Cardamom as a blood pressure lowering natural food supplement in patients with grade one hypertension

Abstract

Mudher Khudhur Mohammed, Lamis Khidher Mohammed, Haneen Mohanad Mohammed.

The present study assessed the role of cardamom fruit in lowering blood pressure in patients with grade 1 hypertension. The study were performed on 30 newly diagnosed subjects (25-55 years) of grade 1 primary hypertension (130-139/80-89 mm Hg) according to ACC/AHA guideline. For each participant, BP was measured 2 times using mercury sphygmomanometer with an appropriate-sized cuff following a standardized protocol. Administration of two capsules of cardamom three times daily for a total of 3g per day for 3 months resulted in significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, P < 0.05. Despite the significant decrease in systolic blood pressure since the first 4 weeks of treatment and further decrease at the end of the 8 weeks, it did not return to the normal (< 130 mmHg) until the end of 12 weeks of treatment (r = - 0.933, P < 0.01). The diastolic blood pressure significantly decrease since the first 4 weeks of treatment, but also it did not return to the normal (< 80 mmHg) until after the end of 12 weeks of treatment (r = - 0.939, P < 0.01). Cardamom contains high number of constituents that have pharmacological properties via more than one mechanisms of action, it could be a natural surrogate for treatment of grade 1 hypertension.