Hawthorn, a member of the rose family, is a genus of shrubs and small trees native to parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Herbalists use hawthorn leaves, flowers and berries to treat hypertension. Some scientific research has shown potential benefits of hawthorn for the treatment of diabetes. Consult your doctor before using hawthorn to treat diabetes.
Blood Pressure
Hawthorn reduces blood pressure in diabetics, according to a study published in the June 2006 issue of the "British Journal of General Practice." In the study, patients with type 2 diabetes took 1,200 mg per day of hawthorn extract for 16 weeks. The majority of participants also took high blood pressure medication. Researchers observed significant decrease in blood pressure in the hawthorn group compared to a control group that did not take hawthorn. No adverse effects of drug-herb interactions were noted, in the study.
Antioxidant Benefits
Hawthorn was found to exert significant antioxidant properties in a study published in the October 2005 issue of the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology." Hawthorn is traditionally used in Arab herbal medicine to treat cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and sexual dysfunction. The study showed hawthorn prevents oxidation of beta carotene and preserves levels of the antioxidant glutathione, among other antioxidant functions. Hawthorn also scavenges free radicals, which can accumulate to high levels in diabetics and cause cell damage throughout the body. The researchers concluded that hawthorn's health benefits may largely be due to its multiple antioxidant effects.
Combination Therapy
A study published in the "Indian Journal of Experimental Biology," May 2000, reported that a combination of vitamin E, eugenol -- an essential oil derived from such plants as cinnamon, clove and basil -- and hawthorn extract prevented oxidation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL, the bad form of cholesterol in diabetic patients.
Moderate Effects
Hawthorn was listed among a variety of herbs used in traditional Jordanian medicine in a study published in the February 2008 issue of the "Pakistani Journal of Biological Science." Researchers categorized the plants into three groups: high, moderate and low antioxidant capacity. Stems and leaves of Crataefus azarolus exhibited moderate antioxidant capacity, in this study.
Various Benefits
The book "The pH Miracle for Diabetes" describes hawthorn as having a variety of protective effects for the heart and cardiovascular system in diabetes. Hawthorn improves blood flow to the heart, decreases blood pressure, normalizes heart rate and rhythm and improves the heart's energy efficiency. Angina and atherosclerosis also respond well to supplementation with hawthorn. Additionally, hawthorn has a high safety profile.
References
- "British Journal of General Practice"; Hypotensive Effects of Hawthorn for Patients with Diabetes Taking Prescription Drugs: a Randomized Controlled Trial; A.F. Walker et al.; June 2006
- "Journal of Ethnopharmacology"; Antioxidant Activity of Crataegus Aronia Aqueous Extract Used in Traditional Arab Medicine in Israel; P. Ljubuncic et al.; October 2005
- "Indian Journal of Experimental Biology"; Effect of Eugenol and Tincture of Crataegus (TCR) on In Vitro Oxidation of LDL + VLDL Isolated from Plasma of Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Patients; K. Rajalakshmi et al.; May 2000
- "Pakistan Journal of Biological Science"; Antioxidant Activity of Some Jordanian Medicinal Plants Used Traditionally for Treatment of Diabetes; A.H. Al Mustafa et al.; February 2008
- "The PH Miracle for Diabetes"; Robert O. Young, PhD.; 2004
