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Hawthorn and hawthorn berries - fructus crataegi

Botannical information about hawthorn

Hawthorn is a group of plants (genus) with the systematic name Crataegus. The best known species and mostly used species is the common Hawthorn, or Crataegus Monogyna. Hawthorn belongs to the subfamily Maloideae of the rose family (Rosaceae) of the order Rosales which furter belongs to the class Magniolipsida and the divisjon Magnoliaphyta. It is also called haw, hazels, mayblossom, quick thorn, whitethorn, hagthorn, halves, ladies' meat, bread and cheese tree. The fruites are called Pixie Pears, Cuckoo's Beads and Chucky Cheese.

The tree is growing in Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.

This long-living tree reaches a height of 30 feet. The tree blossoms in late spring (May to early June in its native area) in corymbs of 5-25 together. Each flower is about 1 cm wide, with five white petals, many red stamens and one style. Each flower produces a single seed-vessel with one fruit inside. The fruit is actually a pome, but resembles a berry. A pome is actually a inner fruit surrounded by a much thicker flesh. The fruit is brilliantly red when rip.

The flowers emanate a moderate scent resembling the smell of decaying matter. They are fertlized by insects that gather to lay their eggs in what they perceive as rotning matter.

C. Aronia is a related bushy species indigenous to Southern Europe and Western Asia, and giving larger fleshy fruit than C. Oxyacantha common around Jerusalem and in the Mount of Olives. where Here thy use Its fruit for preserves. Another species, C. odoratissima has a very agreeable fruit. C. Azarole has a fruit highly esteemed in Southrn Europe.


How hawthorn is used traditionally in many populations

In many old european cultures howthorn has been planted in hedges to divide land and keep out tresspassers.The word actually has the meaning hedge-thorn.

According to tradition the crown of Christ was made of hawthorn, and therefore the tree has been concidered as sacred. The smell of the flowers has also tradititionally been interpreted as the smell of the Great Plague of London.

Traditional medical use of the plant is against heart trouble and poor blood circulation.


Effective chemical constituents in hawthorn

Hawthorn contains bioflavonoids, tannins, essential oil, triterpene-carbonic acids and purine derivatives.

The bark contains the alkaloid Crataegin, isolated in greyish-white crystals, bitter in taste, soluble in water, with difficulty in alcohol and not at all in ether.

The tree also contains amydallin, a substance found also in other members of the Prunos and Pyrus groups of Rosacea.


Effect of hawthorn upon the human physiology

One most often uses the dried haws or fruits to make drugs from hawthorn.

The bioflavonides of Hawthorn are powerful anti-oxydants. They strengthen the walls of the blood vessels. They also relax and delate the arteries.

Other substances in hawthorn lower the cholesterol level and reduce placque deposited in the arterial walls.

As a consequence of these basic actions, hawthorn give the following circulatory effects:

- Increases the bloodflow and oxygen to the heart.

- Reduces blood pressure.

- Strengthen the heart's contractions and reduces irregular beats.

- Eases circulation in the heart, brain and other body organs.

- Reduces the stress to the heart.

Hawthorn enhances the erotic habilities of men and women. This action is mainly due to the improvement of circulation in the genital tissues.

Upon mucous membrnes hawthorn has an astringent action, it reduces swelling and discharges of mucuid material.

Hawthorn further eases the kidney action and acts as a diuretic. Side effects are rare. Rarely hawthorn has ben reported to cause rapid heart beats, but without serious consequences. Other reported rare side effects are: dizziness, headache, insomnia, nausea, sweating


Preparation of hawthorn before use

Hawthorn is mostly used as a fluid extract of the Berries. Normal dose is 10 to 15 drops.

An infusion of hawthorn is used to treat various heart and circulatory problems and to support Digitalis therapy.

It is also possible to make tea of the leves and drink it as such.


Use against diseases

Common uses of hawthorne are:

As a cardiac strengthener or tonic by organic heart diseases and functional heart trouble.

The astrigent action of a decoction of the flowers an berries is utilized to cure sore throuts.

As a diuretic by ny kidney trouble

The hawthorn is further used as an enhancer of sexual function. These are mainly due to the improvement of hawthorn upon the blood circulation in the genital tissue.

Hawthorn jelly or hawthorn flakes are used to aid the digestion of large amounts of meat in Chinese medicine.


Non-pharmacological uses

The stock is used for grafting of varieties of its own species and related species, for example pear and medlar.

The hawthorn wood is hard, it is finely grained and can be polished to a beutiful appearance. Therefore the wood is used to make small wooden articles, as boxes and combs.

The hawthorn wood makes perhaps the best wooden fuel known for oven-heating, producing the hottest possible wood-fire. Charcoal from hawthorn can possibly melt pig-iron without blasting.

The young leaves are good in salads. The haws are used to make wine, jelly and to add flavour to brandy.

Hawthorn berries in brandy make a good liquer.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is nutritional in nature and should not be construed as medical advice. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.