The hawthorn fruit is a fruit that originated from Northern Europe but is now grown all over the world. Hawthorn fruit that has a shape with berry fruit has been used for 2 purposes that are for health and culinary. Hawthorn fruit has been used to treat hypertension, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia and others. Not only, the Health Benefits of Hawthorn Fruit that you can get, you should also know the list of health benefits of hawthorn leaf and flower that have been proven through several studies. This plant is rich in flavonoids, tyramines, tannins, oligomeric, and proanthocyanidins, which are the most active compounds.
Health benefits of hawthorn leaf and flower!
- Blood vessel
The extract of hawthorn leaves, flowers, and fruit have been used in traditional medicine since the first century, and contain phytonutrients called anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins. It is an antioxidant that has various therapeutic effects including strengthening blood vessel walls.
- Treating heart disease
Hawthorn is thought to have a role in the treatment of mild heart failure, and the benefits are better than digoxin. Part of hawthorn used to treat coronary heart disease, among others, flowers, bark, or the fruit that is similar to berries.
Hawthorn can help overcome some changes in the body related to age for example, heart healthy, including angina and heart rhythm disorders. Hawthorn improves blood circulation in the coronary vessels, strengthens the heart and helps restore regular heart rate regularly. Try to look about Heart Attack Symptoms.
- Medicinal Uses
Hawthorn has been used to treat heart conditions since the first century. Currently, hawthorn leaves and flowers have been used to treat congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease. Sometimes it is also used to treat hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias. It has also been used to overcome digestive and kidney problems. Hawthorn flowers are also useful for sore throats.
- Overcoming high blood pressure
Hwathorn is one of the Natural High Blood Pressure Treatments. Hawthorn works by providing a sense of relaxation and opening blood vessels associated with the heart, and by improving heart muscle work as a whole. This combination works by stabilizing blood pressure because the heart no longer has to work hard to pump blood throughout the body. Because it has powerful antioxidants, this herb also helps reduce chest pain and strengthens a normal heartbeat. You need to know about Symptoms of High Blood Pressure.
- Cardiac muscle
Hawthorn also has a function to strengthen the weak heart muscle related to age, relieve angina and myocarditis (heart inflammation), and overcome mild cardiac arrhythmias and reduce pressure and chest tightness.
- Anxiety
Hawthorn ingredients consisting of leaves, flowers, and fruit can also be used as a useful tea to treat anxiety. Hawthorn treats the main symptoms of anxiety that is chest tightness and heart palpitations effectively. Hawthorn may have the same mechanism of action to deal with anxiety similar to that of the heart condition, works by reducing the resistance of blood flow in your body, thereby lowering blood pressure and tension.
This herb works by increasing the concentration of calcium in the heart muscle, which has a reinforcing effect. In addition, hawthorn also calms the nervous system and has an antispasmodic ability.
Scientific evidence!
- Research conducted by Dr.Walker and his friends has proven that hawthorn can be useful to lower blood pressure. Through this study, the experts found that there were no adverse side effects or reactions between Hawthorn and prescribed drugs to patients with high blood pressure. How? The investigators report the results of the hawthorn and placebo benefit studies that already tested on patients with high blood pressure.
- Another study commissioned by the German Ministry of Health has found that hawthorn can increase contraction in blood vessels and heart when heart dilatation. Hawthorn improves blood flow in the heart as well as the flow rate of the entire body to improve circulation to organs and muscles. The researchers concluded that hawthorn is the best treatment for use in treating low cardiac function, congestion, arrhythmia, and tightness in the chest without any side effects.
- Another study conducted in Germany found that one of the health benefits of hawthorn leave and flower is to improve cardiac performance, lower blood pressure, and be effective in treating asthma.
- Chinese laboratories and clinical trials have reported that hawthorn can lower cholesterol and triglycerides by increasing excretion.
- Laboratory studies show that hawthorn action on the heart and circulatory system can be made through effects on the central nervous system.
- Other studies have also shown that hawthorn increases oxygen levels in the liver.
- Research conducted in 1983 showed that hawthorn can treat angina by making blood flow work better and supply oxygen to the heart.
Cautions!
In general, hawthorn is safe to use in its function for health, however, there are side effects that can be caused by hawthorn such as nausea, sweating, fatigue, and sometimes developing rashes. Hawthorn can also lower blood pressure drastically and cause symptoms such as dizziness and fainting, even in people who have normal blood pressure and do not have heart disease. If any of these reactions happen to your body, you should consider to stop using hawthorn and consult with your doctor.
Before using hawthorn in treatment, you should consult first with your doctor, because Hawthorn has a strong influence, especially on your vital organs like the heart. If you already have Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure, it would be better if you do not use or consume hawthorn.
Consult with your doctor before using hawthorn if you take prescription medication. If at the same time you use both (hawthorn and prescription drugs) it is better if prescription drug doses may need to be lowered or altered in other ways. Before you do consult with the doctor, don’t stop taking prescription drugs or change the dosage.
Some classes of drugs that may have harmful effects with hawthorn are such as: antihypertensives (including atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol), ACE inhibitors (including benazepril, enalapril, fosinopril), digitalis drugs and cardiac glycosides (including digitoxin, digoxin), and nitrate (including amyl nitrate, nitroglycerin, sildenafil citrate, mononitrate isosorbide, and nitrate).
The use of hawthorn is also not recommended for children, during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding.
So, that’s the health benefits of hawthorn leaf and flower that you can get especially for your heart health. The researchers say that it is better to use herbal medicine, one of them is Hawthorn rather than using other chemical drugs. Let’s try!