Hawthorn -- a short, thorny shrub and member of the rose family -- has been used for centuries to treat heart disease and as a digestive aid in traditional Chinese medicine. Hawthorn supplements are made from the leaves, flowers and berries of the plant and contain the antioxidant flavonoids oligomeric procyanidins and quercetin, which help fight against free radicals in your body. Researchers believe hawthorn works by dilating the smooth muscles in your coronary vessels, allowing them to increase blood flow throughout your body.
Heart Failure
Evidence suggests that hawthorn may be effective in improving heart function in individuals with heart failure -- a condition where your heart is not able to pump enough blood through your body to your organs and tissues. Hawthorn has also been seen to improve capacity for exercise in patients with heart failure. In addition, a study comparing the use of a hawthorn extract with medication for treatment of heart failure found that patients taking hawthorn extract saw significant decreases in the three primary symptoms of heart failure: shortness of breath, fatigue and heart palpitations.
Chest Pain
Hawthorn has also been studied for its effectiveness in treating angina, a symptom of coronary heart disease where chest pain is caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart. A preliminary study found that hawthorn helped improve blood flow to the heart in patients with angina and allowed them to exercise longer without pain. More studies are needed to determine hawthorn's effectiveness in relieving symptoms of angina.
Hypertension
While its effect on patients with high blood pressure has not been studied directly, some researchers believe that hawthorn may help lower blood pressure. A study looking at hawthorn's effects on type 2 diabetes found that patients taking hawthorn supplements in addition to their prescribed medications saw a significant decrease in their diastolic blood pressure, although no difference in their systolic blood pressure. These researchers suggest further research is needed on hawthorn's hypotensive properties in nondiabetics.
Warnings
Hawthorn use by adults is generally considered safe when taken in the recommended dosages, but it should not be taken by children. You should not use hawthorn to self-medicate a heart-related condition, and be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning use of hawthorn. Rare side effects of hawthorn include headache, nausea and heart palpitations. If you begin to experience additional pain, angina attacks or exhaustion from exercise while taking hawthorn, stop use immediately and get medical attention. Hawthorn should also not be used if you are pregnant or nursing.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Hawthorn
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Hawthorn
- "Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd"; Prospective, Comparative Cohort Studies and Their Contribution to the Benefit Assessments of Therapeutic Options: Heart Failure Treatment With and Without Hawthorn Special Extract WS 1442; M. Habs; August 2004
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Hawthorn
- "The British Journal of General Practice"; Hypotensive Effects of of Hawthorn for Patients With Diabetes Taking Prescription Drugs: A Randomised Controlled Trial; Ann Walker et al.; June 2006
