Review examines the positive outcomes of herbs and spices on blood pressure

Researchers from La Trobe University in Australia reviewed randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of herbs and spices on blood pressure. The findings of their systematic review and meta-analysis were published in the Journal of Hypertension.

• Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It affects 1 billion people worldwide.
• Studies suggest that some herbs and spices have cardiovascular benefits, such as decreasing blood pressure. However, the results of these studies are inconsistent.
• The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of these natural medicines on the blood pressure of normotensive (normal blood pressure), pre-hypertensive and hypertensive participants.
• They searched databases like Ovid Medline, Embase, Biological Abstracts, CINAHL and Cochrane Collaboration for studies that matched their criteria.
• The researchers found nine articles to use for their meta-analysis.
• Three of the nine studies reported statistically significant results. One of those three involved hypertensive participants, while the remaining are two of the six studies that involved pre-hypertensive participants.
• Only one study involved normotensive participants and it reported no changes in their blood pressure after treatment.

The researchers found evidence suggesting that certain herbs and spices can reduce blood pressure in hypertensive and pre-hypertensive people, but not in normotensive people.

Journal Reference:

Driscoll KS, Appathurai A, Jois M, Radcliffe JE. EFFECTS OF HERBS AND SPICES ON BLOOD PRESSURE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. Journal of Hypertension. April 2019;37(4):671–679. DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000001952