Postdoctoral fellow Dr Naeem Sheik Abdul recently won first place in the science poster awards of the virtual Summer School on Innovative Approaches in Science.

The event focused on cutting-edge methods to reduce and replace animal tests in toxicology and biomedical research.

Sheik Abdul is a post-doctoral fellow at the Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute (AMHBI) under the supervision of Prof Jeanine Marnewick.

His winning e-poster was titled Fumonisin B1-Induced Mitochondrial Stress and Intervention by Rooibos: Old Foe New Hero.

“Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most food insecure regions where the majority of the population relies on maize as part of a staple diet. These commodities are often contaminated by fungal toxins such as Fumonisin B1 (FB1), which has been linked to cancer and other acute toxicities. Our study aims to assess the protective role of Rooibos extracts against FB1-induced toxicity in vitro using a liver derived cell line,” he said.

“Rooibos possesses a unique composite of phytochemicals known to encompass antioxidant and bio-active properties. The combination of metabolic activators and antioxidants found in Rooibos may be more effective in preventing and repairing cellular damage caused by toxins. The understanding of how molecular pathways are activated by Rooibos can contribute to the prevention of FB1 toxicity and can lead to the identification of a novel and economically viable approach to protecting vulnerable human populations against FB1 toxicity.”

Sheik Abdul said he did not expect the award but was extremely happy and felt a sense of pride knowing that research conducted at CPUT had been recognised on an international platform. 

The event was jointly hosted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing and the European Commission Joint Research Centre.

“Our study design fitted in well with the objectives of the summer school as it presented an excellent option to determine mitochondrial dysfunction without the use of animals while still maintaining its applicability to metabolic toxicity assessment and intervention approaches,” said Sheik Abdul.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The Director of CPUT’s Oxidative Stress Research Centre is leading a new trial which will investigate how green and traditional Rooibos herbal tea may modulate risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and support heart health.

The 12-week human dietary intervention trial, under the leadership of Prof Jeanine Marnewick, will start in August.

The Research Centre is situated within the Institute of Biomedical and Microbial Biotechnology (IBMB).

The trial will be key to understanding how Rooibos can change the outcome of specific cardiovascular disease risk factors.

“Rooibos will be put through its paces as we investigate its impact on various risk factors associated with the development of heart disease, including cholesterol profile, oxidative damage to lipids, redox status, inflammatory responses, metabolic disease, elevated blood pressure, and genetic variability in 300 adults. It’s a first-of-its-kind intervention study involving the use of both green as well as traditional Rooibos, a uniquely South African product,” said Marnewick, who also serves as Research Chair of the IBMB.

The findings are expected to be made public by the end of 2022.

The trial forms part of a recently announced R4.5 million investment into rooibos research.

The investment is in line with one of the main strategic objectives of the SA Rooibos Council, which is to ramp up research efforts to better understand exactly how our indigenous Rooibos tea could help tackle some of the most prevalent diseases of our time.

Marnewick also made the headlines in 2011 when her intervention trial revealed that drinking six cups of Rooibos per day holds definite health benefits and specifically helps to reduce oxidative stress in the body and improves the cholesterol profile – all aspects that modulate the development of heart disease.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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