Sulfur rich vegetables may keep hypertension at bay

London, October 28: Lots of garlic and onions in your daily diet may protect you from high blood pressure or hypertension. A study published in the October 24, 2008 issue of the journal Science puts forward that eating lots of sulfur rich vegetables may keep hypertension at bay.

The study revealed that hydrogen sulfide, the common gas that smells like rotten eggs, regulates blood pressure. The study which was conducted on mice demonstrated that absence of the gene that promotes production of hydrogen sulfide resulted in pronounced hypertension and diminished endotheliumdefine-dependent vasorelaxation in the mice.

Co-author Dr. Solomon H. Snyder, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University said, "Now that we know hydrogen sulfide's role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension."

Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic renal failure.

Hypertension can be classified either essential (primary) or secondary. Essential hypertension indicates that no specific medical cause can be found to explain a patient's condition. Secondary hypertension indicates that the high blood pressure is a result of another condition, such as kidney disease or tumors.

Dr. Rui Wang, M.D., Ph. D, and Vice President of Research at the Lakehead University said, "It’s difficult to overestimate the biological importance of hydrogen sulfide or its implications in hypertension as well as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. In fact, most human diseases probably have something to do with gasotransmitters."

Therefore, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is the latest member in the family of gasotransmitters. Essentially, it puts the brakes on mind-brain activities, relaxing vessel walls and ultimately, reduces blood pressure.