TITLE : EFFECT OF IPOMOEA DIGITATA TUBER(KSHEERVIDARI) ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND SOME CORONARY RISK FACTORS IN MAN

SPEECH DELIVERED BY : VARTIKA JAIN(Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Agrostology, Department of Botany, University College of Science, Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India)

EVENT : 4th WORLD AYURVEDA CONGRESS, 2010, BENGALURU.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate of Ipomoea digitata Linn. (Ksheervidari) tuber powder for its effect on blood pressure, blood lipids, fibrinolytic activity and total antioxidant status (TAS) in patients with newly diagnosed stage 1 hypertension. Ksheervidari is ethnomedicinally recommended for high blood pressure and heart disease. The present study is its therapeutic validation in patients with hypertension on some coronary risk factors. Fifty newly diagnosed individuals with stage 1 hypertension were randomly categorized into two groups. Group I (n = 30) was administered 3 g of tuber powder in two divided doses for 12 weeks and Group II (n = 20) received matched placebo. Blood pressure was recorded initially and at 4 weeks interval, and fasting blood samples were collected for estimation of lipid profi le, fibrinolysis and TAS. Three gram tuber powder significantly (P < 0.001) decreased systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure and increased fibrinolytic activity at the end of 12th week. TAS was significantly (P < 0.001) increased by 103%. Serum cholesterol, LDL-C and atherogenic index were also significantly (P < 0.05) reduced at the end of the study. It was tolerated well without any signifi cant side effect. Placebo group, however, did not show significant alteration in any of the parameters. To conclude, Ksheervidari significantly lowers blood pressure and blood lipids, enhances fibrinolysis and improves antioxidant status in stage 1 hypertensive individuals without any side effects.