Hawthorn is the oldest European medicinal herb. Its flowers, leaves, and berries are highly valued, especially as heart disease remedies. This plant may offer added benefits to people with high cholesterol, diabetes, and anxiety. Read on to discover more about Hawthorn and how to safely use it.<\/p>\n
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Hawthorns (Crataegus<\/i> spp<\/i>.) are thorny trees or bushes with white flowers and red berries. Although the name \u201cHawthorn\u201d originally referred to the common <\/i><\/b>hawthorn<\/b> (C<\/i>. monogyna<\/i>), it\u2019s now used for the whole genus and even for its relatives (Rhaphiolepis<\/i>) [R<\/a>+].<\/p>\n Hawthorns are native to Europe, North America, and Asia. They belong to the same family as roses and many edible fruits such as apples, pears, plums, and cherries (Rosaceae<\/i>) [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Hawthorn is the oldest known medicinal plant in Europe <\/b>and its use was first documented 2,000 years ago. In European and American folk medicine, it\u2019s used for [R<\/a>+, R<\/a>+, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Similarly, Chinese hawthorn (C<\/i>. pinnatifida<\/i>) is a traditional remedy for [R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n The German Commission E approved hawthorn use for mild heart failure in the 1980s<\/b>. Hawthorn extracts are mainly obtained from the common and English (C<\/i>. laevigata<\/i>) hawthorn, their hybrids, and other European species [R<\/a>+].<\/p>\n The extracts used in Europe and America are obtained from the berries, leaves, and flowers.<\/b> The berries must contain at least 1% procyanidins, while the leaves and flowers need a minimum flavonoid content of 1.5% [R<\/a>+].<\/p>\n Two commercial extracts have been widely investigated in clinical trials [R<\/a>+]:<\/p>\n In China, only the berries and leaves are used. There are no requirements for the berries, but leaves must contain at least 7% flavonoids and 0.05% hyperoside [R<\/a>+].<\/p>\n The berries are also eaten fresh or used to make wine, jam, and candy in both China and Europe [R<\/a>+].<\/p>\n The main active components of hawthorn are [R<\/a>+, R<\/a>+, R<\/a>+]:<\/p>\n Flavonoids are most concentrated in the flowers. Berries are also rich in them, but ripe ones less so. Leaves are higher in vitexin and oligomeric proanthocyanidins [R<\/a>, R<\/a>+].<\/p>\n Although not approved by the FDA, hawthorn extract is commercially available as a supplement, especially for heart disease. Regulations set manufacturing standards for supplements but don\u2019t guarantee that they are safe or effective. Talk to your doctor before using hawthorn supplements to avoid unexpected interactions.<\/p>\n Although conventional therapies improve the symptoms and reduce death rates, people with heart failure often have a reduced quality of life. Hawthorn can be combined with drugs and implantable devices to improve heart failure<\/b> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Hawthorn extract (240-1,800 mg\/day), both alone and as add-on therapy, improves mild heart failure<\/b> according to two meta-analyses and 8 studies on over 4k people. It increased pumping force while reducing fatigue and shortness of breath [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n However, the extract didn\u2019t improve heart failure symptoms in 2 studies on almost 3k people also taking conventional medicines; it only reduced the risk of sudden death. The dose might have been insufficient, though, since the majority of people included had moderate to severe heart failure [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Homeopathic hawthorn remedies are also used, although these might not contain active compounds. In one trial on over 200 people, homeopathic hawthorn (10-20 drops, 3x\/day) was as effective as conventional drugs. However, the study suffered from multiple flaws (lack of randomization and blinding, evaluating subjective parameters, and short follow-up) [R<\/a>+].<\/p>\n Vein blood can stagnate in the legs in people with heart failure, leading to swelling. In 2 studies on over 1k people with heart failure, hawthorn extract (900 mg\/day) reduced leg swelling [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In mice and cells, the extract reduced blood leakage from the vessels by strengthening their inner lining [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n\n
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Should You Use the Berries, Flowers, or Leaves?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Active Components<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Health Benefits of Hawthorn<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
Possibly Effective for:<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
1) Heart Failure<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
2) Swelling<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n