Hawthorn extract is produced from the flowers and leaves of several species of Cragtaegus. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, hawthorn has been used as a heart medication since the first century A.D. Also called English hawthorne, it is still used today in herbal medicine for heart conditions.
What is Hawthorn?
Hawthorn is a member of the rose family, usually growing as a flowering shrub or small tree. Like the rose it is often thorny, but the white, red or pink flowers are attractive and the plant also produces small red fruits known as haws, which are edible and can be used for jams, jellies or dried fruit. Latin names for the plant include Crataegus laevigata--which is also known as Crataegus oxyacanth--and Crataegus monogyna.
Hawthorn and the Heart
According to the University of Maryland, research has found hawthorn to be effective in treating heart failure. In one study in the 2003 issue of Phytomedicine, a standardized extract of hawthorn berries was compared to placebo in exercise testing of patients with cardiac failure. Patients who received hawthorn extract had a greater exercise tolerance than patients who received placebo; the medication was well-tolerated. The National Center for Complementary Medicine states that hawthorn is also used for heart conditions such as angina, a condition in which blood flow to the heart muscle is restricted. While side effects from hawthorn taken in approved doses are rare, they can include headache and palpitations, or a feeling that the heart is racing. Nausea is also one of the more common side effects. Sometimes the undesirable effects are so troubling that the medication must be discontinued, but in many cases side effects can be managed.
Drug Interactions
It is important to remember that herbal medications are not food. While the fruits may be used in jams, hawthorn extract is a medicinal product usually made with the leaves or flowers and alcohol or water; the extract may interact with other cardiac drugs. The University of Maryland specifically mentions digoxin, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers as medications affected by hawthorn, as well as the nasal decongestant phenylephrine.
Considerations and Warnings
Heart disease is a serious condition, and you should not try to self-manage with hawthorn or any other herbal medication. Always talk to your health care professional before using herbal medications
References
- University of Maryland Complementary Medicine "Hawthorn", Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD, March 2009
- National Center for complementary and Alternative Medicine Herbs at a Glance Hawthorn July 2010
- "Phytomedicine"; A Randomised Double Blind Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial of A Standardised Extract of Fresh Crataegus Berries (Crataegisan) In The Treatment Of Patients With Congestive Heart Failure NYHA II; Degenring FH, Suter A, Weber M, Saller R.; 2003
