Influence of using herbal condiment on serum levels of sodium ions (Na+), calcium (Ca2+), potassium (K+) in hypertensive patients

Plants are widely used as a functional food, being healthy alternative to the replacement of salt (NaCl) and can also help to reduce the factors affecting blood pressure. The aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of herb's spice compared to salt with low sodium content (60% less sodium), in two groups of hypertensive patients, by assessing the biochemical parameters – sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca2+), potassium (K+) and anthropometric indicators – waist/hip ratio (WHR), waist/height ratio (WHtR) and body mass index (BMI) after 45 days of use. Plants were dried, milled to make the spice 1 consisting of 1 g of garlic, onion, cilantro and oregano (3:3:3:1) added 1 g of salt with less sodium. The spice 2 was composed of 2 g of salt with low content of sodium. Both spices were packed in aluminized sachets hermetically sealed. Each treatment was used for five hypertensive patients who received 45 sachets for use in a meal for 45 days. Biochemical tests and anthropometric measurements were made every 15 days. The experiment was authorized in the Brazilian Ethics Committee (CAAE0023.0.238.00008). Data were analyzed at 5% significance level. The mean tests showed no statistical difference between treatments (table 1). In hypertensive patients who used the spice 1, the levels of BMI, WHtR and WHR, decreased in 40%, 80% and 20%, respectively. In the spice 2, BMI, WHR and WHtR decreased in 60%, 20%, 20% of patients, respectively. The decrease in WHtR and BMI are important in the control of SAH. In spice 1, all patients had a reduction of Na+. K+ and Ca2+ increased in 80% and 40% of patients. For spice 2, the Na+ and Ca2+ decreased by 80% and 100% of the patients. K+ increased by 60% of users. The reducing calcium is not favorable especially in patients with risk of CVA. These data are relevant indicating the effectiveness of spice 1 assist in the control of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of PA, including the renin-angiotensin system and Na+-K+ pump.

Tab. 1: Mean (µ±δ) of anthropometric parameters body mass index (BMI) in kg/m², waist/hip ratio (WHR) and waist/heightratio(WHtR), the dosage of sodiumions (Na⁺), potassium (K⁺) in mEq/L and calcium (Ca²⁺) in mg/dL and general characteristics of hypertensive patients – height (m), weight (kg), waist (cn), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in mmHg – for the use of the spices 1 and 2, in time of 45 days.

PREDICTORS	SPICE 1	SPICE 2	VALUES
BMI-	29,85 ± 3,07	36,93 ± 8,09	18,6 – 24,9
WHR-	0,94 ± 0,05	0,94 ± 0,08	≤0,95 (M) – 0,80 (F)
WHtR-	0,62 ± 0,04	0,682 ± 0,09	0,50
Na+-	137,87 ± 3,66	138,93 ± 1,42	138 – 146 mEql
K+	4,70 ± 0,33	4,65 ± 0,23	3,80 – 5,0 mEql
Ca2+-	10,03 ± 0,39	9,79 ± 0,42	8,5 – 10,5 mgU.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS	SPICE 1	SPICE 2	VALUES
HEIGHT	1,62 ± 0,09	1,55 ± 0,06	Ns
WEIGHT	78,68 ± 14,59	82,03 ± 17,93	Ns
WAIST	100,93 ± 10,20	105,10 ± 11,15	Ns
SBP	126,45 ± 6,40	137,87 ± 18,32	120
DBP	75,66 ± 4,15	84 ± 9,94	80
ns: not significant at 5%. M = male, F = female. Ns = non standard

Keywords: Medicinal plants, spice, anthropometric indicators

References:

[1] Costa, M. C. C. D. Uso popular e ações farmacológicas de Plectranthus barbatus Andr. (Lamiaceae): revisão dos trabalhos publicados de 1970 a 2003. Revista Brasileira de Plantas Medicinais, v.8, n.2, p. 81 – 88, 2006.

[2] Cunha, A. P.; Silva, A. P.; Roque, O. R. Plantas e produtos vegetais em fitoterapia. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 2003. 701 p.