Hawthorn (Crataegus) is a shrub tree up to ten meters high and belongs to the Rosaceae family. The genus includes several hundred species: 800 in North America and 90 in Europe. Of these, however, only five are used in the medical field. The most common are the common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and the common hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata). Scientists have proven that they dried leaves, flowers and fruits of these plants help with heart failure.

Crataegus

Attention! In pharmacological ATC classification liquid hawthorn is indicated with Latin letters and numbers C01EB04.

Hawthorn has thorny, mostly highly branched branches. Its serrated leaves are dark green on top and bright yellow on the underside. Hawthorn flowers bloom from May to June. The white flowers are arranged in vertical bulbous spikes. They emit strong smell. The fleshy fruiting bodies (fruits) of the shrub are usually red in color and ripen from August to September.

Already the ancient Chinese discovered hawthorn for medicine. In ancient Europe, it was more popular as a good fuel and, due to its hardness, was used as a starting material for canes, wooden parts and other household items. In the Middle Ages it was used as a fence for fields and estates due to its prickly thorns.

In the Middle Ages the first recorded medical use hawthorn in Europe. Hawthorn extract was then used to treat colic, diarrheal diseases and general strengthening health status. Hawthorn began to be used against heart disease only in the second half of the 18th century. Together with foxglove and lily of the valley, hawthorn was used as a proven remedy for heart failure in the early 19th century.

Myocardial failure

Hawthorn still serves patients with these diseases:

• For mild heart failure;
• For coronary heart disease;
• In the prevention of atherosclerosis;
• For cardiac arrhythmias;
• For hypertension (increased blood pressure) and hypotension.

However, the use of tincture in any of these areas is not certain. It has not been proven that the tincture actually helps with cardiac arrhythmias and high blood pressure. Therefore, it is recommended to take hawthorn only in consultation with your doctor.

The effectiveness of products made from tinctures of this herb has been proven in cosmetology. External use will improve the condition of the skin and accelerate the regeneration of epithelial tissues.

Hawthorn contains two biologically active components– procyanidins and flavonoids. They are expanding coronary vessels and, therefore, cause an increase in blood flow to the heart muscle, slightly increase cardiac output, slowing down the pulse and reducing vascular resistance. It is believed that active ingredients tinctures gently stabilize blood pressure.

Indications for use

Hawthorn was used mainly for healing moderate forms myocardial failure or age-related decline cardiac output. As an ongoing, supportive measure, it improves physical and mental performance, and reduces Negative consequences caused by mycocardial insufficiency.

Other possible applications, in which the tincture may be useful:

• After infectious diseases(especially if the white blood cell count increases) or to improve cardiovascular endurance;
• After stress, physical or mental overload;
• During menopause;
• To relieve heart failure or psychogenic arrhythmia (bradycardia or tachycardia);
• For functional heart problems: fluctuations blood pressure or premature contractions of the heart muscle (extrasystoles);
• For gastritis;
• At atrial fibrillation(atrial fibrillation).

Hawthorn is approved and complementary modern medicines medicine for treatment of mild heart failure (NYHA stage II). In high dose form it should also be effective in advanced stage (NYHA III). For the treatment of moderate to severe cardiovascular diseases Hawthorn preparations are not recommended as the sole therapy.

The effect of hawthorn becomes noticeable only after five to six weeks. Therefore, it makes sense to take the drugs regularly over a long period. The effect of the tincture is manifested in improved subjective well-being, increased productivity, reduced pain and pressure in the heart area. In particular, older people can take hawthorn preparations after consulting their doctor for preventive purposes.

Useful properties and contraindications

As mentioned above, the tincture helps in complex treatment many diseases and has a beneficial effect on the well-being of patients. Helps lower or increase blood pressure without adverse reactions. Correctly prescribed dosage reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular accidents. However, for some people, prescribing hawthorn tincture may worsen general state or underlying illness. Therefore, before preparing (infusing) and drinking it, you need to discuss this with your doctor.

