Clinical investigation of blood pressure lowering, endothelial function improving and hypolipidemic of pomegranate juice in hypertensive subjects

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease which is failure in endothelial function and increased arterial stiffness. Pomegranate juice is rich in bioactive polyphenols with antioxidant and cardioprotective functions. Twenty-one hypertensive patients (aged 30-67 years) were recruited into the trial and assigned to receive either PJ (150 ml/day in a single occasion between lunch and dinner; n=11) or the same amount of water (n=10) for a period of two weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP)، diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD)، along with serum concentrations of lipid profile parameters and apolipoproteins A and B were measured at baseline and two weeks after PJ consumption. Statistical analysis was conducted using paired t-test for continuous variables. PJ consumption was associated with significant reductions in SBP (p=0. 002) and DBP (p=0. 038) but not FMD (p>0. 05). However، no significant effect was observed from PJ on serum levels of lipid profile parameters and apolipoproteins. PJ has promising acute hypotensive properties. Consumption of PJ could be considered in the context of both dietary and pharmacological interventions for hypertension.