title: Use of prunes as a control of hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fruits and vegetables are shown to reduce blood pressure. It is not merely the antioxidants contained in fruits and vegetables that have health benefits such as lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressures. This study was undertaken to see the cardiovascular protective effects of prunes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A placebo controlled clinical trial study was designed to see the effects of Prunus domestica on blood pressure in 259 pre-hypertensive (Systolic BP = 120-139 mmHg, diastolic BP = 80-89 mmHg) volunteers. Treated groups drank prune juice and ate the whole fruit (dried plums) while either 3 (about 11.5 gm) or 6 prunes were soaked overnight in a glass of water whereas control group took only a glass of plain water early in the morning on empty stomach. Blood pressure was recorded fortnightly for 8 weeks, and blood samples were taken at 0 and 8 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant reduction of blood pressure by single dose of prunes daily group and the controls (p < 0.05). With the double dose of prunes, only systolic BP was reduced significantly (p < 0.05). Control group had significantly increased serum HDL whereas test groups had significantly reduced serum cholesterol and LDL (p < 0.05). Data was analysed by paired-sample t-test with 95% confidence interval.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data predicts cardiovascular protective effects of prunes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad, Pakistan. talatnishat@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Talat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Halima
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sadia
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Batool
authors.forename: Ayesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janjua
authors.forename: Faiza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shuja
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010919:Placebos; D027861:Prunus; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos