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Hawthorn - Uses and Benefits
Alternative Names:
Mayblossom, ,Whitethorn, Haw, Hazels, Gazels, Halves, Hagthorn, Ladies' Meat, Bread and Cheese Tree, Mayflower, May tree, Quickset Maybush.
Herb Description
Hawthorne ( Crataegus ) is deciduous plant deep-rooted to temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe , North America & Asia . Its a member of the rose family. The common name for hawthorne comes from haw , which is an old English word for 'hedge.' Hawthorne are small trees reaching to 5-15 m in height and lives to a great age, characterized by their tiny pome fruit and thorny branches. It has a single seed-vessel to each flower producing a individual fruit, which when ripe is a brilliant red and this is in tiny a stony apple. The leaves mature spirally arranged on long shoots, and in clubs on spur shoots on the branches or twigs. The leaves themselves have lobed or jagged margins and are somewhat variable shape.
Hawthorn has been used for thousands years for congestive heart failure and to aid other cardiac disorders including cardiac arrhythmia, angina, hypertension and atherosclerosis. Traditionally, hawthorn as a astringent has been used to cure sore throat and a diuretic for kidney symptoms and edema. The flowers,leaves, and berries of hawthorn have a variety of bioflavonoids that occur to be primarily responsible for the cardiac actions of the herb. These compounds are generally standardized in flower & leaf extracts, which are widely used in Europe.
Properties
- Cardiotonic.
- Coronary and peripheral vasodilator.
- Vascular tonic.
- Hypotensive.
- Relaxant.
- Diuretic.
- Astringent.
Uses and Benefits
The fresh leaves of hawthorne can be taken as a safe, and non-nicotine tobacco component for those who want to quite smoking. Heighten the flavor and help cure the throat by adding yarrow, mint, coltsfoot or mullein . Tea made from hawthorne flower can be used as a diuretic.
It berries are used to treat childhood diabetes & is one of the best cardiac tonics available, and is generally used to cure high blood pressure. Hawthorne wood is fine grained and acts well for artist renditions with inlays & delicate carvings. A hawthorne wood fire can produce fire that can melt pig iron.
Internally hawthorn is used for most heart problems & circulatory disorders & especially if person have a feeling of tightness or pressure in the heart area. Some medical observations shown a reduction in increased blood levels of pyruvic and lactic acid, normalization of chronic systole and prevention of ECG changes due to hypoxia.
Hawthorne berries, dried and mashed and taken into a decoction , mitigates dysentery & diarrhea , kidney inflammations and symptoms. Hawthorne is efficacious in the treatment of middle-aged persons showing the first signs of coronary artery symptoms, and also in older patients with 'senile' heart.
Side Effects
Some allergic reactions may occurs with hawthorne such as swelling in face or hands, Itching or hives , swelling or tingling in throat or mouth, trouble breathing & chest tightness . Stop using medicine right away & call to doctor if person have any of the above side effects.
There are some other side effects includes stomach upset, sweating, or a hand rash, tiredness, hot flashes, or a headache , dizziness . Overdosing signs & symptoms include cardiac arrhythmias, hypotension, sedation, dizziness, and tremor.
Some scientific studies shows hawthorn if consumed in large amounts can cause irregular or extra heart beats . Hawthorn is inadvisable in children below age 12 years and during pregnancy.
Dosage
- Dried fruits:
0.3 to 1 gm or by infusion .
- Liquid Extract:
1:1 in 25% alcohol, 0.5 to 1 ml. Use three times in a day.
- Tincture:
1:5 in 45% alcohol, 1 to 2 ml. Use three times in a day.
Drug Interactions
The use of anti-arrhythmia drugs simultaneously with hawthorn is not prudent due to hawthorn's own anti-arrhymic effects. Hawthorn may have a hypertensive impact when taken with beta-blockers.
Extracts of hawthorn may lead the effects of cardioactive glycosides drugs taken simultaneously. If hawthorn is taken concurrently, the dosage of conventional drugs such as digoxin, as well as convallaria, digitalis, and cactus grandiflorus will have to be reduced.
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