Traditional Medicinal Plants for Hypertension Control in Sigi District, Central Sulawesi
Abstract
Hypertension is a growing public health concern in Indonesia, particularly in rural areas like Sigi District, Central Sulawesi, where access to conventional medical care is limited and traditional remedies remain widely practiced. Among the local population, medicinal plants such as moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera), bay leaves (Syzygium polyanthum), and avocado leaves (Persea americana) are commonly used to manage high blood pressure. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of these three herbal interventions in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure among hypertensive individuals. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 78 participants divided equally into three intervention groups, each receiving a standardized dose of one type of leaf extract daily. Blood pressure measurements were taken before and after the intervention period. Statistical analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis Test indicated significant differences between groups (p < .001). Post hoc Mann-Whitney U Tests confirmed that bay leaves were the most effective in lowering both systolic and diastolic pressure, followed by avocado leaves for systolic and moringa leaves for diastolic. These findings suggest that bay leaves may offer the most potent antihypertensive effect, possibly due to their high content of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and tannins. The results support the integration of traditional knowledge into community-based health strategies and highlight the potential of locally available medicinal plants as complementary therapies for hypertension control in resource-limited settings like Sigi District
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33992/icmahs.v3i1.4523
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