by Brianna Galvin
Wilkes University,
Wilkes-Barre,
PA
July 2017
Hawthorn, Crataegus
sp, is a shrubby member of the rose family (Rosaceae).
Hawthorn produces white or red white flowers, which in
turn produce colorful pomes, and protects itself with
thorn armature (Ehrlich, 2015). The genus Crataegus
contains around two hundred species, mostly native to the
north temperate zone. Crataegus oxyacantha
and Crataegus laevigata are two species recognized
for their medicinal benefits by the European Pharmacopeia
(Orhan, 2016).
The use of hawthorn has been documented globally for
centuries (Plants Profile, 1999). Beginning
with Greek and Roman culture, herbals have discussed the
edibility of Crataegus’s brightly colored pomes
(Foster, 2009). In Asia, medical uses of hawthorn include
the treatment of heart and blood ailments such as
hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and angina pectoris. The
Chinese use hawthorn to treat heart ailments as well as to
treat scurvy, digestive ailments, and even to counteract
certain poisonings (Foster, 2009). Native Americans
treated digestive and cardiovascular ailments, such as
diarrhea, dysentery, and cramping by using the hawthorn
plant (Foster 2009).
Since middle to late 20th century, hawthorn has gained
recognition for its heart-healthy benefits, and its
usefulness in treating circulatory disorders such as
hypertension, hyperlipidemia and, congestive heart failure
(Foster, 2009). The active chemicals that benefit
heart health are flavonoids, which are easy to extract as
they are found in high yields, and oligomeric procyanidins
(OPCs), found in the flowers and berries of hawthorn
(Dickinson, 2005). Flavonoids can dilate coronary
vessels and thereby reducing blood pressure. These
chemicals also contain antioxidant properties that
scavenge for free radicals. Free radicals naturally
occur within the body; however, the quantity increases
with environmental stresses such as radiation, UV light,
air pollution. Studies have shown that free radicals
contribute to the development of cardiovascular disorders
(Dickinson, 2005). Since discovering their heart-healthy
benefits, scientists have focused on attempting to isolate
the flavonoids as well as other potentially beneficial
chemicals found within the hawthorn plant.
A recent study by Abu-Gharbieh and Ng (2017) found that
3β-O-acetyl ursolic acid taken from hawthorn leaves
contains antihyperglycemic and antiperlipidemic
protentional that prove effective in treating
hyperglycemia. This study investigated the hypoglycemic
effect of hawthorn extracts in type II diabetic (T2DM) rat
model. A 2017 study by Aierken et al., investigated
the hypoglycemic effect of hawthorn extracts in Type II
diabetic rats. They found that hawthorn extracts increased
pancreatic plasma insulin release and decreased blood
glucose levels (Aierken et al, 2017).
In a 2003 study, scientists preformed a clinical trial to
determine the usefulness of hawthorn extract in treating
patients with chronic heart failure. They found that
symptoms such as dyspnea, or shortness of breath, and
fatigue improved significantly with the hawthorn treatment
when compared to the placebo results. While the hawthorn
extract did not cure chronic heart failure, it can be used
as an adjunctive or symptom reliever for that ailment
(Pittler 2003). Holubarsch et al. (2008) investigated the
efficacy and safety of an add-on treatment with Crataegus
extract WS 1442 in patients with congestive heart
failure. They found that WS 1442 was safe to use in
patients receiving heart failure medication, and that WS
1442 had the potential to reduce the incidence of sudden
cardiac death in patients with less compromised left
ventricular function (Holubarsh et al, 2008). Dalli
et al. (2008) studied the effects of a dry extract of
leaves and flowers of Crataegus laevigata on
various functional outputs of human neutrophils in vitro.
They found that C. laevigata extract inhibited
various functional outputs of activated human neutrophils,
such as extracellular calcium entry into calcium-depleted
neutrophils, which relates to the pathophysiology of
cardiac failure (Dalli et al, 2008).
A study by Haydari et al. (2017) found that the
hydroalcoholic extract of Crataegus has
antihypertensive effects, which may be partly due to
antioxidant and nitric oxide releasing effects. In 2016,
Rastogi et al. explored the cardiovascular effects of four
traditional botanicals including Crataegus oxyacantha,
finding that while the mechanism of its action is unknown,
there is enough evidence to support its efficacy in the
treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Treatment using the hawthorn plant may result in
dizziness, nausea, and other digestive symptoms (NCCIH,
2016). The overall use of Crataegus as a singular
treatment of cardiovascular disorders rather than the use
of conventional medicine, increases the rate death within
a patient (NCCIH, 2016). Another potential risk of using
hawthorn medicinally occurs with possible interactions
with other medications. Some possible interactions include
enhancing the effects of digoxin, which regulates
irregular heartbeats. In a laboratory study,
hawthorn counteracted the effects of the vasoconstrictor
phenylephrine found in nasal decongestants. Overall the
risks of interactions need to be explored in more depth
order to determine the safety of hawthorn as a medication
(Hawkins, 2007).
While the use of hawthorn in medicine has existed for
centuries, the extent of its medical benefits has yet to
be fully explored. Through more experimentation and
research, the medical community may gain a more complete
understanding of the short and long-term benefits of this
herbal medicine. If experimentation continues
pushing toward clinical trials resulting in favorable
outcomes, Crataegus could become an important
medicinal treatment in cardiovascular disorders.