Contraindications to the use of hawthorn tincture vary depending on the dosage and individual metabolic characteristics of the patient.

At hypersensitivity The tincture should not be taken with hawthorn leaves and flowers, because it may increase the likelihood of allergic reactions. up to anaphylactic shock.

The causes of heart failure should be clarified by your doctor, as other or stronger drugs may be needed.

Hawthorn syrup is not suitable for the prevention of myocardial failure. In addition, since it can take several weeks to achieve an effect, hawthorn is also not suitable for treating sudden and acute attacks angina pectoris.

If symptoms persist for more than six weeks, or if swelling occurs in the legs, respiratory distress, it is recommended to consult a cardiologist. Pain that spreads to the heart, arms, top part abdomen or neck area presumably indicates angina pectoris. If these signs occur, an immediate medical examination should be performed.

Edema

Pregnancy and lactation

This tincture should not be taken during pregnancy and breastfeeding, because the effects have not been properly studied. However, despite wide use hawthorn, there was no evidence of increased risks to the fetus or newborns. Therefore, before use, you need to assess the potential harm/benefit and check with your doctor about the advisability of using the tincture.

Since there is not enough research on the safety of using hawthorn tincture in this age group, active substance should not be administered to children under twelve years of age.

Hawthorn tincture: instructions for use, contraindications and dosage

Infusion, decoction, liqueur or tablets should be taken only with the recommendation of a doctor. Healing tincture hawthorn can be consumed at home by men and women only in small quantities - no more than 30 drops per day.

Important! It is not recommended to lower or increase the dosage on your own. Preparing the tincture at home is undesirable, since it is impossible to track the quality of the resulting product.

It is worth noting that alcohol tinctures from herbs or berries (rose hips, calendula, clover, peony, motherwort, propolis) are available from pharmacies without a prescription. However, they can have a harmful effect on the body due to their high content ethyl alcohol. In some cases, high doses of the drug can cause poisoning, but an overdose is unlikely due to the low toxicity of the active components of the tincture.

Analogs

Most common trade names analogues of drugs to strengthen the heart:

• Capsules Cardioactive Hawthorn (Evalar);
• Hawthorn lozenges (Natur Product).

Precautionary measures

In case of shortness of breath, swelling of the legs, pain in chest or giving to lower limbs You should urgently consult your doctor.

For some people, the tincture can cause severe allergic reaction. If any signs of allergy appear, you should call ambulance or visit the nearest medical center.

Allergy

Side effects

Hawthorn tincture is considered the safest folk remedy, which causes the least number of adverse reactions. Only in high doses it can cause malaise and general fatigue. In any case, it is recommended to consult a doctor before using the tincture.

Rare side effects:

• Gastrointestinal discomfort;
• Weakness (due to excessive sedation);
• Increased heart rate;
• Unpleasant taste on the tongue;
• Rash.

Side effects disappear soon after stopping the drug.

The healing effect of hawthorn is explained by its unique composition. You can enhance the effect by preparing a tincture. The drug has an impressive number of contraindications and side effects, which should be taken into account by those who use the tincture for medicinal purposes. Hawthorn is often used in alternative medicine, but the remedy is no less valuable in orthodox medicine.

The healing potential of hawthorn is enormous. It normalizes heartbeat and prevents the development of atherosclerosis. It is taken to treat most cardiovascular ailments.

Beneficial features

Hawthorn normalizes the activity of the heart muscle, enhances its contraction, and reduces cardiac excitability. The tincture activates the heart and cerebral circulation, normalizes blood pressure, characterized by a tonic effect. It would be useful to take the tincture for:

• dizziness – the drug helps reduce blood pressure, relaxes, relieves nervous tension;
• shortness of breath - the remedy dilates blood vessels, relieves attacks, alleviates the condition;
• atherosclerosis – hawthorn lowers cholesterol, prevents the formation of plaques;
• insomnia – has a calming effect, reduces anxiety.

