researchers first need to conduct a complex series of both test tube and biological tests in live animals.
The Medical Research Council is in the process of finalising the tests.