title: Effect of Melothria maderaspatana leaf-tea consumption on blood pressure, lipid profile, anthropometry, fibrinogen, bilirubin, and albumin levels in patients with hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of Melothria maderaspatana (Linn.) leaf-tea on blood pressure, plasma lipid profile, fibrinogen, albumin together with serum bilirubin and anthropometric measurements in volunteer participants with hypertension, because all these variables have been shown to influence vascular events.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 50 subjects-25 (mean age of 58 +/- 9.0 years; 12 were women) with mild-to-moderate hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] >or= 140 mm Hg; diastolic blood pressure [DBP] >or= 90 mm Hg) and 25 normotensives (mean age of 48 +/- 8.0 years; 11 women)-were selected for this study. Plasma lipid profile, fibrinogen, albumin, serum bilirubin, and anthropometric measurements were measured at baseline and after leaf-tea consumption by the patient with hypertension for 45 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SBP and DBP gradually decreased and pulse rate decreased. The total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, and phospholipids levels decreased significantly and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and serum bilirubin levels increased after tea consumption in patients with hypertension. We also observed significant body weight loss and reduction in fibrinogen levels. There was no significant difference in plasma level of albumin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, M. maderaspatana leaf-tea consumption gradually decreased BP and showed beneficial effects on blood lipid profile, fibrinogen, bilirubin, and body mass index in patients with hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Boobalan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raja
authors.forename: Kuppusamy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaviarasan
authors.forename: Mangalam Muthu
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Arjunan
authors.forename: Kodukkur Viswanathan
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Pugalendi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000187:drug effects; D013662:Tea; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008055:Lipids; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D012709:Serum Albumin; D013662:Tea; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002784:Cholesterol; D001663:Bilirubin