Hawthorn - medicinal properties and use in medicine

Hawthorn is one of the most popular medicinal plants. Not only practicing doctors, but also ordinary people know about the properties of the shrub. In order to use the full potential of this natural remedy, you need to know the beneficial properties of hawthorn and its contraindications.

Related articles:

• Hawthorn flowers - medicinal properties and contraindications

• How to use hawthorn during pregnancy

• The benefits and harms of hawthorn fruits

• Hawthorn - types of varieties with photos and descriptions

• Properly brewing and taking hawthorn

Composition and beneficial properties of the plant

Hawthorn is a tall deciduous shrub grown for decorative and pharmacological purposes. Its beneficial properties were discovered thousands of years ago and are still actively used in medicine.

The genus hawthorn has about 380 species and many hybrids. The most popular of them is blood-red hawthorn, or Siberian. It has a whole range of substances necessary for the body, so it often serves as the basis for home and factory-made medicines.

In terms of diversity and richness of chemical composition, hawthorn fruits can compete even with rose hips:

• they contain fruit sugar - fructose, which means they can be consumed by people with diabetes;
• the plant is rich in substances necessary for organs such as triterpene acids, quercetin, choline and acetylcholine;
• includes vitamins A, C, P, as well as phytosterols, tannins, tartaric and citric acids;
• known for a fairly high concentration of pectin and carotene.

In addition, the plant can solve a number of serious health problems:

1. Acts as a raw material for cardiovascular drugs of various types. A decoction of the leaves stimulates blood circulation through the vessels of the myocardium, thereby enhancing its contractions. The berries contain components that prevent heart rhythm disturbances.
2. It is useful not only for the elderly, but also for young people suffering from heart disease caused by overwork and stress. It is also prescribed to patients undergoing rehabilitation after a heart attack.
3. Will help cope with diseases of the liver and biliary tract. Hawthorn berries normalize the functioning of the excretory system, relieve symptoms of shortness of breath and restore thyroid function.
4. The plant contains ursolic acid, which dilates blood vessels and fights inflammatory processes.
5. Hawthorn is prescribed to patients with benign and malignant tumors.
6. It helps reduce symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases and flatulence.
7. The berries and flowers of the shrub are known to lower blood pressure and relieve headaches.
8. It has a calming effect and copes well with insomnia and a feeling of constant anxiety.
9. Improves the body's resistance to infections and enhances immunity.

The shrub is no less popular in the field of cosmetology. Products prepared with hawthorn soothe irritated skin, nourish and tone it.

What are the benefits of hawthorn for women and men?

Women are prescribed this plant during menopause. Hormones produced before menopause perform cardioprotective functions and reduce the risk of heart disease to a minimum. After the cessation of menstruation, the content of female hormones sharply decreases, which leads to a deterioration in myocardial health.

Hawthorn includes components that cause the myocardium to contract with the usual intensity and frequency. In addition, it causes vasodilation and lowers blood pressure. It will be useful for women to take medications based on hawthorn to avoid myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke caused by menopause.

Attention! During pregnancy, the use of hawthorn is strictly prohibited, and women who have not reached menopause can only take it under the supervision of a doctor.

This plant will also be a good help for men suffering from prostatitis or prostate adenoma. Hawthorn has a depressant effect on various tumors and helps cope with erectile dysfunction by stimulating blood flow to the genitals.

Hawthorn for high blood pressure.

Hawthorn normalizes high blood pressure. Hawthorn flowers strengthen the heart muscle, and the fruits perfectly reduce blood pressure.

For high blood pressure, I take 20 drops of hawthorn tincture with water before meals. Also, half a glass of hawthorn infusion is taken several times a day before meals.

Hawthorn, for high blood pressure, is mixed with motherwort, which reduces blood pressure and has soothing medicinal properties. Mix a teaspoon of motherwort and a teaspoon of crushed hawthorn fruits and pour 300 ml. boiling water, infuse in a sealed container. Leave for about an hour, filter, take a spoonful before meals.

