Weight Loss and Blood Pressure Regulation: A Guide to the Efficacy and Application of Commonly Used Traditional Chinese Medicines for Lowering Blood Pressure

Antihypertensive Drugs

Commonly used Chinese herbal medicines with definite antihypertensive effects include:

(1) Scutellaria baicalensis: Bitter and cold in nature, both decoction and infusion have significant antihypertensive effects. It is often used in combination with chrysanthemum and uncaria to treat neurogenic hypertension and arteriosclerotic hypertension, which can lower blood pressure and significantly improve or eliminate symptoms such as headache, chest tightness, and irritability. Animal experiments have shown that Scutellaria baicalensis has antihypertensive and mild vasodilatory effects.

(2) Apocynum venetum: Bland and astringent in taste, cool in nature, it has the effects of calming the liver, lowering blood pressure, clearing heat and promoting diuresis. It is used for headache, dizziness, irritability and insomnia caused by hypertension caused by liver yang hyperactivity or liver heat. It can be used alone or in combination with Prunella vulgaris, uncaria, and chrysanthemum. Intravenous injection of Apocynum venetum leaf decoction or flavonoids in cats and dogs can significantly lower blood pressure. The antihypertensive effect of a single dose is short-lasting. No rapid tolerance phenomenon was found in the decoction, but rapid tolerance was observed in Apocynum venetum leaf flavonoids. Aqueous filtrate of Apocynum venetum extract can cause a decrease in blood pressure in anesthetized dogs, accompanied by a decrease in cardiac output, blood flow in the left circumflex coronary artery, stroke volume index, and cardiac index, without affecting cardiac preload and afterload.

(3) Earthworm: Salty and cold in nature, it has a significant antihypertensive effect when used for hypertension of the liver-yang hyperactivity type. This herb is cold and slippery, descending and draining, effectively clearing heat, calming the liver, relieving wind, and stopping spasms. The Compendium of Materia Medica states that it is "cold and descending, therefore it can relieve various heat-related illnesses; its descending nature can promote urination, treat foot ailments, and unblock meridians." Pharmacological studies have shown that this herb contains earthworm antipyretic alkaloids, earthworm toxins, etc., and has antipyretic, sedative, anticonvulsant, and bronchodilatory effects.

(4) Cassia Seed: Sweet and cold in nature, it clears the liver and improves eyesight, moistens the intestines and promotes bowel movements, and has antihypertensive and cholesterol-lowering effects. It has a certain therapeutic effect on the prevention and treatment of arteriosclerosis and hypertension. Animal experiments show that cassia seeds can significantly reduce triglyceride and cholesterol levels, increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL). They also clear the liver and improve eyesight, and promote bowel movements.

(5) Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed): It has a pungent and sweet taste, and is warm in nature. Its main functions are to tonify the kidneys and strengthen yang, dispel wind and dampness, and lower blood pressure. Used alone or in compound preparations, it can lower blood pressure and improve symptoms. Experiments show that epimedium can lower blood pressure, increase coronary blood flow, and increase myocardial oxygen consumption.

(6) Kudzu Root (Puerariae Radix): It has a sweet and pungent taste, and is cool in nature. Its blood pressure-lowering effect is not significant when used alone. Currently, kudzu root antihypertensive tablets (containing kudzu root, uncaria, etc.) are often used to treat hypertension, with significant blood pressure-lowering effects. It is also effective for symptoms such as headache, dizziness, limb numbness, and tinnitus caused by hypertension. The daidzein contained in kudzu root has an antispasmodic effect on isolated mouse intestinal segments and counteracts spasms caused by acetylcholine, similar to papaverine, and is one of the effective components of kudzu root.

(7) Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gou Teng): Sweet in taste and slightly cold in nature, it has the effects of clearing heat and calming the liver, relieving wind and pain. It is a commonly used herb in traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for treating hypertension, often used in combination with Prunella vulgaris and Chrysanthemum morifolium. Uncaria rhynchophylla, its total alkaloids, and rhynchophylline have hypotensive effects on both normal and high blood pressure in various animals; its decoction has a significant sedative effect on mice; its ethanol extract can stop the seizures of experimental epilepsy in guinea pigs and has a certain anti-pentylenetetrazole convulsive effect; intravenous injection of Uncaria rhynchophylla in anesthetized rats can counteract arrhythmias induced by aconitine, barium chloride, and calcium chloride; in addition, Uncaria rhynchophylla also has the effects of inhibiting platelet aggregation, antithrombosis, and lowering blood lipids.

(8) Sophora japonica (Sheng Huai Hua): Bitter in taste and slightly cold in nature, it has been used clinically in recent years for hypertension, and can lower blood pressure and improve capillary fragility. Studies have shown that the efficacy of open Sophora japonica flowers is inferior to that of flower buds. Modern research shows that this herb can shorten bleeding time, reduce capillary permeability, and also has the effects of lowering blood lipids, relieving spasms, and anti-inflammatory effects.

(9) Hawthorn. It has a sour and sweet taste and is slightly warm in nature. Its functions include promoting digestion, relieving food stagnation, activating blood circulation, and lowering blood pressure. Hawthorn contains triterpenoids and flavonoids, which have significant effects on dilating blood vessels and lowering blood pressure. It also has the functions of protecting the myocardium, resisting arrhythmia, and regulating blood lipids and cholesterol levels.