The product has unique properties, which owes to the balanced chemical composition. Important components of hawthorn include acetylcholine, triterpene acids, flavonoids, tannins, and phytosterols.

Instructions and indications

The drug has a gentle effect on the central nervous system, while therapeutic effect achieved in fast deadlines. Doctors use the tincture in combination with other drugs aimed at improving the functioning of the heart muscle, normalizing the functions of the central nervous system and strengthening blood vessels. This is an effective but gentle means of influencing the central nervous system and heart. Indications for use include:

• ischemic disease hearts,
• angina pectoris
• heart failure,
• tachycardia,
• nervous fatigue.

Scroll therapeutic actions means are varied. Hawthorn is taken for high blood pressure, stress, heart rhythm disturbances, spasms, circulatory disorders, nervous excitement. The drug should be taken according to the instructions, unless otherwise prescribed by your doctor.

The instructions say that the drug should be taken at the rate of 20 drops per half glass of water. The drug is drunk before meals three times a day. To remove nervous excitement, anxiety, improve sleep, you can reduce the number of doses to one - immediately before bed. The drug has a cumulative effect and affects the body gradually. During treatment certain diseases The doctor may recommend a specific treatment regimen that must be followed.

The tincture is drunk as a course. If you have to skip a dose during treatment, you should not replenish the dosage at the next dose.

Contraindications

Despite the high benefits of hawthorn, the alcohol-based drug has a significant number of contraindications that must be taken into account during treatment. The tincture is prohibited during pregnancy and lactation, in case of individual intolerance and in childhood. Contraindications for use alcohol tincture are:

• hypotension,
• acute heart disease,
• impossibility of using alcohol-containing formulations.

The medicine is considered allergenic. Side effects I can be itchy skin, hyperemia, urticaria and other types of allergic reactions.

It is not advisable to use the tincture with other heart medications. The product enhances the effect of other medicinal compositions, which should be taken into account when conducting therapy. As sedative You can take hawthorn simultaneously with valerian tincture. Both drugs enhance their effect and allow a rapid therapeutic effect to be achieved. Usually, hawthorn is prescribed in between the main treatment to consolidate the result.

Hawthorn or hawthorn, as it is also called, is a frequent visitor to our gardens and vegetable gardens. It can also be found in the forest. This beautiful shrub with bright red berries gained its popularity for the ability of its fruits and flowers to treat diseases.

During the difficult war years, when there was a shortage of medicines, only infusions and decoctions of this plant were used to treat coronary disease and other heart diseases.

Hawthorn: its composition, benefits for the body

Hawthorn decoction, the benefits and contraindications of which have been well studied by pharmacists, treats many diseases due to its healing effects on the human body.

Hawthorn decoction: the benefits and contraindications for the use of this drink are different. It is worth knowing how to properly prepare a decoction and for what diseases this plant can be used.

In terms of the amount of pectin, hawthorn is second only to apples. With the help of pectin they are removed from the intestines heavy metals and a variety of microbes.

All parts of the plant contain flavonoids, although these substances are not a medicine, they bring great benefits to the body: they improve heart function, strengthen blood vessels, and improve their patency.

Most of the known vitamins and microelements are contained in this plant.

Here are the main flavonoids and their effects on the body:

• quercitrin prevents the formation of tumors in the body; with the help of quercitrin, the elasticity of blood vessels increases and the permeability of capillaries decreases;
• quercetin is beneficial in cases of circulatory disorders in the heart and blood vessels; with its help, the blood supply to the brain increases;
• hyperoside increases myocardial contractility due to a better supply of potassium ions to the body and increased oxygen supply;
• vitexin helps dilate blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow to the heart.

Hawthorn differs from many berry bushes in the abundance of various acids.

Here is their list:

• ursolic helps heal wounds and treat inflammation;
• oleanolic increases the filling of blood vessels in the heart and brain;
• chlorogenic helps the liver and kidneys normalize their work;
• coffee shop has antibacterial and choleretic effect;
• apple brings it back to normal metabolic processes and cellular metabolism.

