Traditional Uses of Hawthorn

Medicinal Trees > Traditional uses of hawthorn

traditional uses of hawthorn

Disclaimer 1: Always seek medical attention and advice before using any herbal remedies. Disclaimer 2 : This page contains affiliate links, so I may recieve a small commission if you choose to purchase any item. This will not affect the price you pay, but it will help me keep this site going x

Traditional uses of hawthorn

Hawthorn is a folklore-rich tree that has been traditionally used for treating the heart and cardiovascular system. They can grow up to 15 meters tall, live for up to 700 years and can be found growing in woodlands and hedgerows.

  • Common name: Hawthorn
  • Latin name: Crataegus spp
  • Family: Rosaceae

Parts used

  • Flowers, leaves and berries

Constituents

  • Saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, procyanidins, triterpenoids, tannins, pectin, vitamin C, B1, B2 and choline, acetylcholine and calcium

Actions

  • Anti-oxidant, hypotensive, vasodilator, circulatory stimulant, cardiotonic, nutritive, adaptogen, nervine, anti-spasmodic and digestive

Medicinal uses of hawthorn

Traditional uses of hawthorn include:

  • Blood pressure – strengthens heart muscle and regulates cardiac rhythm, helping to improve cardiac fuction and regulate blood pressure.
  • Cholesterol – helps to reduce the build up of cholesterol within blood vesels and reduce vascular inflammation, which helps to prevent blood clots.
  • Raynaud’s disease – as a vasodilator and circulatory stimulant, it helps to reduce peripheral vasospasm in Raynaud’s disease and intermittent claudication
  • Emotional – hawthorn has traditionally been used as an emotional support during stress and heartache

Cautions

  • Hawthorn should be used with caution alongside cardiovascular medicines such as digoxin and betablockers

Related links

P.S. If you have been thinking about growing your herbal knowledge and learning more about our medicinal trees and herbs, check out these online herbal courses from The Herbal Academy. Presented by an array of amazing herbalists, they help you grow your herbal confidence every step of the way from beginner to advanced to herbalist entrepreneur.

error: Content is protected !!
%d