Effectiveness and tolerability of the herbal mixture Asparagus P on blood pressure in overweight patients

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and tolerability of a mixture of pulverised asparagus root and parsley herb (Asparagus P, 3 × 4 tablets/day over 6 weeks) in patients suffering from hypertension.

Materials and methods

This investigation was part of a surveillance study approved by the Ethics Committee, University of Freiburg. After excluding patients consuming diuretics, antihyper-uricemics, antidepressants or cortisone, or those having normal weight, two well-known cardiologists (with a third in case of discrepancy) selected patients requiring antihypertensive treatment on the patients’ baseline office (OBPM), ambulatory (ABPM) and home (HBPM) blood pressure measurements (boso devices). After 2 (if possible) and 6 weeks various measurements were repeated and an echocardiographic examination and quality of life (QoL) documentation were obtained after 6 weeks. An SAS package 6.12 was used for statistical analysis.

Results

34 (2 weeks) and 54 patients (6 weeks) came to the control visits. Median systolic (s), diastolic (d) and mean arterial (ma, systolic + diastolic/3) HBPMs improved significantly (ITT, last value carried forward); *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.

sHBPM: –6 mmHg (2 weeks)***, –5 mmHg (6 weeks)***

dHBPM: –1 mm Hg (2 weeks)*, –3 mmHg (6 weeks)

maHBPM: –4 mm Hg (2 weeks)**, –2 mmHg (6 weeks)*

ABPMs and OBPMs showed lower or no differences. The shortening fraction decreased by –10.7% (CI – 18.1; –3.2). All QoL dimensions improved over time. n = 15 suffered from drug-specific adverse events (likely, certain).

Conclusion

Asparagus P may favourably affect haemodynamic variables in overweight and mainly untreated hypertensive patients and had no negative impact on QoL. HBPM was more sensitive than OBPM or ABPM in detecting the improvement.