title: Effect of Korean red ginseng on arterial stiffness in subjects with hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Korean red ginseng (KRG) improves endothelial function and lower blood pressure (BP), which may affect arterial stiffness. The present study evaluated whether KRG treatment could improve arterial stiffness in subjects with hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty (80) participants with hypertension who were treated with antihypertensive agents were randomly assigned to an active (KRG 3 g/day) or a placebo treatment group in a double-blind manner. Participants were not allowed to change their antihypertensive medications. Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were measured at baseline, and at 1, 2, and 3 months. Arterial stiffness was assessed by the measurement of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) at baseline, and at 1 and 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty (30) subjects in the active group (AG) and 34 subjects in the placebo group (PG) completed 3 months of treatment and then a per-protocol analysis was done. SBP and DBP at baseline, and at 1, 2, and 3 months were not different between the AG and PG (p>0.05). After 3 months of treatment, SBP of AG was not changed from SBP at baseline. However, DBP of AG, and SBP and DBP of PG after 3 months of treatment were significantly reduced (p<0.05). baPWV of both groups was significantly reduced at 1 and 3 months (p<0.05), but was not different between the groups at each time point. Analysis after adjustment for age, time-dependent mean arterial BP, heart rate, and levels of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides showed no significant difference between AG and PG in changes of baPWV from baseline to 1 and 3 months (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three (3) months' treatment with KRG did not improve arterial stiffness in subjects with hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medicine, Dongguk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. mooyong_rhee@dumc.or.kr
authors.forename: Moo-Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Yong-Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jun-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Deuk-Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Nah
authors.forename: Young-Kwon
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myoung-Mook
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hae-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005894:Panax; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts