Effects of roselle on arterial pulse pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients

ABSTRACT

To characterize the effects of regular Roselle ingestion on blood pressure and left ventricular hypertrophy [LVH] in patients with established moderate essential hypertension. This non-randomized quasi-experimental study was conducted in Kafr El-Shaikh, Egypt, for 8 weeks, from September 2012 to November 2012. The effects of a 4-week period of regular Roselle ingestion followed by a 4-week recovery period on systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], pulse pressure [PP], and heart rates [HR] was studied in 2 equal, gender- and age-matched groups [n=50 each; average age - 50 +/- 5 years] of normotensive subjects, and patients with moderate essential hypertension. Electrocardiographic assessments of LVH were also made prior to, and at the end of both treatment and recovery periods. Pulse pressure [PP] significantly fell from baseline values by 10.9% [normotensive group [NG]], 21.2% [hypertensive group [HG]]; SBP by 10% [NG], 19.6% [HG]; DBP by 9.5% [NG], 18.7% [HG], and HR by 14.6% [NG], 17.1% [HG] by the end of week 4 of treatment. Following treatment cessation, SBP, DBP, PP, and HR returned to pretreatment levels over 4 weeks. Before intervention, none of the normotensive subjects, but 14 hypertensive patients showed LVH. However, Roselle treatment was associated with regression of LVH in 10 patients with only 4 patients showing LVH after 4 weeks of treatment. This became 10 patients 4 weeks after ceasing treatment. These findings empirically suggest favorable cardiovascular effects of Roselle in patients with established moderate essential hypertension