The circulatory system consists of the heart and blood vessels. The heart pumps freshly oxygenated blood through the arteries to the organs, muscles and tissues. Alternative medicine uses herbs in treatments for circulatory conditions. Seeds, roots, berries, bark, flowers and leaves of certain plants contain medicinal qualities that improve circulation. Records of medicinal herbs date to ancient Egyptian and Chinese writings, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Hawthorn
Crataegus species, also known as hawthorn, is a thorny shrub and a member of the rose family. American doctors integrated hawthorn into treatment of poor circulation in the 1800s. The flowers and leaves of the shrubs contain antioxidant flavonoids, including oligomeric procyanidin, which dilates blood vessels, improves blood flow and protects the lining of the arteries and veins. Hawthorn leaves and flowers are used to treat heart failure or when the heart does not have enough strength to pump blood throughout the body. Hawthorn is available in capsule and solid form, in liquid extract and in tea.
Ginkgo Bilboa
Traditional medicine treats circulatory disorders with ginkgo biloba, one of the oldest living tree species in the country. Ginkgo biloba leaf extract treat intermittent claudication, a circulatory condition that causes cramps, pain and decreased blood flow in the legs. Ginkgo is available in tea, capsule or tablet form. In 2000, Dr. Max H. Pittler and Dr. Edzard Ernst, both from the University of Exeter, published research results in the American Journal of Medicine, titled "Ginkgo Biloba extract for the treatment of intermittent claudication: a meta-analysis of randomized trials." The analysis evaluated eight studies and determined ginkgo's influence on pain reduction for patients with intermittent claudication. According to the analysis, participants who took ginkgo were able to walk pain-free 34m farther than the people who took a placebo.
Bilberry
Vaccinium myrtillus, or bilberry, has been used in traditional European medicine for almost 1,000 years, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Bilberry is part of the blueberry family, and its fruit treats circulatory conditions, including venous insufficiency. Venous insufficiency occurs when insufficient blood flows from the legs to the heart. While bilberry is used in alternative medicine, the center reports that there is insufficient evidence to support bilberry's effects on circulation. The fruits and the leaves of the bilberry are used in treatment. Bilberry is also available in tea or extract form.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Bilberry
- American Heart Association: Circulatory System
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Herbal Medicine
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Hawthorn
- American Journal of Medicine: Ginkgo Biloba Extract for the Treatment of Intermittent Claudication
Member Comments