Hawthorne Berry for Fluid Arteries

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Hawthorne Berry for Fluid Arteries

JoAnn Guest

Apr 29, 2006 17:03 PDT

 

 

Hawthorne Berry for Fluid Arteries

By Michael T. Murray

 

 

Key uses of Hawthorn:

 

Angina

Atherosclerosis

Congestive heart failure

High Blood pressure

 

 

General Description

 

Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) is a spiny tree or shrub that is

native to Europe. The fruit and blossoms are used medicinally.

 

Hawthorn leaves, berries, and blossoms contain many biological

active flavonoid components, particularly anthocyanidins and

proanthocyanidains.

These flavonoids are responsible for the red-to-blue colors not only

of Hawthorne berries but also of blackberries, cherries and

blueberries, grapes and many flowers as well.

 

These compounds are highly concentrated in hawthorn berry and flower

extracts.

 

High-performance liquid chromatography and thin-layer chromatography

demonstrated that extracts of the flowers are particularly rich in

flavonoids (quercetin, quercetin-3-galactoisde, vitexin,

vitexin-4'-rhamnoside, etc.) and proanthocyanidins.

 

In addition to flavonoids, hawthorn extracts also contain

cardiotonic amines. (e.g.,phenylethylamine, 0-

methoxyphenylethylamine, tyramine, and

isobutylamine), choline and acetylcholine, purine derivatives (e.g.

adenosine, adenine, guanine, and caffeic acid, amygdalin , pectins,

and triterpene acids 9urolic, oleanolic, and crataegolic acids.

 

History and Folk use

 

Hawthorn flowers and berries have been used primarily as heart

tonics and mild diuretics in organic and functional heart disorders

including

congestive heart failure, angina, and high blood pressure.

Hawthorn's astringent qualities were also utilized to relieve the

discomfort of sore throats.

 

Pharmacology

 

The pharmacology of hawthorn centers on its flavonoid components,

The proanthocyanidins in hawthorn are largely responsible for its

cardiovascular activities.

 

Synergism with Vitamin C

 

Hawthorn flavonoids have very strong " vitamin P " activity. Included

in their effects are ability to increase intercellular vitamin C

levels, stabilize vitamin C (by protecting it from destruction or

oxidation),

and decrease capillary permeability and fragility.

 

Collagen-stabilizing action

 

Hawthorns flavonoid components possess significant collagen-

stabilizing action.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is responsible

for maintaining the integrity of ground substance, tendons,

ligaments, and cartilage.

 

Collagen is destroyed during inflammatory processes that occur in

rheumatoid arthritis, periodontal disease, and other inflammatory

conditions involving bones, joints, cartilage and other connective

tissue.

 

Anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins, and other flavonoids are

remarkable in their ability to prevent collagen destruction.

 

They affect collagen metabolism in many ways, including:

 

The unique ability to cross-link collagen fibers, resulting in

reinforcement of the natural cross-linking of collagen that forms

the collagen matrix of connective tissue (ground substance,

cartilage, tendons,etc.

 

The prevention of free radical damage, due to potent and free

radicals scavenging action.

 

The inhibition of enzymatic cleavage by enzymes secreted by white

blood cells during inflammation.

 

The prevention of the release and synthesis of compounds that

promote inflammation, such as prostaglandins serine proteases,

histamine, and leukotrines.

 

Cardiovascular effects

 

Hawthorn extracts are clinically effective in reducing blood

pressure,

angina attacks, and serum cholesterol levels and in preventing the

deposition of cholesterol in arterial walls.

 

The beneficial pharmacological effects of hawthorn in the treatment

of these conditions appear to be a result of the following actions:

 

Improvement of the blood supply to the heart by " dilating " the

coronary vessels.

 

Improvement of the metabolic processes in the heart, which results

in an increase in the force of contraction of the heart muscle and

elimination of some types of rhythm disturbances.

 

 

Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme

 

Hawthorns ability to dilate coronary blood vessels,

the vessels supplying the heart with vital oxygen and nutrients, has

been repeatedly demonstrated in experimental studies.

 

This effect appears to be due to relaxation of the smooth muscle

components of the vessel.

 

Various flavonoid components in hawthorn have

been shown to inhibit constriction of vessels by a variety of

substances.

 

When blood vessels constrict, blood pressure goes up.

 

In addition,

procyanidins have been shown to inhibit angiotensin-converting

enzyme.

This enzyme is responsible for converting angiotensin l to

angiotensin

II, which is potent constrictor of blood vessels.

 

Recently, several proanthocyanidins have demonstrated a specific

inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme similar to that of

captopril.

