by
Ashley McBrearty, Jason Cao, and Chuck Yurkon
Wilkes University, Wilke-Barre,
PA
July 2005
Hawthorn is a small tree or large shrub in the genus Crataegus that is classified in the
Rosaceae (the rose family). It was described as far back as
Theophrastus’s History of Plants, about 2,300 years ago (Dickinson,
2003). Crataegus
contains approximately 300 different species. Crataegus has white
or red flowers, pronounced thorns, and colorful berries. It is
often used as a hedgerow (Foster, 2000).
Crataegus has been used
medically by the Native Americans to treat a variety of disorders,
including those of the digestive, renal, and cardiovascular systems
(Foster, 2000). Chinese medical uses included treatment of scurvy
and digestive disorders as well as an antidote to poisoning (Foster,
2000). The hawthorn plant received very little mention in Greek
and Roman herbals, aside from the edible quality of its berries
(Foster, 2000).
Hawthorn is considered a heart tonic herb and has been found to be
beneficial in the treatment of circulatory disorders such as
hypertension, hyperlipidemia and in particular, congestive heart failure (Foster, 2000). The beneficial effects are mainly
due to flavonoids and oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs) which are found in
the flowers and berries of hawthorn (Dickinson, 2005). Flavonoids
and OPCs have antioxidant properties which allow them to scavenge free
radicals. While found naturally in the body, the number of free
radicals increases dramatically with environmental stresses such as UV
light, radiation, cigarette smoke and air pollution. Free
radicals may contribute to the aging process as well as the development
of heart diseases (Dickinson, 2005). Flavonoids can dilate coronary
vessels and thereby reducing blood pressure. However, hawthorn's
long-term effectiveness is still being studied (Degenring et al.
2003).
Many studies have confirmed the use of hawthorn in treating
hypertension accompanied by a weak heart, angina pectoris, and
arteriosclerosis. The cardiovascular effects of hawthorn in these
studies are believed to be the result of positive inotropic activity
which allows the heart muscle to contract more strongly, along with the
ability to increase the durability of the blood vessel wall and improve
coronary blood flow (Rigelsky and Sweet, 2002). In a study done
by Rigelsky and Sweet (2002), New York Heart Association (NYHA)
functional class II congestive heart failure (CHF) patients showed a
positive response of improved coronary blood flow and oxygen
utilization in a clinical trial to the recommended daily dose of
hawthorn (equivalent to 3.5-19.8 mg flavonoids) with few minor side
effects. In another study done by Degenring et al. (2003), a
significant improvement occurred in NYHA II patients who showed a
dramatic increase in exercise tolerance due to the fact that dyspnoea
and fatigue did not occur until a significant wattage was reached in a
bicycle exercise. In both studies, further research is being done
on the long-term effects of the hawthorn therapy with the standardized
extract of fresh hawthorn berries (Degenring et al. 2003).
In Germany, hawthorn leaves and flowers have already been approved for
treating early stages of congestive heart failure, age-related heart
disorders and mild arrhythmias in Germany (Foster and Duke,
2000). However, the use of their berries has not yet been
approved in treating any disorders.
Hawthorns do not have too
many harmful side effects. The biggest risk with this remedy is that
the patient runs an increased risk of death if hawthorn is used instead
of conventional medical treatment for serious conditions (Miller 1998).
Chemicals in hawthorn have been shown to increase the force of
heartbeats and on the blood vessels to relax the arteries around the
heart, but they decrease the rate of heartbeats. In some rare cases,
hawthorn can cause rapid or erratic heartbeat. Hawthorn also has been
reported to cause dizziness, headache, insomnia, nausea, and sweating
(Mashour et.al., 1998).