Food Supplement Based on L-Arginine and Grape Extract for the Control of Blood Pressure

Abstract

The treatment of most patients with elevated blood pressure requires drug therapy, as well as lifestyle measures to achieve optimal blood pressure control. There are numerous side effects resulting from the use of these drugs: from the persistent dry cough of ACE inhibitors, to the headache, dizziness and tiredness of CCBs, to the slow heartbeat and sleep disturbances of betablockers. Scientific research in recent years is focusing attention on safer alternative therapeutic remedies, possibly of natural origin, also in support of classic pharmacological therapies, in order to reduce the doses of active ingredients and, consequently, their side effects. The present project aims to clinically test a nutraceutical product consisting of a formulation based on L-arginine and grape pomace extract of the Aglianico cultivar microencapsulated into maltodextrin. The formulation acts by: favoring the NO-soluble GC (sGC)-cGMP pathway; with an antioxidant effect on the heme group Fe+2, with a greater production of cGMP. The study involves the enrollment of 80 patients in 3 internal medicine units adhering to FADOI Campania. The treatment involves 1 tablet/ day. Project duration for each UOC: 80 days.