Beneficial effects of Codonopsis lanceolata extract on systolic blood pressure levels in prehypertensive adults: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Codonopsis lanceolata (CL) extract was shown to have antihypertensive effects in hypertensive rats. This randomized controlled trial was designed to investigate the ability of CL extract to prevent hypertension (HTN) in prehypertensive subjects. Eighty subjects aged 19-60years with a systolic blood pressure (BP) of 120-139mmHg and a diastolic BP of 80-89mmHg were recruited over 3months. Subjects were randomized 1:1 to a CL group and a placebo (PL) group and administered CL extract and starch, respectively, for 6weeks. (BP) was measured and blood sampled at baseline and at the end of the trial. Relative to baseline, systolic BP was significantly decreased, and catalase activity was significantly increased following CL treatment in both the elevated systolic BP and stage 1 HTN subgroups. In the elevated systolic BP subgroup, serum nitrite concentration relative to baseline was significantly increased in CL compared to PL treated subjects (p=.038). In subjects with stage 1 HTN, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p=.020) and malondialdehyde (p=.039) showed significantly greater reductions from baseline in the CL than in the PL group. In summary, CL was effective in preventing endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and lipid peroxidation in prehypertensive subjects, with these effects differing according to baseline systolic BP levels.