"Experiments have shown that compounds extracted from red wine and tea reduces cholesterol and lipid build-up in the arteries of rats. This is the first study to show that Hibiscus extract has the same effect," said Chau-Jong Wang of the Chung Shan Medical University.

Published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, the study establishes that the Hibiscus sabdariffa is used in folk medicine to treat hypertension and liver disorder and is used to make popular soft drinks across the world.

According to the researchers, the antioxidant properties of various kinds of compounds contained in the flower can prevent the oxidation of Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL), which is associated with the disease.

During the course of study, they divided rats in groups of four and supplied different diets to the each group, which included one control diet, one high cholesterol control diet and two high cholesterol diets supplemented with different amounts of Hibiscus extract.

The researchers, when assessed the blood samples of rats after 12 weeks, found that the extract significantly reduced cholesterol content in blood serum and successfully prevented oxidation of Low-density Lipoproteins.

Their findings showed that the extract has potential to prevent cholesterol deposition and may therefore be useful in the prevention and even treatment of a number of cardiovascular diseases in which cholesterol plays a major role.