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Hawthorn
Description:
Hawthorn is a thorny shrub with small white flowers and stinky red berries, often used in hedging. It grows in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.
Hawthorn is also known as whitethorn and mayflower – the famed ship Mayfower was named after the hawthorn blossom. It’s said that Christ wore a crown made from hawthorn at his Crucifixion; which is why the plant has been traditionally associated with bad luck and death. This is unwarranted, however, as hawthorn is actually quite a potent tonic for promoting heart health. In fact, this herb is one of the most widely prescribed heart remedies in Europe.
Hawthorn can dilate blood vessels, increase the heart’s energy and enhance its pumping action. The herb is rich in flavonoids - such as procyanidolic oligomers and glycosides such as vitexin, which have powerful cardiac effects. Hawthorn has also been given heart-healthy credit for expanding arteries, improving blood flow, reducing blood pressure and blocking enzymes that weaken the heart muscle. Hawthorn is also an antioxidant that may protect against plaque buildup in the coronary arteries. If you suffer from mild angina, hypertension, congestive heart failure or cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), ask your health practitioner about hawthorn supplements.
Some studies have shown hawthorn to be beneficial for insomnia and arthritis as well.
Properties & Uses:
Antispasmodic - an agent which relieves or prevents spasms, usually of the smooth muscles; barbiturates and valerian are examples of antispasmodics.
Cardiac - a substance which stimulates heart metabolism and strengthens contractions, and may at times cause a slowing of heart rate due to more efficient activity.
Sedative - a class of drugs which function to quiet nervous excitement and reduce motor activity without inducing sleep. They are used in the management of neuroses and in the treatment of anxiety and apprehension accompanying various disease states such as hypertension. Sedatives commonly function to induce reversible depression of the central nervous system. Examples of this class are phenobarbital, secobarbital sodium, and pentobarbital.
Vasodilator - an agent which causes dilation of blood vessels.
Hawthorne berries are very effective for relieving insomnia. A poultice of crushed leaves or fruit has strong draining powers and has been used in England for centuries for the treatment of embedded thorns and splinters, and some sores. The fruits are used for nervousness and also to prevent miscarriage. It has been known for centuries as a treatment for heart disease. Regular use increases cardiovascular health. It is an excellent heart tonic; it dilates peripheral blood vessels, increase metabolism in the heart muscle, dilates coronary vessels, and improves blood supply to the heart. The herb also acts to abolish rhythm disturbances.
Several of hawthorn's most active constituents are cholines, chlorogenic acid, caffeinic acid, and ascorbic acid. The constituents in hawthorn berries work together to help prevent coronary thrombosis and cardiac arrest. The choline present in the berries is the main principle in lecithin, which helps to control cholesterol by breaking fat into tiny particles which can then pass very easily into the tissues of the body.
Toxicity Levels:
No toxicity has been attributed directly to hawthorn. However, since it is an active cardiotonic herb, users should exercise extreme caution when combining this herb with other cardiac drugs
Recommended Dietary Allowances:
Extracts of the leaves and flowers are most commonly used in modern herbal medicine. Hawthorn extracts standardized for total bioflavonoid content (usually 2.2%) or oligomeric procyanidins (usually 18.75%) are often suggested. Many doctors recommend 80–300 mg of the herbal extract in capsules or tablets two to three times per day.10 If traditional berry preparations are used, the recommendation is at least 4–5 grams per day or a tincture of 4–5 ml three times daily. However, this form has not been clinically studied. Hawthorn is slow acting and may take one to two months for maximum effects to be seen. However, it appears to be safe and should be considered a long-term therapy.
Food Sources:
Hawthorn is commonly found in Europe, western Asia, North America, and North Africa. Modern medicinal extracts primarily use the leaves and flowers. Traditional preparations use the fruit.
Side Effects & Interactions:
Hawthorn is safe for long-term use. People taking prescription cardiac medications should consult with their doctor before using hawthorn-containing products. Reports of hawthorn interacting with digitalis to augment its effects have not been confirmed in clinical trials. There are no apparent restrictions to use of hawthorn during pregnancy or breast-feeding.
References:
1. Weikl A, Noh HS. The influence of Crataegus on global cardiac insufficiency. Herz Gefabe 1993;11:516–24.
2. Loew D. Pharmacological and clinical results with Crataegus special extracts in cardiac insufficiency. ESCOP Phytotelegram 1994;6:20–6.
3. Bahorun T, Trotin F, Pommery J, et al. Antioxidant activities of Crataegus monogyna extracts. Planta Med 1994;60:323–8.
4. Weihmayr T, Ernst E. Therapeutic effectiveness of Crataegus. Fortschr Med 1996;114:27–9 [in German].
5. Schmidt U, Kuhn U, Ploch M, Hübner W-D. Efficacy of the Hawthorn (Crataegus) preparation LI 132 in 78 patients with chronic congestive heart failure defined as NYHA functional class II. Phytomed 1994;1:17–24.
6. Leuchtgens H. Crataegus special extract WS 1442 in heart failure, NYHA II. A placebo-controlled randomized double-blind study. Fortschr Med 1993;111:352–4.
7. Weikl A, Assmus KD, Neukum-Schmidt A, et al. Crataegus special extract WS 1442: Objective proof of efficacy in patients withy cardiac insufficiency (NYHA II). Fortschr Med 1996;114:291–6.
8. Tauchert M, Ploch M, Hübner W-D. Effectiveness of hawthorn extract LI 132 compared with the ACE inhibitor Captopril: Multicenter double-blind study with 132 patients NYHA stage II. Münch Med Wochenschr 1994;132(suppl):S27–33.
9. Hanack T, Brückel M-H. The treatment of mild stable forms of angina pectoris using Crataegutt (R) Novo. Therapiewoche 1983;33:4331–3 [in German].
10. Brown DJ. Herbal Prescriptions for Better Health. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1996, 139–44.