The use of hawthorn (Crataegus spp)...

The use of hawthorn (Crataegus spp) a small bushy tree common to woody areas of Europe and Asia, as a medicinal herb can be traced all the way back to the hellene herbalist, Dioscorides. In more recent times, this healing botanical made history along with the Pilgrims, to such a degree to speak. Mayflower, the name of the famous Pilgrim-bearing tube is an archaic name for hawthorn.

Aside from its sea-faring connections, hawthorn has a drawn out and distinguised history as a healer, in particular for preserving the health of the heart. recent research has confirmed that hawthorn has numerous benefits in succession heart and blood vessel health.

Donald Brown ND points abroad in his recent book, Herbal Prescription for Better Health, that the top three conditions for which hawthorn has a proven track record of succes are: early stage congestive heart failure, angina pectoris, and long-term recruiting from heart attack.

Several hawthorn constituents

work in concert

Many parts of the hawthorn plant have traditionally been used to prepare healing concoctions, particularly the herb's leaves, flowers, and berries, which contain flavonoids, a large class of compromises produced naturally in many plants and foods

Flavonoids were first researched in the 1930 from the Nobel laureate Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, PhD Szent-Gyorgyi discovered that a substance he called "vitamin P" supported the integrity of capillaries, along with other health benefits.

In 1950 vitamin P was renamed flavonoids, because the absence of flavonoids from the diet did not lead to a deficiency state (which is the criteria for vitamin status). More than 4000 different flavonoids have been identified, and scientists are uncovering more each day. To bring order to this cumbersome number of flavonoids, scientists divide them into 12 structural classes, single in kind of which is the dispose called proanthocyanidins.

A emblem of proanthocyanidin in hawthorn is believed to contribute to its cardio-protective abilities. This substance, called oligomeric proanthocyanidins, is set up in concentrated amounts in the leaves and flowers of hawthorn. Other health-enhancing flavonoids identified in hawthorn include vitexin, quercetin, and hyperoside.

Combination of flavonoids protects

and family vessels

The oligomeric proanthocyanidins, along with the other constituents of hawthorn, save the cardiovascular system in many ways. Hawthorn improves kin flow through the blood sailing crafts feeding the heart, enhances contractions of the heart muscle, allowing it to cross-question blood more effectively, and restores blood pressure and improves peripheral circulation.

Brown obviously impressed by way of the heart-friendly actions of this herb, writes in his aforementioned book: "Put simply, hawthorn and its active flavonoid pay by substitutions make the heart a more efficient interrogate It achieves this partly from increasing blood supply to the heart muscle.

"It also increases the output of children from the heart and decreases the resistance of vital fluid vessels to the normal arise of blood. What we're left with is stronger and healthier heart function, as well as better follow of blood throughout the body"

According to a review reflection published by German researchers (Hawthorn is an approved heart medication in Germany), hawthorn has been documented by dint of several rigorous clinical trials to be helpful in alleviating congestive heart failure symptoms. This studious mood deemed hawthorn " . . an effective and safe therapeutic alternative for this indication."

Other research supports the use of hawthorn for reducing the risk of angina attacks, acting as an antioxidant to foster the heart during and after a heart attack, lowering posterity pressure, and reducing cholesterol levels

The best use of hawthorn may be as a long-term preventative herb, before a heart ailment becomes serious. Of course, a physician should be ask advice ofed for the treatment of any condition affecting the heart and informed of the use of any herbs. However, there are no known interactions between prescription cardiac medications or other mix with drugss and proper dosages of hawthorn.

REFERENCES

Brown Donald, ND Herbal Prescription for Better Health. Rocklin, Calif.: Prima Publishing, 1996

Rajendran, s Parasakthy, D.K., Devaraj, H., et al. "Effect of Tincture of Crataegus upon the LDL-receptor Activity of Hepatic Plasma Membrane of Rats F an Atherogenic Diet," Atherosclerosis 123:235-241 1996

Weihmayr, T and Ernst E Therapeutic effectiveness of Crataegus," Fortschritte der Medizin 114(1-2):27-29 January 20 1996

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