What are the effects of hawthorn?
The leafy and flower-bearing twigs and the flowers of two different hawthorn species are used for medicinal purposes: Crataegus monogyna and C. laevigata.
Hawthorn leaves with flowers contain flavonoids and procyanidins as their most important constituents. They belong to the so-called polyphenols, which have antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals in the body.
Does hawthorn help with heart problems?
However, there is conflicting evidence about the effects of hawthorn in people with heart failure. Older short-term studies do suggest that hawthorn may have beneficial effects in sufferers. However, more recent studies do not confirm this.
The Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products noted a lack of clinical trials of medicines made from hawthorn leaves and flowers.
If you have heart problems, always clarify this medically.
Effect on high blood pressure not conclusively clarified.
Animal studies show that hawthorn can relax constricted blood vessels and thereby lower blood pressure. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), hawthorn berries are one of the most commonly recommended foods for high blood pressure.
In addition, researchers found anti-inflammatory properties from hawthorn extracts in laboratory and animal studies.
But both for the effect on blood pressure and on inflammation or cholesterol levels, further studies with humans are important to make reliable statements.
The effect of hawthorn on the psyche is also currently being investigated. Possibly the medicinal plant helps with anxiety. But further research is also needed here.
What is hawthorn used for?
It is important: A doctor should always rule out serious diseases beforehand.
The polyphenols (antioxidants) contained in hawthorn may also have a positive effect on the following complaints:
- type 2 diabetes
- @ Asthma
- cardiovascular diseases
- some types of cancer
- premature skin aging
How is hawthorn used?
Medicinal use is mainly the hawthorn leaves with flowers – preferably in various finished preparations such as tablets, capsules, dragées, drops or juice. Buy standardized finished preparations. They guarantee the effective amount of ingredients. It is important that you take the preparations regularly and for a longer period of time.
Consult the respective package insert and your doctor or pharmacist for information on how to use and dose the hawthorn preparations correctly.
Tea made from dried hawthorn leaves is not suitable for heart disease. However, it helps with flatulence or restlessness.
It is prepared exclusively from the leaves with flowers:
You can drink one cup three to four times a day for several weeks. The daily dose is three to six grams of the medicinal drug.
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limits. If your symptoms persist for a long period of time, do not get better or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
What side effects can hawthorn cause?
What you should consider when using hawthorn
Hawthorn is usually used in addition (adjuvant) to pharmaceutical therapy of heart failure. Discuss the use of the medicinal plant first with your attending physician – especially because simultaneous use with other medications can have negative consequences! There is an interaction with, among others, cardiac drugs and other herbal preparations.
It is also not recommended for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as for children under twelve years of age, since no scientific studies are available on this subject.
How to obtain hawthorn products
In pharmacies and many drugstores you can obtain various dosage forms of hawthorn. For the type and duration of intake, please read the package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist.
What is hawthorn?
The common hawthorn is native to southern and northern Europe, northern Africa, and various Asian regions. The two-handled hawthorn occurs wild throughout Europe and is cultivated in America. Both grow as shrubs or trees, for example, in deciduous forests, shrubberies, hedges, gardens and parks.
Small, bright red drupes develop from the flowers of both hawthorn species, which are arranged in clusters.
