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Crataegus oxycantha - Hawthorn
Rosaceae
Description:
There are several hundred varieties of Hawthorn, and all have
medicinal properties. They
are of two major types, and the one with a single hard stone in the berry
is the herb used for cardiovascular problems. The leaf resembles somewhat that
of a small oak leaf. Other
varieties of Hawthorn also contain valuable antioxidants, but no evidence
yet that they are useful for the heart.
Parts Used: Flowers, leaves, fruit
Folklore: The tree was
formerly regarded as sacred, as it was believed that it had furnished the
Crown of Thorns.
Harvesting & Processing: Gather flowers & leaves in June, fruits in
September-October
Active Constituents: Oligomeric procyanidins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins,
amines.
Actions: Heart tonic, moderates blood pressure, antioxidant, and
collagen stabilizing. Reduces inflammation, regulates heart beat, reduces
spasm, dilates peripheral blood vessels, especially coronary arteries, and
restores normal heart function.
Indications:
Dosages: Three times a day
Tea: 1.5 - 3.5g dried flower, leaf or
berry per day. Infusion (flowers, leaves) – 10-15 minutes. Decoction (berries) - simmer 20
minutes
Tablets - 400-500mg 3 times a day
Tincture: 1:5, 45%.
Dose 2-10ml (1/2 – 2 tsps.), 3 times a day.
A home tincture can be made by dropping the berries in brandy
and letting it sit for several weeks.
Contraindications: None
References: Grieve – A Modern Herbal, Bartram
– Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine