Can Hibiscus Sabdariffa Decrease Blood Pressure in Menopausal Women with Hypertension?

Cases of hypertension in menopause have doubled since 1990 worldwide. During menopause, endothelial cells are destroyed due to estrogen depletion. Endothelial damage further triggers plaque in the blood while stimulating blood pressure to rise. In this case, the anthocyanin content in Hibiscus sabdariffa is an effective vasodilator of smooth muscle and blood vessels to lower blood pressure.

This research aimed to know the effect of rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on blood pressure in menopausal women with hypertension.

Quasi-experiment with pretest-posttest control group design was conducted. Ninety participants were divided into two groups, namely intervention group (45 participants) and control group (45 participants), selected from a public health center, using simple random sampling. The intervention group was given standard care and rosella extract as much as 1 x 1 with a dose of 500 mg for five days, while the control group only received standard care.

Based on the paired Sample T-Test results in the experimental group, both systole and diastole pressures showed the same significant results with p-value of 0.000. Meanwhile, in the control group, the results showed a systole p-value of 0.279 and a diastole p-value of 0.132. Furthermore, the difference in posttest systole and diastole in the intervention and control groups is p-value 0.000.

The provision of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) can reduce blood pressure in menopausal women who experience hypertension. This study is expected to help health workers provide rosella extract to menopausal women who experience hypertension as an alternative treatment.