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 Hawthorn is a common, thorny shrub that grows up to five
feet tall on hillsides and in sunny wooded areas of North America,
Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. The Hawthorn plant produces
small berries, called haws, which sprout each May after the flowers
of the hawthorn plant bloom. Hawthorn berries are usually red when
ripe, but may be much darker. Hawthorn leaves, while usually shiny,
may grow in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Bioflavonoid
complexes (including oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs), vitexin,
quercetin, and hyperoside) found in the leaves, flowers, and berries
of hawthorn are believed responsible for the herbs positive health
and medicinal benefits. Hawthorn is well know for the cardiac
benefits it provides, including improved coronary artery blood flow
as well as improved blood flow in the extremeties. Hawthorn may also
be useful in connection with other conditions such as angina,
atherosclerosis, hypertension, and some arrhythmias. It is believed
by some professionals that chemicals in hawthorn may act directly on
the heart muscle to increase the force of heartbeats and to relax
the arteries around the heart. Hawthorn may also work indirectly by
widening blood vessels close to the surface of the skin. As a
result, it may also help to stabilize blood pressure.
Based
on evidence provided by clinical trials it has been confirmed that
hawthorn extracts benefit individuals with early-state congestive
heart failure.
In recent animal studies, results indicated
that hawthorn herb may be able to lower cholesterol levels by
reducing the production of cholesterol and by augmenting the body's
ability to breakdown cholesterol. An additional human study also
produced similar cholesterol-lowering results, but evidence is still
lacking to verify the validity or applicability of these
results.
The active contituents found in hawthorn are also
potent antioxidants.
Dosage and
Administration
Hawthorn products standardized to
contain either 4 to 20 mg flavonoids/30 to 160 mg oligomeric
procyanidins, or 1.8% vitexin rhamnoside/10% procyanidins, should be
used. When supplementing with hawthorn make sure to follow the
manufacturer's recommendations.
Hawthorn for heart failure or
angina may require at least six weeks of use, three times per day
before an effect is noticed.
Precautions and Side
Effects
Most professionals are in agreement that
hawthorn is a relatively safe herb. Notwithstanding, it is always
recommended to follow recommended dosages or consult with a doctor
before taking any supplement.
Supporting
Literature
Leuchtgens H. Crataegus special
extract WS 1442 in heart failure, NYHA II. A placebo-controlled
randomized double-blind study. Fortschr Med
1993;111:352–354.
Schmidt U, Kuhn U, Ploch M, and Hübner W-D.
Efficacy of the Hawthorn preparation LI 132 in 78 patients with
chronic congestive heart failure. Phytomed
1994;1:17–24.
Holubarsch CJ, Colucci WS, Meinertz T, Gaus W, and
Tendera M. Survival and prognosis: investigation of Crataegus
extract WS 1442 in congestive heart failure (SPICE)--rationale,
study design and study protocol. Eur J Heart Fail.
2000;2(4):431-437.
Weikl A, Assmus KD, and Neukum-Schmidt A.
Crataegus special extract WS 1442: Objective proof of efficacy in
patients withy cardiac insufficiency (NYHA II). Fortschr Med
1996;114:291–296.
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