Effectiveness of consuming celery leaf decoction (Apium graveolens) in reducing cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP)

Hypertension is a degenerative disease among the highest causes of death worldwide, including in Indonesia. Celery leaf (Apium graveolens) decoction is an effective and affordable non-pharmacological therapy for managing blood pressure and cholesterol levels in patients with hypertension. We aim to determine the effectiveness of consuming Celery leaf decoction in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels in hypertension patients. This study was experimental, with a pre-post-design of 74 hypertension patients. Respondents were randomly divided into three groups; control (treated with antihypertensive, n=28), 250 CLD (consuming 250 ml celery leaf decoction, n=22), and 150 CLD (consuming 150 ml celery leaf decoction, n=24). After consuming CLD for a month, all groups were tested for cholesterol level, systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure. A paired-sample t-test was used to determine whether there was a statistically significant parameter among the groups. Our results showed significant differences in systolic, diastolic blood pressure, and MAP before and after consuming 250 CLD and 150 CLD (p-value 0.00). Meanwhile, consuming the same dose could decrease cholesterol levels (p-value 0.00). Consuming 250 ml or 150 ml of celery leaf decoction daily for a month can significantly lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and MAP in hypertension patients.