Therapeutic effect of yoga in patients with hypertension with reference to GST gene polymorphism.
BACKGROUND
Hypertension, a chronic medical condition of increased blood pressure, is a serious public health problem. Environmental and genetic risk factors are known to predispose to hypertension. The present study was designed to investigate the association of glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene polymorphism with oxidative stress in hypertensive patients and the possible beneficial effect of yoga on them.


METHODS
Sixty (60) hypertensive individuals, between 30 and 60 years of age, were divided into two groups of 30 each. The yoga group was subjected to 50-60 minutes of yogic practices daily for 42 days, while the control group included the remaining 30 age- and sex-matched hypertensive individuals. GST gene polymorphism was analyzed using multiple allele specific polymerase chain reaction, and oxidative stress parameters were assessed biochemically.


RESULTS
Assessment of blood pressure showed a statistically significant though modest reduction (p<0.05) in the yoga group as compared to the control group. Malondialdehyde was observed to be significantly low (p<0.05), while antioxidant capacity in the form of GST showed an increasing trend and ferric-reducing ability of plasma was significantly increased (p<0.05) in the subjects who practiced yoga.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, yoga has been found to decrease blood pressure as well as the levels of oxidative stress in patients with hypertension.
Department of Physiology, University College of Medical Sciences (University of Delhi) and GTB, Delhi, India. kanu2211@gmail.com
Kanupriya
K
Dhameja
Savita
S
Singh
M D
MD
Mustafa
K P
KP
Singh
Basu Dev
BD
Banerjee
Mukul
M
Agarwal
Rafat S
RS
Ahmed
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D019122:Meditation; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015013:Yoga
D000975:Antioxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005982:Glutathione Transferase