A Group of IPB Researchers Developed of Green Cincau Formula for Adult Women with Hypertension

A group of researchers from the Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology of Bogor Agricultural University (FEMA IPB), Fitriana Sundari, Leily Amalia, and Rahmadia Ekawidyani created a green jellyfish formula as the result of their research program on "Minuman Cincau Hijau (Premna oblongifolia Merr.) dapat Menurunkan Tekanan Darah pada Wanita Dewasa Penderita Hipertensi Ringan dan Sedang (Green grass jelly drink (Premna oblongifolia Merr.) on reducing blood pressure among adult women suffered from mild and moderate hypertension)".

Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. It can severely impact quality of life and it increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and death. Hypertension and heart disease are global problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that the growth of the processed food industry has impacted the amount of salt consumed, and that this plays a role in hypertension. The risk of hypertension disease may increase steadily in line with increasing age. Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, particularly in the elderly. It is a significant and often asymptomatic chronic disease, which requires optimal control and persistent adherence to prescribed medication to reduce the risks of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal disease.  This can happen because the organ function begins to decrease, and the thickened heart muscle may affect the function of our heart valves.

There were two intervention formulas, namely Formula A (cincau with regular brown sugar) consisted of green grass jelly and brown sugar, and Formula B (cincau with low calorie red sugar) consisted of green grass jelly and non calorie brown sugar. Subjects were consisted of 25 adult women aged over 45 years old and divided into 5 groups, namely one control and four experimental groups. Formula A was given to 2 groups; P1, which received intervention everyday, and P2 which received intervention every two days. Formula B had the same pattern with the Formula A (P3 and P4).

"In the black grass jelly leaves stored terpenoid compounds known to many beta-sitosterol and flavonoids luteolin. Both are hipolipoproteinemik, which can reduce excess levels of fat and protein in the blood. The decrease in blood pressure with the two formulas was seen after 14 days of drinking cincau, where optimal reduction of hypertension patients was given with daily frequency. Giving green grass is better at lowering diastolic blood pressure than systolic, so blood pressure can be normal. Giving sugar variation does not show a real difference, "said Fitriana Sundari.

He said blood pressure for 14 days beverage can reduce sistolik pressure of 20-25 mmHg, while for the diastolic itself can reach 14-15 mmHg.He said blood pressure for 14 days beverage can reduce sistolik pressure of 20-25 mmHg, while for the diastolic itself can reach 14-15 mmHg. The result shows that the systolic blood pressure of P1 decreased significantly (p<0.05) by 20-25 mmHg. In addition, the diastolic blood pressure on groups of P1 and P3 decreased significantly by 14-15 mmHg after the two weeks intervention (p<0.05).

Systolic blood pressure (the upper number) indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls when the heart beats. While Diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) indicates how much pressure your blood is exerting against your artery walls while the heart is resting between beats. Ideally, we should all have a blood pressure below 120 over 80 (120/80). This is the ideal blood pressure for people wishing to have good health. At this level, we have a much lower risk of heart disease or stroke. Normal blood pressure both systolic and diastolic according to SIGN (2011) usually shows normal numbers (<140 / <90), mild hypertension (140-159 / 90-99), moderate hypertension (160-179 / 100-109) and severe hypertension (≥180 / ≥110).

Data collection for the research program was carried out in Posbindu Puskesmas Bogor Tengah, Bogor. Posbindu is an Integrated Coaching Post which is one of the Puskesmas program. Providing cincau drink for patients with mild and moderate hypertension is expected to be one alternative food (food based theraphy) that can provide benefits directly to the patient, can even cure hypertension. (Wied)