title: Nutraceuticals for treatment of high blood pressure values in patients with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether the association of a dietary supplement with a correct diet can decrease the incidence of metabolic syndrome. In particular, we studied the effect of a combination of Ortosiphon staminensis, which in rats exerts a diuretic effect, with policosanol, red yeast rice extract, berberine, folic acid and coenzyme Q(10) on the determinants of metabolic syndrome diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysed sample consisted of 21 males and 9 females, who were comparable in age, in order to obtain an adequate comparison between groups with similar demographic characteristics. Thirty patients with metabolic syndrome were divided into two study arms. Both groups received the usual diet recommended by the doctor according to their clinical conditions and placebo for 2 weeks before the beginning of the study, and then they were randomly assigned to two different drug regimens: placebo or the combination of nutraceuticals previously described, and were followed-up for 6 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, there were no significant differences between the study and control groups for age, sex distribution, waist measurement, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, familiarity for cardiovascular events, smoking habit, fasting glucose and lipid profile.At the end of the follow-up, only in the study group was there a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (-19.6±9.7 vs -3.6±8.1 mmHg and -13.6±5.5 vs -2.3±5.3 mmHg; all p < 0.0001) associated with amarked decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride plasma levels. Consequently, 10 of 15 patients in this group no longer satisfied the criteria for metabolic syndrome, while in the control group the ratio was of 2 of 15.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of Ortosiphon staminensis to the combination of policosanol, red yeast rice extract, berberine, folic acid and coenzyme Q(10) provides an antihypertensive effect, which allows an effective control of blood pressure in patients with metabolic syndrome.
authors: Department of Clinical Medicine, Cardiovascular and Immunological Sciences, Federico II University, Via Sergio Pansini 5, bld 2-, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Rozza
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: de Simone
authors: Raffaele
authors: R
authors: Izzo
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: De Luca
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Trimarco