HERBAL MEDICINES AS ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR HYPERTENSION: A REVIEW
Vivek Lodhi, Tarun Jat, Jagdish Verma, Shelly Gupta
ABSTRACT
Hypertension is a major global public health concern and a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and premature mortality. Despite the availability of effective antihypertensive medications, challenges such as adverse effects, high treatment costs, poor adherence, and inadequate blood pressure control have prompted growing interest in alternative and complementary therapies. Medicinal plants have been extensively utilized in traditional healthcare systems for the prevention and management of hypertension due to their therapeutic efficacy, accessibility, and favorable safety profiles. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of medicinal plants with antihypertensive potential, their bioactive constituents, mechanisms of action, and available preclinical and clinical evidence. Several medicinal plants, have demonstrated significant blood pressure-lowering effects through diverse mechanisms such as vasodilation, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, calcium channel blockade, diuretic activity, antioxidant effects, and modulation of endothelial function. Phytochemicals including flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, saponins, and organosulfur compounds contribute substantially to these pharmacological actions. Although existing evidence supports the potential role of medicinal plants as adjunctive therapies for hypertension management, further well-designed clinical trials, standardization of herbal formulations, and comprehensive safety assessments are required to establish their efficacy and long-term safety. Medicinal plants represent a promising source of novel antihypertensive agents and may offer cost-effective, accessible, and complementary strategies for improving cardiovascular health.
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