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Researchers Find Chinese Herb Reduces Blood Pressure

January 19, 2007

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Millions of Americans take prescription medication to treat their high blood pressure, but scientists now say a simple Chinese herb may be just as effective.

Researchers studying Danshen, an herb long used in Eastern medicine, say the substance promotes blood flow and can treat cardiovascular disease.

Some 50 million Americans have hypertension, that is, blood pressure measuring above the normal range (less than 120/80 mmHg). If untreated, it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, or kidney disease. Lifestyle changes are the first-stage treatment for the disease, but if they fail, medications are prescribed.

Tanshinone IIA is an active ingredient of danshen. Since tanshinone IIA is widely available, a team of researchers has used it to investigate if this active ingredient can reduce blood pressure.

In a soon-to-be-released study, using an animal model, the scientists have found that tanshinone IIA does indeed reduce blood pressure.

Their study, published in the American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology, was conducted by the team of David D. Kim, PhD, OMD; Fabiola A. Sánchez, PhD; Ricardo G. Durán, BS; Takehito Kanetaka, MD; and Walter N. Durán, PhD, all of the Program in Vascular Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology and Department of Surgery, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ.

In their study, tanshinone IIA was found to have significantly reduced blood pressure in laboratory animals. As a result of the findings the researchers concluded that tanshinone IIA significantly reduced blood pressure in animals and induced blood pressure changes through vasodilation in the animals’ blood microvessels.

While the mechanisms of how tanshinone IIA or danshen work in hypertension are not yet fully understood, scientists say these results contribute to the effort to bring complementary and alternative medicine and allopathic care closer together in the treatment of hypertensive patients.

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