Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. If this force is too strong or your arteries are too narrow due to plaque buildup, you may develop high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. Doctors often prescribe diuretics, which increase urination, to help eliminate excess water and salt from your body, thereby lowering blood pressure and making it easier for your heart to pump. Herbs have a long history of use as diuretics for treating hypertension. Consult your health care provider before starting herbal treatment for hypertension.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn , or Crataegus spp., are small trees and shrubs in the rose family. Hawthorn is rich in flavonoids, procyanidins, chlorogenic acid and triterpenes, and traditional healers use the leaves, flowers and berries as a heart tonic. Herbalist David Hoffmann calls hawthorn the most important plant remedy for hypertension in Western herbal medicine. Hawthorn leaves and berries contain natural diuretic chemicals, such as ascorbic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, adenine, hyperoside and quercitrin, and hawthorn berries are rich in potassium, which is often lost through excessive urination. You can use flowers, leaves and berries as teas and tinctures. Consult a knowledgeable practitioner for correct dosage. Hawthorn may enhance the effects of other medications, so consult with your doctor first if you take medicine for heart problems or hypertension.
Yarrow
Yarrow, or Achillea millefolium, is a perennial herb with clusters of white and pink flowers, native to Europe. Named after the Greek hero, Achilles, yarrow teas and tinctures are traditional remedies for wounds, fever, arthritis and hypertension. Active ingredients include apigenin, ascorbic acid, mannitol, asparagine, betaine, luteolin, caffeic acid and terpinen-4-ol, all of which have diuretic actions. Herbalist David Hoffmann recommends yarrow as a diuretic in treating hypertension, and suggests an anti-hypertension herbal formula that includes tinctures of yarrow, hawthorn, linden, valerian and cramp bark. Avoid yarrow if you have allergies to plants in the aster family.
Dandelion
Dandelion, or Taraxacum officinale, is a perennial herb with bright yellow flowers found throughout Europe and North America. Traditional healers use the leaves and roots as a diuretic and spring tonic, and to treat stomach, liver and gall bladder disorders. The leaves contain the diuretic chemicals ascorbic acid, caffeic acid and mannitol, and are also rich in potassium. As a natural diuretic, dandelion may help to lower high blood pressure and restore important minerals often lost when using other diuretics, according to umm.edu. Dr. Linda B. White and medicinal plant expert Steven Foster recommend dandelion leaf tea, tincture or capsules to gently increase urine flow and lower blood pressure. Check with your health care provider if you are taking lithium, antibiotics or antacids, or if you have an allergic reaction to dandelion.
References
- "Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine"; David Hoffmann; 2003
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Dandelion
- "The Herbal Drugstore"; Linda B. White, M.D., Steven Foster; 2000
