The effects of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga on some physiological and biochemical parameters in mild hypertensive patients.

An open label intervention study was undertaken on 26 mild hypertensives and 26 apparently healthy adults (30-60 y), for the effect of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga practice for two months as complementary therapy. In the hypertensives, there was a significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.01), serum urea (P < 0.01) and plasma MDA (malondialdehyde adducts) as oxidative stress marker (P < 0.05). Other parameters; viz.; plasma levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, did not change significantly (P > 0.1). The pattern of change in most of the study parameters was such that values above normal range were lowered but values within normal range were unaltered. The action of Yoga on diastolic blood pressure, malondialdehyde adducts and kidney function in hypertensives was of counteractive nature and felt to be distinctly different than the effect of drugs.