Hawthorn or English Hawthorn
is a spiny, flowering shrub or small tree
of the rose family. The species of hawthorn discussed here are native to
northern European regions and grow throughout the world.
Common Names--hawthorn, English hawthorn, harthorne, haw,
hawthorne
Latin Names--Crataegus laevigata (also known as Crataegus oxyacantha),
Crataegus monogyna
- What Hawthorn Is Used For
- Hawthorn fruit has been used as an herbal remedy for
heart disease since the first century. It has also been used for digestive
and kidney problems.
- More recently, hawthorn leaf and flower have been used
for heart failure, a weakness of the heart muscle that prevents the heart
from pumping enough blood to the rest of the body, which can lead to fatigue
and limit physical activities.
- Hawthorn is also used for other heart conditions,
including symptoms of coronary artery disease (such as angina).
- Hawthorn is also used as an herb to lower blood pressure, and treat some
heart related diseases.
- How Hawthorn Is Used
The hawthorn leaf and flower are used to make liquid extracts, usually with
water and alcohol. Dry extracts can be put into capsules and tablets.
- Hawthorn is commonly used in Europe as a hedge plant.
- Hawthorns are also known as ornamental trees and most recommended for
water-conservation landscapes.
- What the Science Says about Hawthorn
- There is scientific evidence that hawthorn leaf and
flower are safe and effective for milder forms of heart failure.
- There is not enough scientific evidence to determine
whether hawthorn works for other heart problems.
- NCCAM is supporting research studying the mechanisms by
which hawthorn may affect heart failure.
- Side Effects and Cautions of Hawthorn
- Hawthorn is considered safe for most adults when used for
short periods of time. Side effects are usually mild and can include upset
stomach, headache, and dizziness.
- Drug interactions with hawthorn have not been thoroughly
studied. It was once thought that hawthorn interacted with the heart
medicine digoxin. However, a very small study in people without heart
conditions found no interaction, but evidence is limited.
- Tell your health care providers about any complementary
and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do
to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
What's an Herb? An herb is a plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential
therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and
roots. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take
to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed
health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and
fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not
effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
Dietary supplement is a
product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino
acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for
dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.
To use an herbal product as safely as
possible:
-
Consult your doctor first
-
Do not take a bigger dose than the label
recommends
-
Take it under the guidance of a trained
medical professional
-
Be especially cautious if you are pregnant or
nursing
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Why should I use herbal products?
The decision to use herbs to improve your
health is, as with all health decisions, a personal one. There are, however,
many good reasons to consider herbal products to complement your own
health care methods. One of the best reason, however, may be the fact that
herbs and herbal products, continue to provide real health benefits while
maintaining a remarkable safety profile. Readily available natural
substances were the first medicines used by humans. Primitive and ancient
civilizations as well as contemporary cultures throughout the world have
always relied on herbs to provide the benefits that have been observed with
their use. In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that 80
percent of the world's population continues to use traditional therapies, a
major part of which are derived from plants, as their primary health care
tools. In our own time and culture, most herbs are available in the form of
"herbal supplements." These products are found in the form of teas, tablets,
capsules, liquid extracts, and others. We now have ready access to products
that bring the herbal traditions from all over the world in a variety of
convenient forms. In addition, scientific inquiries continue to develop our
knowledge of the benefits of plants, and often validate the observations
made over the past centuries.
Are herbs safe?
Plants that enjoy broad culinary and
therapeutic usage are generally safe. We can flavor our food with any number
of herbs to make a meal more flavorful. We can appreciate a delicious cup of
peppermint leaf or ginger root tea, or benefit from the soothing properties
of marshmallow root or the bark of slippery elm. We can take an herbal
supplement containing dandelion root or saw palmetto berries, or any number
of the other herbs. Although allergies and reactions have been recorded for
a few herbs that are widely used in foods and supplements, such individual
concerns are also seen with many foods, and do not diminish the safety
profile of the many herbs that are generally recognized as safe. On the
other hand, and as everyone knows, there are any number of plants that are
highly toxic, even deadly.
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