BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF CHLOROGENIC ACIDS ON ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

Hypertension is a worldwide condition considered as the most important risk factor in the development of the cardiovascular disease. The contribution of the oxidative stress in its pathophysiology is a well known fact. Polyphenols are potent antioxidant compounds able to mitigate the damage produced by reactive oxygen species. Chlorogenic acids are polyphenols occurring in many dietary sources but primarily in green coffee extracts. Several studies have shown their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the last decades there have been performed several clinical trials showing that the use of these compounds decrease the systolic and diastolic blood pressures probably by increasing the bioavailability of nitric oxide and improving the endothelium function. These properties could be the bases for supporting an important adjuvant therapy for the treatment of essential hypertension