Medicinal Plants Traditionally Utilized in Ethiopia for the Treatment of Hypertension: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction: Around the world, hypertension is one of the main causes of illness. Bioactive chemicals found in plant-derived compounds are abundant and can be used to treat a wide variety of illnesses. Providing up-to-date information on Ethiopian medicinal plants used to treat hypertension is the goal of this review. Methods: English papers were systematically reviewed using Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Cochrane library. There was no time constraint for the paper search. Key terms and phrases were extracted from the titles, abstracts, and keywords of the research articles. The used keywords included "Traditional medicinal plants" and "Hypertension." Through my search, 314 papers were found, 170 of which were chosen following a review of the titles and abstracts; ultimately, 14 were included in the research. Result: A total of 19 medicinal plant species were distributed to 18 genera and 14 families. The plant families with the highest number of medicinal species were Lamiaceae and Rutaceae, each accounting for four species. Herbs constituted the most prevalent growth form, accounting for 52.6%, with leaves being the most commonly utilized part for medicinal preparations. The predominant method for remedy preparation was crushing, which accounted for 31.6%, while the primary mode of administration for treating hypertension was oral, representing 94.7%. Conclusion: The current study highlights the therapeutic potential of bioactive chemicals produced from traditional medicinal plant species and details how these plants are utilized to treat hypertension. To ascertain the pharmacological and phytochemical analyses related to the patient's treatment of hypertension with traditional medicinal herbs, more investigation is necessary.