Black Seed Extract lowers blood pressure in patients with mild high blood pressure
November
18,
2008
High blood pressure is often related to lifestyle and a change of diet can be an effective tool for managing it. Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with an oral Nigella sativa seed Extract, also known as Black Seed, supplement in patients with mild high blood pressure. Subjects were randomized into three groups: a placebo and two test groups that received 100 or 200 mg of NS extract twice a day. After 8 weeks, systolic blood pressure (SBP) values in both Black Seed groups were found to be significantly reduced when compared with the starting out values for each group. In addition, the decrease in SBP in the two case groups was statistically significant relative to the placebo group. Meanwhile, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) values in the case groups were found to be significantly reduced from the baseline and a significant reduction was also observed in these groups when compared with the placebo group.
In addition, Black Seed Extract administration reduced both SBP and DBP in a dose-dependent manner with the 400mg a day dosage improving blood pressure better than in the 200mg a day group. Meanwhile, Black Seed Extract caused a significant decline in the level of total and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol relative to baseline data. No complications caused by Black Seed were observed. The results suggest that the daily use of Black Seed Extract for 2 months may have a blood pressure-lowering effect in patients with mild HT. The research was performed by scientists at the Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology and Medicinal Plant Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences and is published in the August 2008 issue of the journal Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology.