Abstract
Hypertension increases the risk for a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease. The increase in oxidative stress has been associated with the pathogenesis of hypertension. Increase of blood pressure is due to an imbalance between antioxidants defence mechanisms and free radical productions. Excessive production of reactive oxygen species reduces nitric oxide bioavailability leading to an endothelial dysfunction and a subsequent increase in total peripheral resistance. Hypertension can cause few symptoms until it reaches the advanced stage and poses serious health problems with lifelong consequences. Hypertensive patients are required to take drugs for life to control the hypertension and prevent complications. Some of these drugs are expensive and may have adverse reactions. Hence, it is timely to examine scientifically, complimentary therapies that are more effective and with minimal undesirable effects. Nigella sativa (NS) and its active constituents have been documented to exhibit antioxidant, hypotensive, calcium channel blockade and diuretic properties which may contribute to reduce blood pressure. This suggests a potential role of NS in the management of hypertension, and thus more studies should be conducted to evaluate its effectiveness.
Highlights
According to The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, hypertension is diagnosed as systolic blood pressure (BP) which is greater than 140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP which is greater than 90 mmHg [1]
The results suggest that protective effect of isoflavone against hypertension occurs possibly via the mitigation of oxidative stress and augmentation of nitric oxide (NO) production
The cardiovascular protective effects of Nigella sativa (NS) in hypertension are possibly contributed by its multitude actions including cardiac depressant, diuretic, calcium channel blockade, and antioxidant properties (Figure 1)
Summary
According to The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, hypertension is diagnosed as systolic blood pressure (BP) which is greater than 140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP which is greater than 90 mmHg [1]. There has been a growing interest and demand in using medicinal plants for treating and preventing various diseases including cardiovascular diseases. Nigella sativa (NS), or known as black cumin or its Arabic name habat-ul sauda, has been used for centuries in medicinal and culinary purposes throughout the Middle East, India, and Northern Africa. It is an annual flowering plant with pale blue flowers that belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. The plant has a fruit which contains angular black seeds, and the seeds are considered to be the most valuable part contributing beneficial health effects. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the most pharmacologically active ingredient found abundantly (30– 48%) in the black seeds, together with its derivatives such as dithymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, and thymol [29]
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