EFFICACY OF SANKHAHOLI (EVOLVULUS ALSINOIDES LINN.) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION: A RANDOMIZED STANDARD CONTROL CLINICAL STUDY

Background: Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and kidney failure, thereby cause of deaths and disability worldwide. The most predominant type of HTN is essential hypertension (HTN). Unani scholars mentioned clinical manifestations and management of hypertension and have documented it under the context of ‘Imtila.’ The drug Sankhaholi (Evolvulus alsinoides Linn.) is one of the widely prescribed medicines for the management of essential hypertension in Unani medicine. Material and Method: Present clinical study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Sankhaholi (Evolvulus alsinoides Linn.) in the management of stage-1 essential hypertension. Newly diagnosed 41 patients of Essential Hypertension (22 patients were in the test group and 19 patients in the control group) were enrolled and their clinical, as well as hematological parameters, were recorded at baseline, 21^st day and 42^nd day. All the patients in the test group were provided with the test drug 3 g powder of Sankhaholi which is to be taken twice a day for 6 weeks orally. Patients in the control group were given standard drug Ramipril 5 mg once a day for the same duration. Results: Both the test as well as the control drug had an extremely significant effect on the systolic blood pressure (p<0.001) while in diastolic blood pressure, control drug proved more effective (p<0.001) than test drug (p<0.01) comparatively. Also, affect the symptoms associated with hypertension. Conclusion: The test drug Sankhaholi (Evolvulus alsinoides Linn.) has substantial efficacy as an antihypertensive drug as demonstrated in patients of essential hypertension.