The medicinal properties of hawthorn fruits have a positive effect on fatigue and headaches. They take medications from hawthorn to normalize blood pressure. Take infusion or tea from hawthorn.

Useful properties of berries

Hawthorn berries are called a natural cardiotonic, which reflects their ability to increase the tone of the heart muscle. The fruits are used in infusions that normalize heart function. For patients recovering from a heart attack, tea and infusion from the berries of this medicinal shrub are recommended.

The fruits also relieve stress and are part of the therapy for nervous diseases. They are very calming, relieve general tension and help you relax. When improving the nervous system, the fruits are used as raw materials for decoctions, teas and infusions. Berries are no less effective in treating gastrointestinal disorders, gastritis and diarrhea. To get rid of pancreatitis, you don’t even need to brew them: after eating, the fruits are chewed whole.

Berries are often used in the field of gynecology: they restore the normal course of the menstrual cycle and reduce nervous tension during menopause. There is no doubt about the benefits of hawthorn for the body: regular consumption of the fruit strengthens the immune system and protects against infection with influenza and other viral diseases.

Hawthorn for heart disease.

For various reasons, the heart muscle does not contract strongly enough, and as a result, the organs do not receive oxygen. Thus, in order to normalize blood circulation and tone the heart muscle, take preparations from hawthorn.

Of course, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that before taking hawthorn preparations, you should consult your doctor. Do not self-diagnose or self-medicate. Also, before taking hawthorn preparations, read the contraindications.

Juice from hawthorn fruits. Juice is prepared from fresh hawthorn fruits. One glass of fresh fruit, preferably after the first frost. The fruits need to be washed, crushed, added a little water, heated a little, and squeezed out the juice through cheesecloth. Take one tablespoon of juice before meals.

Infusion of hawthorn fruits. Grind the fruits, pour about one full tablespoon with a glass of boiling water, and leave in a sealed container. Infuse for approximately one hour. Take half a glass several times a day.

You can add mint, lemon balm, chamomile, motherwort, and hawthorn flowers to the infusion.

Benefits of flowers

Hawthorn flowers have their own beneficial properties and are used as an independent medicine. The chemical composition of inflorescences includes a unique set of components:

• vitamin B4 is widely used to treat the nervous system, atherosclerosis and liver;
• caffeic acid is a good antiseptic and successfully copes with pathogenic bacteria;
• oleanolic acid is known for its ability to thin the blood and increase the tone of the whole body;
• chlorogenic acid functions as a choleretic agent and is necessary for kidney and liver health;
• Quercetin accelerates blood circulation.

Flower-based preparations strengthen the myocardium, lower blood pressure, relieve migraine symptoms and relieve fatigue. They promote an influx of vitality, which will allow you to forget about dizziness and insomnia.

Properties of hawthorn honey

Hawthorn honey is considered a valuable and rare variety: the flowers produce little nectar, which makes the collection and production process difficult. In addition, hawthorn honey is an excellent medicine that can replace some ready-made drugs.

The beneficial properties of this type of honey include:

• strengthening the walls of blood vessels and capillaries;
• prevention of heart attack and coronary heart disease;
• strong analgesic effect;
• help with dizziness, insomnia and shortness of breath;
• useful for tachycardia, neurosis, hypertension and atherosclerosis;
• reduces recovery time for influenza, acute respiratory infections and other colds;
• used for body wraps aimed at weight loss.

Attention! Hawthorn honey is contraindicated for diabetics with insulin dependence. Patients with asthma and type 2 diabetes should consume this variety in strictly limited quantities and only under medical supervision.

With regular intake of hawthorn honey, there is an improvement in health and nervous system. The variety has a rejuvenating effect and has a beneficial effect on the condition of internal organs. It relieves fatigue and helps reduce overall stress levels.

Composition of hawthorn fruits.

• Hawthorn fruits contain a lot of vitamin A, and some varieties of hawthorn are ready to compete even with carrots in carotene content. Also contains vitamin K, C, E.
• Microelements include potassium, calcium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper and others.
• Ursolic acid, contained in the fruits and flowers of hawthorn, has both anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects.
• Oleanol is good for the heart and blood vessels, increases blood circulation.
• Quercitrin helps maintain the elasticity of blood vessels and capillaries.
• Quercetin improves cerebral circulation.

