title: [Clinical effects of beni-koji in mild essential hypertension--a multi-center double-blind comparison with placebo].
abstract: Antihypertensive effects of beni-koji were studied using 29 outpatients with mild hypertension in a placebo-controlled double-blind comparative fashion. After a 4-week vehicle (apple juice) run-in period, 13 patients were assigned to receive beni-koji aqueous extracts containing juice once daily (27 g of beni-koji eq. per day) for 8 weeks and 16 were assigned to vehicle. Two patients assigned to the vehicle group did not complete the study. In addition to casual blood pressure, 24-hr non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) was monitored in 6 patients given the beni-koji drink and 5 patients given the vehicle. 1) In the beni-koji group, both casual systolic and diastolic pressure decreased significantly during the treatment period (from 150 +/- 10/96 +/- 6 mmHg to 140 +/- 10/89 +/- 10 mmHg, p < 0.01). The averages of the 24-hr blood pressure recorded in ABP (24-BP) also significantly decreased (from 141 +/- 17/95 +/- 13 mmHg to 132 +/- 21/86 +/- 10 mmHg, p < 0.05) when compared with those of the control period. Casual pressure normalized (less than 140/90 mmHg) in 4 patients who received beni-koji. Circadian variation of the blood pressure by ABP showed a significant decrease during the daytime. 2) In the vehicle group, casual systolic pressure did not change significantly (from 155 +/- 8 mmHg to 151 +/- 12 mmHg), but diastolic pressure decreased significantly (98 +/- 7 mmHg to 93 +/- 6 mmHg). Casual blood pressure did not normalize in any of the patients and 24-BP did not change significantly. 3) Summative evaluation of safety showed that no problems appeared in the beni-koji group. In conclusion, beni-koji appears to be an effective and safe food material for mild essential hypertension. The mechanism of the antihypertensive effect of beni-koji still remains to be investigated.
authors.affiliation: Surugadai Nihon University Hospital.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kushiro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hashida
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mitsubayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tarui
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001230:Aspergillus; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents