High Blood Pressure / Hypertension and Herbs �C Garlic

Garlic to Lower High Blood Pressure / Hypertension

Constituent that helps lower high blood pressure: Allicin and production of hydrogen sulphide.

Scientific name: Allium sativum

Part used: cloves

Allicin is volatile and on heating produces various diallyl sulphides, the commonest of which is diallyl disulphide. This chemical helps lower blood pressure by dilating the muscles of blood vessels and keeps the cardiovascular system healthy.

Studies evaluating the effectiveness of garlic in lowering blood pressure have provided conflicting results. A systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that garlic supplementation has blood pressure lowering effect especially in individuals with a blood pressure of systolic blood pressure or SBP ≥ 140 mm Hg, and diastolic blood pressure or DBP ≥ 90 mm Hg. However, another study concluded that garlic powder tablets have no clinically relevant blood pressure lowering effects in middle-aged, normo-lipidemic individuals.

So, it is actually up to you to use or not to use garlic to reduce high blood pressure. Fresh crushed garlic has the best effect but if you can't stand the pungent smell of garlic, you can use supplements that come in the form of capsules or pearls.

Dose: Daily dose of garlic supplement for up to five months.

Side effects:

• Although garlic is well tolerated by most people, it may cause stomach irritation in sensitive individuals.
• Nursing mothers need to be cautious since garlic in breast milk may cause colic in infants.
• Consult your doctor before taking garlic supplements if you are on blood sugar medication or on NSAIDs.

References:

1. Khayyal MT, el-Ghazaly MA, Abdallah DM, Nassar NN, Okpanyi SN, Kreuter MH. Blood pressure lowering effect of an olive leaf extract (Olea europaea) in L-NAME induced hypertension in rats. Arzneimittelforschung. 2002;52(11):797-802.
2. Nammi S, Gudavalli R, Babu BS, Lodagala DS, Boini KM. Possible mechanisms of hypotension produced 70% alcoholic extract of Terminalia arjuna (L.) in anaesthetized dogs. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2003 Oct 16;3:5.
3. Parmar HS, Panda S, Jatwa R, Kar A. Cardio/protective role of Terminalia arjuna bark extract is possibly mediated through alterations in thyroid hormones. Pharmazie. 2006 Sep;61(9):793/5.
4. Ried K, Frank OR, Stocks NP, Fakler P, Sullivan T. Effect of garlic on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2008 Jun 16;8:13.
5. Shamon SD, Perez MI. Blood pressure lowering efficacy of reserpine for primary hypertension. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD007655. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007655.pub2.
6. Somova LI, Shode FO, Ramnanan P, Nadar A. Antihypertensive, antiatherosclerotic and antioxidant activity of triterpenoids isolated from Olea europaea, subspecies africana leaves. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Feb;84(2-3):299-305.
7. Turner B, M�lgaard C, Marckmann P. Effect of garlic (Allium sativum) powder tablets on serum lipids, blood pressure and arterial stiffness in normo-lipidaemic volunteers: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2004 Oct;92(4):701-6.
8. About High Blood Pressure - (http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/about.htm)