Hawthorn
Crataegus monogyna, C. orientalisA hawthorn can live more than 400 years; in Europe it is the tree of hedgerows and field boundaries.
What is Hawthorn?
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is a plant of the Rosaceae family. Traditions that use it: Anatolia and the Mediterranean. Part used: flowering twigs, fruit.
What is Hawthorn used for?
Traditional use: The fruit is eaten fresh in autumn or made into molasses. Scientific evidence: limited. The EMA recognises hawthorn leaf and flower for temporary, nervous heart complaints as traditional uses.
Is Hawthorn safe?
Safety label: caution. Can interact with heart medicines such as digoxin, beta blockers and nitrates. Should not be used for heart disease without a doctor’s knowledge.
Traditional use
The fruit is eaten fresh in autumn or made into molasses. Known as a “heart herb”; the flowering twigs are brewed for palpitations and blood pressure.
In nature
Mix-up risk
Firethorn (Pyracantha) berries look similar. A hawthorn fruit has one or more hard stones inside.
Preparation
Flowering twigs and leaves are steeped.
What science says
The EMA recognises hawthorn leaf and flower for temporary, nervous heart complaints as traditional uses. Small gains in exercise capacity have been seen in mild heart failure, but a large trial (SPICE) found no significant difference in deaths.
Safety
Can interact with heart medicines such as digoxin, beta blockers and nitrates. Should not be used for heart disease without a doctor’s knowledge.
Drug interactions
| Medicine or substance | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Digoxin and other cardiac glycosides | May increase the effect. |
| Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, nitrates | May add to blood-pressure-lowering and vessel-widening effects. |
| Erectile dysfunction drugs (such as sildenafil) | May add to the risk of low blood pressure with nitrates. |
This list is not complete. If you take regular medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor before trying Hawthorn.
Similar plants
Sources
- EMA monographCrataegi folium cum flore: European Medicines Agency herbal assessment
- NCCIHUS National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: use and safety summary
- BookBaytop T. Türkiye’de Bitkiler ile Tedavi: Geçmişte ve Bugün. 2. baskı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri; 1999.
- Botanical recordKew Plants of the World Online: Crataegus monogyna
- Titles of research sources are summarised in Turkish on the Turkish page; links open the original English publications.
Written by Edanaz Tınmazlar · Last reviewed: · Türkçe