Efficacy of Khār-i-khasak (Tribulus terrestris Linn.) in prehypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Author(s):  
Mansoor Ahmad Siddiqui ◽  
Malik Itrat ◽  
Abdul Mobeen ◽  
Md Imran Khan

Abstract Background Prehypertension is a state of above-normal blood pressure that does not meet the criteria for the diagnosis of hypertension and its prevalence estimated in population-based samples ranges from 22 to 52%. It conveys potentially many deleterious consequences such as high risk of progression to hypertension and cardiovascular disease later in life. Objectives The present study was conducted to evaluate the blood pressure-lowering effect of Khār-i-khasak (Tribulus terrestris Linn.) in prehypertensive individuals. Methods This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was conducted at the National Institute of Unani Medicine, Hospital, Bengaluru, after approval by the Institutional Ethics Committee. Prehypertensive individuals over 18 years of age were enrolled after obtaining their written informed consent and were randomly allocated to the test or placebo group. The test and placebo groups were administered powdered dried fruits of Khār-i-khasak (6g) and matched placebo (6g) in three divided doses for two months respectively. The efficacy assessment was determined by changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Results Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed a significant decline in the test group (p<0.001) as compared to the placebo group. The average decline in systolic/diastolic blood pressure was −7.7/5.5 mmHg in the test group and −1.9/0.2 mmHg in the placebo group. During the post-therapy follow-up period, no prehypertensive developed full-blown hypertension in either group. Safety parameters were found to be within normal limits. Conclusions The test drug Khār-i-khasak (T. terrestris Linn.) was found to be effective and safe in lowering blood pressure compared to placebo in prehypertensive individuals.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 310
Author(s):  
Asami Baba ◽  
Tomohiro Hoshino ◽  
Sosuke Ogawa ◽  
Tsuyoshi Takara

Objective: The aim of this study is to verify the effects of consuming proanthocyanidins derived from acacia bark on improving blood pressure and blood circulation in healthy Japanese adult subjects. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-comparison study involving 66 healthy Japanese adults. Subjects were allocated into either acacia or placebo group (n = 33 each) using a random number generator. Subjects consumed six tablets/day of either acacia bark extract tablets or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the measured value of sitting systolic blood pressure at 12 weeks, whereas the secondary outcomes were sitting systolic and diastolic blood pressures, superoxide dismutase activity in blood, and blood flow.Results: The number of subjects analyzed as full analysis set was 33 (20 men and 13 women) in the Acacia group and 31 (23 men and 8 women) in the placebo group. Compared with the placebo group, the measured values and changes from baseline at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of the sitting systolic blood pressure were significantly lower in the Acacia group. Furthermore, “the ratio of the number of subjects whose sitting systolic blood pressure <130 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure ≤89 mmHg at 12 weeks” of the Acacia group was significantly higher than that of the placebo group. No adverse event was observed. Conclusions: Proanthocyanidins derived from acacia bark showed a hypotensive effect. Trial registration: UMIN-CTR: UMIN000039416. Foundation: Acacia-No-Ki Co., Ltd. Keywords: Acacia bark extract, Proanthocyanidins, Systolic blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Kathy Musa-Veloso ◽  
Lina Paulionis ◽  
Tetyana Pelipyagina ◽  
Mal Evans

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, parallel, 8-week study, the efficacy of a daily dose of 1200 mg of protein hydrolysate from Coldwater Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) on ambulatory and office blood pressure was investigated in 144 free-living adults with mild to moderate hypertension. The primary outcomes of the study were daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure and office blood pressure. During the 8-week intervention period and in the intention-to-treat analysis (n=144), there were significant reductions in the group consuming the shrimp-derived protein hydrolysate relative to the placebo group in daytime ambulatory systolic blood pressure at 4 weeks (p=0.014) and at 8 weeks (p=0.002), and in office systolic blood pressure at 2 weeks (p=0.031) and 4 weeks (p=0.010), with a trend toward significance at 8 weeks (p=0.087). By 8 weeks, significant and favourable improvements in the group consuming the shrimp-derived protein hydrolysate relative to the placebo group were also observed for several secondary outcomes, including 24-hour ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure, daytime ambulatory diastolic blood pressure, and daytime and 24-hour ambulatory mean arterial pressure. Also by Week 8, there was a statistically significant difference between groups in the distribution of subjects across National Institutes of Health-defined blood pressure categories (i.e., Normotensive, Prehypertensive, Stage 1 hypertension, and Stage 2 hypertension), with a more favourable distribution in the shrimp-derived protein hydrolysate group than in the placebo group (p=0.006). Based on exploratory analyses conducted only in participants in the shrimp-derived protein hydrolysate group, angiotensin II levels were significantly reduced relative to baseline. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01974570.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingsheng Liu ◽  
Xiaoli Yao ◽  
Xusheng Huang ◽  
Huifang Shang ◽  
Dongsheng Fan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: To determine the efficacy and safety of DL-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed at 19 ALS clinical centers of the Chinese ALS Association. Patients with definite or probable ALS were randomly treated with NBP or placebo for 12 months. The Revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) score was the primary endpoint and was evaluated every 3 months. Secondary endpoints included survival and tracheotomy incidence, total Medical Research Council (MRC) score, percentage of predicted forced vital capacity (FVC), and clinical global impression scale score assessed using the visual analog scale. Results: Between November 23, 2015 and November 22, 2017, 312 ALS patients were enrolled and randomly allocated to either the NBP group (156 patients) or placebo group (156 patients). Ninety-three patients in the NBP group and 92 patients in the placebo group were included in the primary end point analysis. There was no significant difference in the ALSFRS-R score, total MRC score, or clinical global impression between the two groups after treatment. The NBP group exhibited a mild trend of less decrease in the percentage of predicted FVC between baseline and the 12-month visit than the placebo group (least-squares mean change from baseline ± standard error: -7.34±4.28, 95%CI(-15.24,0.56), p=0.0335). Adverse events were reported in 56.5% of patients in the placebo group and 68.8% of patients in the NBP group (χ2=2.99, P=0.0838). No serious adverse event related to treatment occurred.Conclusion: we found no evidence that NBP improved the ALSFRS-R score in patients with ALS. The results suggest a mild trend in the percentage of predicted FVC decreased slowly in the NBP treatment group than in the placebo group.Trial registration: A Multi-center, Randomized, Double Blinding, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Dl-3-Butylphthalide in the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ChiCTR-IPR-15007365, Registered 1 November 2015, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=12354


