Antihypertensive efficacy and safety of Vaccinium arctostaphylos berry extract in overweight/obese hypertensive patients: A randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial

Objectives: To evaluate the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of a standardized Vaccinium arctostaphylos (V. arctostaphylos) berry hydro-alcoholic extract in the overweight/obese hypertensive patients. Design: Randomized placebo-controlled trial. Setting: Baqiyatallah hospital (Tehran, Iran). Interventions: The antihypertensive efficacy and safety of 3-month intake of 400 mg extract capsule three times daily alongside standardized anti-hypertensive regimen in the treatment of 50 patients was compared with the placebo (n = 50). Main outcome measures: SBP (systolic blood pressure), DBP (diastolic blood pressure), body mass index, waist circumference, CBC (complete blood count), blood levels of AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransferase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine. Results: SBP decreased from 152.1 +/- 7.7 to 140.5 +/- 10.7 in the V. arctostaphylos group and from 152.9 +/- 8.1 to 150.8 +/- 9.3 in the placebo group (P < 0.001). DBP decreased from 90.3 +/- 8 to 82.1 +/- 8.8 in the V. arctostaphylos group and from 89.6 +/- 7.8 to 87.6 +/- 7.9 in the placebo group (P < 0.001). The extract capsule had no significant effect on the other parameters (P > 0.05). Moreover, no drug side effect and adverse interaction with other antihypertensive drugs was observed in the patients. Conclusions: V. arctostaphylosberry extract improves blood pressure control and has safety and tolerability in the overweight/obese hypertensive patients taking standard antihypertensive drugs.