Hawthorn fruits also contain tannins, which decrease during the first frost, thereby making the fruits less tart.

I remember how we ate hawthorn fruits as a child and after the first frost they were so sweet and tasty. They just picked them from the bush and ate them, and they were so delicious. We called hawthorn “glod”.

What are the benefits of leaves?

Hawthorn leaves do not have such a diverse composition as berries or flowers, but they are also used for medicinal purposes. They are rich in essential oil, caffeic and neotelic acid, as well as hyperoside and quercetin. The most useful are young, barely blossoming leaves.

You can brew medicinal tea from them, which will lower blood pressure and alleviate the symptoms of hypertension. This drink is recommended for people who have difficulty falling asleep and varying degrees of anxiety. To enhance the effect, hawthorn leaves are combined with inflorescences and made into a soothing infusion.

How to cook at home

Hawthorn is a common ingredient for various kinds of infusions, tinctures and decoctions. Infusions are the easiest to prepare, the only disadvantage of which is their short shelf life (you will have to brew fresh one every morning). Tinctures are stored for weeks and months.

Before you prepare healthy recipes with hawthorn, you need to take care of the preparation of raw materials:

1. The fruits are collected in late August and early September and dried in the oven at a temperature of 70–90 degrees. After this, they are laid out in fabric bags or paper bags. Berries prepared in this way will be suitable for consumption within two years.
2. The leaves are collected just before the bush blooms.
3. The flowers are collected immediately after the start of flowering, otherwise they will darken during the drying process. Only dry weather is suitable for collection. Freshly picked flowers are placed in a thin layer in a drying oven (40˚C) or in a room with a constant flow of air. Dry inflorescences are conveniently stored in boxes. Shelf life: approximately 2 years.

After this, you can begin preparing the medicine.

Berry tincture

Hawthorn tincture is one of the most effective folk remedies.

To prepare it you will need:

• 400 g vodka;
• 4 tbsp. l. dry berries.

Pour vodka over the berries and leave for 14 days. Then strain and take 25 drops (diluted with boiled water) 3 times a day before meals.

Tincture of flowers

Prepared in a 1:2 ratio – one part inflorescences to two parts vodka. Infuse it for 15 days. Drink 40 drops of the product 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.

For men

To restore male power, the following remedy will be useful:

• 4 tbsp. l. dry inflorescences;
• 200 g of alcohol.

Place all ingredients in a glass container and place in a dark place for 21 days. After this period, strain the liquid, drink 1 tsp three times a day. after meal. For better absorption, it is recommended to add it to tea or juice.

How is hawthorn tincture useful? Firstly, it has a beneficial effect on the condition of blood vessels and the heart. Secondly, it copes with sleep and heart rhythm disorders. Thirdly, it lowers blood pressure and alleviates the symptoms of hypertension.

Very simple, but no less effective recipes for hawthorn infusions and decoctions. They are prepared for poor circulation, arrhythmia and heart disease.

Infusion

The simplest infusion looks like this:

• dried hawthorn (preferably flowers) – 3 tbsp. l.;
• 3 cups boiling water.

Infuse the product for half an hour, drink a glass three times a day.

A thermos is very convenient for preparing infusions: two handfuls of dry raw materials are enough for a 1-liter container. Pour boiling water over the contents of the thermos and leave until morning.

The express version of the infusion is prepared in 30 minutes: pour 1 tbsp into a glass. l. grind the berries in a blender and pour boiling water into it. Then wrap it tightly and leave for half an hour. The quick infusion is ready.

Decoction

In order to make a decoction of the fruit, you need to boil 20 g of dry berries in one glass of water for 15 minutes. Then strain the liquid, squeeze out the fruits and restore the original volume with boiled water. Drink 1 tbsp decoction. l. 3 times a day.