2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 2159-2166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Panahi ◽  
B. Rezazadeh Moghaddam ◽  
A. Sahebkar ◽  
M. Abbasi Nazari ◽  
F. Beiraghdar ◽  
...  

BackgroundUnlike civilian post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the efficacy of sertraline for the treatment of combat-related PTSD has not yet been proven. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of sertraline against combat-related PTSD in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.MethodSeventy Iranian veterans of the Iran–Iraq war who met the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis of PTSD were randomized to receive either flexibly dosed sertraline (50–200 mg/day) (n=35, completers=32) or placebo (n=35, completers=30) for 10 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated by the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R) and the Clinical Global Impression scale – Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) ratings. Responder criteria were defined as a ⩾30% reduction in the IES-R total score plus a CGI-I rating of ‘much’ or ‘very much’ improved.ResultsOn both intention-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol (completer) methods of analysis, the mean reductions in the IES-R total and subscale (re-experiencing/intrusion, avoidance/numbing and hyperarousal) scores (p<0.001) and also in the CGI-S score (p<0.01) were significantly greater in the sertraline group than in the placebo group. For the CGI-I, the mean endpoint score was significantly lower in the sertraline group than in the placebo group (p⩽0.001). The number of responders in the sertraline group was significantly higher than in the placebo group (44% v. 3%, p⩽0.001). Sertraline was well tolerated, with a 6% discontinuation rate as a result of adverse reactions.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that sertraline can be an effective, safe and tolerable treatment for combat-related PTSD in Iranian veterans.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Manuel Figueroa ◽  
Monica Lombardo ◽  
Ariel Dogliotti ◽  
Luis Flynn ◽  
Robert P. Giugliano ◽  
...  

Background Iota-Carrageenan (I-C) is a sulfate polysaccharide synthesized by red algae, with demonstrated antiviral activity and clinical efficacy as nasal spray in the treatment of common cold. In vitro, I-C inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in cell culture. Methods This is a pragmatic multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the use of a nasal spray containing I-C in the prophylaxis of COVID-19 in hospital personnel dedicated to care of COVID-19 patients. Clinically healthy physicians, nurses, kinesiologists and others medical providers were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive four daily doses of I-C spray or placebo for 21 days. The primary end point was clinical COVID-19, as confirmed by reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction testing, over a period of 21 days. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04521322). Findings A total of 394 individuals were randomly assigned to receive I-C or placebo. Both treatment groups had similar baseline characteristics. The incidence of COVID-19 was significantly lower in the I-C group compared to placebo (1.0% vs 5.0%) (Odds Ratio 0.19 (95% confidence interval 0.05 to 0.77; p= 0.03). Workday loss in placebo group compared to I-C were 1.6% days / person (95% CI, 1.0 to 2.2); p <0.0001 There were no differences in the incidence of adverse events across the two groups (17.3% in the I-C group and 15.2% in the placebo group, p= 0.5). Interpretation I-C showed significant efficacy in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospital personnel dedicated to care patients with COVID-19 disease.


Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 726
Author(s):  
Ogawa ◽  
Shobako ◽  
Fukuhara ◽  
Satoh ◽  
Kobayashi ◽  
...  

The anti-hypertensive effect of processed rice bran (PRB) was recently reported, for which the novel peptide Leu-Arg-Ala (LRA) was identified as the functional substance. The purpose of this study was to assess the anti-hypertensive effects of a rice bran supplement containing PRB in individuals with high-normal blood pressure (systolic blood pressure (SBP): 130–139 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP): 85–89 mmHg) or grade 1 hypertension (SBP: 140–159 mmHg and/or DBP: 90–99 mmHg). One hundred individuals with high-normal blood pressure or grade 1 hypertension were recruited to participate in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Participants were randomly allocated to the placebo group (n = 50) or the test group (n = 50). Each group took four test tablets (43 μg LRA/day) or four placebo tablets daily. The decrease in blood pressure in the test group compared with the placebo group was the primary outcome. Adverse events were recorded and hematological/urinary parameters measured to determine the safety of the supplement, which was the secondary outcome. In total, 87 participants completed the study. The SBP of the test group at 12 weeks was significantly lower than that of the placebo group (p = 0.0497). No serious adverse events were observed. Daily consumption of a rice bran supplement containing PRB can safely improve mildly elevated blood pressure.


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