Nutraceuticals and functional foods in the prevention of hypertension induced by excessive intake of dietary salt

Persistent hypertension (HT) is medically referred to chronic high blood pressure (BP), it is also called as “silent killer” as it may not show any symptoms or sign (especially at beginning state). HT is considered as one of the major risk factors for the deadliest diseases including cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular diseases. Hence HT poses a serious socioeconomic burden worldwide, particularly to developing countries. Current treatment strategy for HT includes standard antihypertensive drugs, which are associated with many serious adverse effects. Therefore an alternative natural therapy (plant-related products—nutraceuticals/functional foods) would be the better choice to manage or combat HT and its related complications. Hence the author would like to brief the basic science behind HT including pathophysiology and its related complications and the link between dietary salt and HT as well as the possible current treatment regimen like standard antihypertensive drugs and functional foods/nutraceuticals (special focus on mechanism and clinical trials; metaanalysis) for the prevention, management (control), or delaying HT and its associated conditions.