Medicine with honey and rose hips

To enhance the effect, it is recommended to use two vitamin-rich components at once: rose hips and hawthorn. One of the most popular recipes includes hawthorn in the form of honey:

• 1 tbsp. l. rosehip;
• 2 glasses of boiled water;
• 1 tbsp. l. honey

Pour two glasses of boiled water into the rose hips, then put the mixture on the stove for 10 minutes. Cool the broth completely, pass through a sieve and mix with hawthorn honey. Store the finished product in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Drink half a glass of the decoction 2 times a day.

Tea

In addition, it will be useful to brew medicinal tea before bed:

• hawthorn (flowers) – 1 tbsp. l.;
• tea – 1 tbsp. l.;
• 2 cups boiling water.

Pour dry raw materials into a preheated kettle and pour boiling water into it. After 2-3 minutes, the tea should be thoroughly strained and drunk without adding water. You can add a little honey or lemon to the finished drink.

There are many variations of these recipes. In order to choose the most effective and safe one, you need to consult with a specialist.

Recipes for use in traditional medicine

Medicine, both official and folk, uses hawthorn in the form of decoctions, alcohol tinctures, infusions, teas and ointments. Medicines have a complex effect on various systems and organs, benefiting the entire body.

• If you want to treat joint pain or thrombophlebitis, make a healing ointment based on vodka tincture. You will need a regular baby cream (tube), which needs to be mixed with 50 ml. tinctures. Stir the ointment thoroughly before use. Rub into the sore area until completely absorbed.
• Metabolism. Fruits can significantly improve metabolic processes in the body. Make an infusion from a tablespoon and a glass of boiling water. You need to leave for an hour, and drink 1/4 cup an hour before meals.
• Prostatitis. For men, the fruits of the bush are a godsend. They have the ability to prevent adenoma and prostatitis, strengthen sexual function. Mix 1 part each of peppermint and hawthorn flowers, two parts of medicinal speedwell and three parts each of knotweed and fireweed. Brew a tablespoon of the mixture for half an hour and drink 1/3 glass before meals, an hour.
• Insomnia, trouble falling asleep. To sleep soundly and fall asleep faster, and get up rested in the morning, brew a handful of fruits in a thermos for an hour. Take 3 tablespoons no later than an hour before meals.
• Stress, anxiety, frequent irritability. Mix the fruits of the bush with valerian herb and brew as tea.
• Gastritis, heartburn. Unpleasant manifestations of gastritis can be relieved with the help of an infusion prepared from peppermint and hawthorn. Take a teaspoon of each and pour a glass of boiling water. After half an hour, you can drink until your condition improves.
• Atherosclerosis. Take half a glass of 15-minute infusion from the flowers of the bush.

Which hawthorn is healthier?

It is almost impossible to choose the most useful hawthorn. Each species has unique components and distribution area. In addition to the usual Siberian species, medicine uses the following varieties:

• large-fruited garden hawthorn;
• black hawthorn;
• yellow hawthorn.

The garden variety is distinguished by large, apple-like, red berries. It is used in therapy and rehabilitation after heart disease and restoration of the nervous system. This plant is considered a good preventative against colds and flu.

Black hawthorn will help get rid of the symptoms of a whole list of diseases:

• tachycardia;
• insomnia;
• myocardial infarction;
• diabetes;
• swelling;
• liver diseases;
• headache;
• rheumatism.

It is used to relieve swelling and inflammation. In addition, the plant acts as a diuretic and promotes the healing of cuts and wounds.

The fruits of yellow hawthorn are used primarily as a food product. It is used to make preserves and jams, as well as purees. This species does not have a pronounced medicinal effect, but contains several groups of vitamins and other useful substances.

Important! Before choosing a variety of hawthorn, you should consult a doctor. He will select a variety with the desired set of properties.

Contraindications

Although this medicinal plant does not contain toxins, it must be taken in doses and carefully. Contraindications for use are:

• individual intolerance and allergic reaction;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• age up to 12 years;
• bradycardia;
• hypotension.

Thus, hawthorn is one of the most useful and safe natural medicines. However, you should not treat it as a panacea for all diseases: despite the long list of useful substances, it will not replace drug therapy in some cases.