Abstract

Aims: To investigate the possible effects of hawthorn extract on blood pressure & blood lipid profile in patients with stage I hypertension. Patients and Methods: This 12 week randomized, double -blind, placebo controlled study was conducted on newly diagnosed patients with stage I hypertension (n=60). Patients were selected from outpatient clinic in Al-Yarmuk Teaching Hospital, Baghdad and were divided into two groups each comprising of 30 patients, they were given hawthorn extract capsule 450 mg (Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals) twice daily and identical placebo capsule respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was recorded and fasting lipid profile was done initially and at the end of 4th, 8th and 12th week of treatment. Both of hawthorn and placebo treated group were given diet and exercise plan. Results: After 12 weeks the hawthorn treated group had a significant reduction in both of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.01), serum total cholesterol (p<0.001) and low density lipoprotein (p<0.001), while the placebo treated group had a non-significant decrease in their blood pressure (p>0.05), serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (p>0.05). High density lipoprotein was significantly increased in patients treated with hawthorn (3.01 mg/dl, 8.13% P= <0.05) compared with placebo group (1.06 mg/dl, 2.8 % P= > 0.05) but there was no significant difference in triglyceride detected between two groups. Conclusions: The study suggests that hawthorn does have an effective antihypertensive ability, as well as lipid lowering effects.

Keywords

The article was added to IASJ on 2012-08-01

776 Total full text downloads since the date of addition