The Medicinal Uses of Hawthorn

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

Hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) has been used for food and medicine for millennia.[1]  It is found all over the western US in forests and meadows, but most especially along streams and creeks.  Like their apple and rose relations, hawthorn flowers are five-petaled and white to pinkish.  The mature fruits, called haws or mayhaws, are red to purple and about the size of a large pea.  The haws are edible, though not all that sweet or flavorful.  They are often combined with other fruits to make leather and were used by Native Americans in making pemmican.[2]  The haws are, like apples, very rich in pectin and used to make jam and jelly.  The seeds are very hard and may cause dental issues if chewed or bitten.  Native Americans used the thorns to lance boils and probe wounds.[3]

Medicinally, hawthorn's primary utility is in managing heart conditions.  It is one of the very best herbs for treating and preventing arteriosclerosis.[4]  In addition, it is especially beneficial when heart tissue has been damaged by ischemia or infarction.[5]  Because one of hawthorn's chiefest actions is to dilate coronary vessels, it is especially indicated in treating hypertension, angina pectoris, and palpitations.[6]  Arrhythmias and tachycardia are also alleviated.[7]  Because hawthorn has a very gradual, mild action, it must be taken for months for maximum effect.  It is definitely not a quick fix.[8]

Hawthorn works synergistically with bugleweed for lowering blood pressure.[9]

The leaf and flower are used in Europe for managing the early stages of congestive heart failure.  Studies demonstrated that it was nearly as effective as conventional pharmaceuticals, without any of the side effects.  It is considered very safe for long-term use.

Infusion:  Berry, leaf, and flower infusions, 1 teaspoon dried plant matter in 4-8 ounces hot water.  Steep 10-15 minutes.  May take 2-3 times per day.[10]

Tincture:  Fresh flowering branches, 1:2, 60% alcohol.  Dried berries, 1:5, 60% alcohol.[11]  Buhner recommends a dosage of 10-30 drops up to 3 times per day; Kane advises 30-60 drops 2-3 times per day.  The fresh plant tincture is best for treating heart conditions in those dealing with grief, loss, and depression.[12]

Caution:  Scratches to the eye from the hawthorn thorn may cause blindness.[13]

Contraindications:  Not for use by children or pregnant or nursing women.  Heart medications may need to be adjusted when using hawthorn.  Obviously, if you have a heart condition, you shouldn't take any medication, conventional or herbal, without consulting with your physician.

References:
[1] Jennifer Edwards, et al., "A Review of the Chemistry of the Genus Crataegus," Phytochemistry, July 2012, 79:5-26, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22608128, accessed 9 June 2020.
[2] Steven Foster and Christopher Hobbs, Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 295.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 161-165.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 295; Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 161-165. Ilkay Erdogan Orhan, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Activity Profile of Crataegus oxyacantha L (Hawthorn), A Cardiogenic Herb," Current Medicinal Chemistry, 2018, 25(37), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27655074/ (accessed 9 June 2020).
[7] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 161-165.
[8] Linda Kershaw, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, 64; Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 295. Adriane Fugh-Berman, "Herbs and Dietary Supplements in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, Preventive Cardiology, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1520-037X.2000.80355.x (accessed 9 June 2020).
[9] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 161-165.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Stephen Buhner, Herbal Antibiotics, 369.
[12] Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 161-165.
[13] Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, 295; Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 161-165.