 

Captropril is a synthetic angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor

widely used in the treatment of high blood pressure.

 

The proanthocyanidins that appear to have the highest activity are

found in relatively high concentrations in Hawthorne berries,

flowers and their extracts.

 

Improvement in energy production within the heart has been

demonstrated

in humans and animals to whom Hawthorne extracts have been

administered.

 

 

 

The improvement is a result not only of increased blood and oxygen

supply to the myocardium (muscle of the heart), but also a result of

flavonoid-enzyme interactions.

 

In particular, hawthorn extracts and various flavonoid components in

hawthorn have been shown to inhibit several key enzymes within the

myocardium (e.g. cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase).

 

The net result is an increase in the force of contraction.

This is

particularly beneficial in cases of congestive heart failure

(discussed below).

 

A recent study has shed additional light on how Hawthorne extracts

enhance heart function.

 

A hawthorn extract standardized for proanthocyanidin content (3.3

percent) was studied utilizing an experimental model to determine

the

effects of a substance on heart function during ischemia.

 

Although it's effectiveness in this model was less than that of

beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers, two classes of drugs

often used in treating angina, there are two distinctions to be made

 

(1) the

mechanism by which the drugs work in this model is by improving

coronary blood flow and actually reducing the hearts need for oxygen

by reducing its mechanical function.

 

In contrast Hawthorne actually " improves " the 'mechanical function'

of the

heart without increasing coronary blood flow.

 

Evidence that Hawthorne improves energy metabolism and the

utilization of oxygen by the heart was demonstrated by a decrease in

accumulated lactic acid.

 

Without oxygen, the heart muscle will shift to the breakdown of

sugar

for energy, but this can only go so far without oxygen.

As a result,

pyruvic acid is shunted to lactic acid.

 

Recovery of heart function in inversely related to the level of

lactic acid in the heart. The beneficial effects of hawthorn in

angina appears

to be related more to its ability to improve " oxygen utilization " ,

as

noted by the reduction in heart tissue lactic acid levels, rather

than

to its ability to dilate coronary vessels.

 

Atherosclerosis

 

Hawthorn extract, like other extracts containing proanthocyanidins

(see

chapter 18-Grape seed extract), although in a supplement form,

should be thought of as a necessary food in the prevention and

treatment of atherosclerosis.

 

Increasing the intake of flavonoid compounds by taking hawthorn

berry

has numerous health-promoting effects, including reducing

cholesterol levels and decreasing the size of existing

atherosclerotic plaques.

 

This again is a result of collagen stabilization.

 

A decrease in the integrity of the collagen matrix of the artery

results in cholesterol being deposited within the artery.

 

Many researchers feel that if the collagen matrix remains strong,

the

atherosclerotic plaque will never develop.

 

Hawthorn flavonoids, by increasing the integrity of collagen

structures, may offer significant protection against

atherosclerosis.

 

In addition, feeding proanthocyanidin extracts to animals has

resulted

in the " reversal " of atherosclerotic lesions, as well as decreases

in

serum cholesterol levels.

 

Flavonoids contained in hawthorn extracts appear to offer

significant

prevention, as well as potential reversing effects, in the treatment

of

athrerosclerotic processes, which are still the major causes of

death in the United States.

 

High Blood Pressure

 

Hawthorne exerts a mild blood-pressure-lowering effect that has been

demonstrated in many experimental and clinical studies.

 

Its action in lowering blood pressure in unique, in that it does so

through a number of diverse pharmacological effects. Specifically,

it

dilates the coronary vessels, inhibits angiotensin-converting

enzyme,

increases the functional capacity of the heart, and possesses mild

diuretic activity.

 

Hawthorne's effects generally require prolonged administration, and

in

many instances take up to 2 weeks before adequate tissue

concentrations are achieved.

 

 

Dosage

 

The dosage depends on the type of preparation and source of

material.

Standardized extracts similar to those used in Europe and Asia as

prescription medications, are available commercially in the U.S. and

are the preferred forms to use for clinical purposes.

 

The doses listed below for the various forms of hawthorn are for use

three times a day.

 

Hawthorne berries or flowers (dried): 3-5 grams or as an infusion

Hawthorne tincture (1.5): 4-5 milliliters (alcohol may elicit

pressor response in some individuals)

Hawthorne fluid extract (1:1): 1-2 milliliters

Hawthorne freeze-dried berries: 1-1.5 grams

Hawthorne flower extract (standardized to contain 1.8 percent

vitexin-4 rhamnoside or 20 percent procyanidins: 100-250 milligrams

 

 

Taken from:

" The Healing Power of Herbs "

by Michael T. Murray, N.D.

 

-------------------------

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