Hibiscus sabdariffa, a Treatment for Uncontrolled Hypertension. Pilot Comparative Intervention

Abstract

In Iraq, in 2019, there were about 1.4 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDP); medical treatments were often interrupted. The feasibility of using Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) decoction to curb hypertension was evaluated. A multicentric comparative pilot intervention for 121 participants with high blood pressure (BP) (≥140/90 mmHg) was conducted. Participants of the intervention group (with or without conventional medication) received HS decoction on a dose regimen starting from 10 grams per day. BP was measured five times over six weeks. The major active substances were chemically quantified. Results: After 6 weeks, 61.8% of participants from the intervention group (n = 76) reached the target BP < 140/90 mmHg, compared to 6.7% in the control group (n = 45). In the intervention group, a mean (±SD) reduction of 23.1 (±11.8) mmHg and 12.0 (±11.2) for systolic and diastolic BP, respectively, was observed, while in the control group the reduction was 4.4 (±10.2)/3.6 (±8.7). The chemical analysis of the starting dose indicated a content of 36 mg of total anthocyanins and 2.13 g of hibiscus acid. The study shows the feasibility of using HS decoction in IDP’s problematic framework, as hibiscus is a safe, local, affordable, and culturally accepted food product.

Nephroprotective Plants: A Review on the Use in Pre-Renal and Post-Renal Diseases

“…Indian and Chinese medicines are widely accepted due to their effectiveness, with fewer side effects reported in comparison to modern systems of medicine. Furthermore, plants in the management of diseases are presented as a cost-effective alternative [ 45 , 46 ]. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about how plants act as therapeutic agents.…”

“…Similarly, the anti-hypertensive effect of polyphenol-rich H. sabdariffa infusion has been demonstrated in humans with uncontrolled hypertension. Proof of effect has been obtained with doses ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 mg/d, however, the authors hypothesized that a lower dose could be sufficient, from 2500 to 5000 mg/d, and could help to minimize the probability of gastric acidity that has been observed as a side effect in very few cases [ 46 ]. The mechanism of blood pressure regulation has been further described in spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats supplemented with 360 mg/kg BW of Gardenia jasminoides ethanolic extracts or 25 and 50 mg/kg BW of the purified active compounds geniposide (terpene iridoid glycoside).…”

Mekanisme Anti-Hipertensi dari Bunga Rosela (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) dalam Pengobatan Berbasis Bahan Alam: A Systematic Review

“…Aldosteron akan menyebabkan terjadinya vasokontriksi berupa peningkatan penyerapan kembali natrium dan peningkaran cairan ekstraseluler sehingga hal tersebut dapat menyebabkan retensi cairan dimana terjadi peningkatan volume cairan ekstraseluler dan peningkatan tekanan darah di dalam arteri yang menyebabkan tingginya tekanan darah pada penderita hipertensi [27]. Antosianin, asam organik (hibiscus acid dan asam hidroksisitrat), asam fenolik, asam linoleat serta flavonoid (gossypetin, hibiscetin, kaempferol dan kuersetin) merupakan senyawa kimia yang terbuki terkandung dalam bunga rosela dan dapat menghambat perubahan angiotensin I menjadi angiotensin II [4,6,10,11,12,14,16,23,24]. Berdasarkan penelitian Salem dkk.…”

“…Pengobatan hipertensi sangat penting dilakukan untuk mengontrol tekanan darah agar tetap normal [4]. Beragam terapi baik farmakologi maupun nonfarmakologi dapat dijadikan alternatif untuk pengobatan hipertensi.…”