High blood pressure, also called hypertension, occurs when constricted arteries cause your heart to force blood through narrow arterial openings. The constant pounding of blood against narrow artery walls can eventually damage your blood vessels and organs, and lead to heart attack or stroke. You may not have any symptoms of hypertension until complications set in, so regular checkups are important. Herbs may help lower blood pressure and prevent complications. Consult your health care provider before starting herbal therapy.
Herbal Actions
Herbs have a long history of treating hypertension. They work in different ways, but may have hypotensive, cardiotonic, diuretic, relaxant and antispasmodic actions. Herbs for hypertension may contain chemicals, such as essential oils and iridoids, which may relax blood vessels and tone heart muscles. You can use these herbs as teas and tinctures, but speak to a qualified practitioner for dosage and usage instructions.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn, or Crataegus spp., is a small tree with thorny branches and bright red berries. The active ingredients include procyanidins, flavonoids and caffeic acid, and the plant has hypotensive, cardiotonic, diuretic and vascular tonic actions. Traditional healers use the leaves, flowers and berries to treat hypertension and heart problems. In their 2000 book, "The Herbal Drugstore," Dr. Linda B. White and medicinal plant expert Steven Foster state that hawthorn may help lower blood pressure by relaxing and dilating artery walls. They caution that the herb can take weeks or months to work, so it's best for mild hypertension. You can use the powdered standardized extract. Do not replace your heart or hypertension medication without consulting your doctor.
Valerian
Valerian, or Valeriana officinalis, is a native of Europe and Asia and a traditional sedative herb. The roots and rhizomes are rich in chemicals called valepotriates, which have antispasmodic, hypotensive and relaxant properties. In his 2003 book, "Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine," clinical herbalist David Hoffmann states that valerian species are used throughout the world as nerve relaxants for hypertension and heart problems related to stress. He recommends using tinctures or teas. Do not combine this herb with other sedative drugs. Valepotriates may be mutagenic in alcohol extracts, so use non-alcohol tinctures for safety.
Black Haw
Black haw, or Viburnum prunifolium, is a deciduous woody shrub with white flowers and black berries. Herbalists use the bark to treat high blood pressure and menstrual problems. The active ingredients include flavonoids, triterpenoids and coumarins, and the plant has antispasmodic, hypotensive and relaxant actions. Herbalist David Hoffmann states that black haw relaxes peripheral blood vessels, thus lowering blood pressure. You can boil the chopped bark in water and use it as a tea. Do not take this herb if you are using anticoagulant medicines, since it contains coumarins.
References
- "The Herbal Drugstore"; Linda B. White, M.D., Steven Foster; 2000
- "Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine"; David Hoffmann; 2003