Attention! The properties of fruits and flowers are the same, but they have different action on the body. Flower preparations have a more powerful effect on all organs. Healers recommend taking this effect into account when prescribing the dose of drugs.

What diseases does hawthorn treat?

Healing products made from hawthorn help treat many diseases.

For these diseases, healing solutions are beneficial:

• angina pectoris;
• gastritis;
• tachycardia;
• atherosclerosis;
• thrombophlebitis;
• phlebeurysm;
• hypertension;
• vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• rheumatism;
• thyroid diseases;
• diabetes;
• colds;
• dizziness.

Attention! Hawthorn decoctions are not always beneficial, even if there are no contraindications to them. Exceeding the dosage or frequency of use causes negative effects. Rare pulse, low blood pressure, weakness and drowsiness - these are the consequences of an overdose.

Hawthorn decoction: indications for use

Symptoms for which taking drugs from the plant is useful:

Interesting fact! To relieve heart pain, 10 ml of freshly squeezed juice of these is enough. healthy berries.

Who should not take hawthorn decoction? Contraindications for use

He contraindicated for those whose work requires concentration and complexity. The occurrence of weakness and drowsiness is possible when using drugs that contain it, doctors warn.

This occurs due to a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. This phenomenon is temporary and occurs until the body gets used to new conditions.

Doctors do not recommend using hawthorn preparations for women during pregnancy. and nursing mothers. Individual intolerance in pregnant women is common. In addition, drugs cause increased tone uterus, which threatens miscarriage.

A contraindication for using hawthorn decoction is also taking medications against arrhythmia. The combination of these drugs will not bring benefit, but harm to the body.
Increased acidity and stomach ulcers are contraindications for taking medications prepared from hawthorn.

Carefully! Healers warn that drinking cold water, after drinking an infusion or decoction, will cause intestinal spasms.

How to prepare hawthorn decoction, useful recipes

There are many recipes for cooking medicinal drugs from hawthorn. All parts of the plant are suitable for this purpose.

In addition to decoctions, from medicinal plant compotes, teas, jellies, jams are made.
All medications are taken 30-40 minutes before meals, 3-4 times a day.

Table 1: various shapes medicinal products from hawthorn

Name ( benefits and contraindications are the same in all types)	Preparation and consumption rate
Hawthorn flower decoction	30 mg of dried flowers are brewed. For this purpose, take 1 measuring cup of water. Stand for 50 minutes. Take 20 ml
Fruit decoction	Place 1 tbsp in a 200 ml enamel container. l. fruits, bring to a boil and infuse for 3 hours. The decoction is taken 20 ml
Infusion of crushed fruits	The berries are crushed in a mortar, and 1 tbsp. l of powder is kept in a glass of boiling water for 10 minutes. This is a daily portion, it is drunk 3 times.
Jam	The berries are blanched for several minutes and then rubbed through a sieve. Sugar is added to taste. A few teaspoons of this delicacy will reduce blood pressure and normalize heart rate.
Tea	This tea is delicious and beneficial. To improve the taste and give it greater strength, raspberries, rose hips and black currants are added to the tea.
Juice using a juicer	The fruits are crushed and boiled in a juice cooker for 50 minutes.

How to brew hawthorn in a thermos

Very convenient way brewing berries and flowers - in a thermos. Berries for brewing in a thermos are not crushed, so useful material of these more completely pass into solution. Place 25 berries in a liter thermos, add boiling water and leave for 8 hours.

With a tendency to low blood pressure, in a thermos, rose hips are brewed together with hawthorn. For brewing it is taken large quantity rose hips, which allows the infusion not to lower blood pressure below normal.

How to take hawthorn decoction for various diseases

Hawthorn decoction (benefits and contraindications are always taken into account) is used to treat many diseases. Treatment regimens are different.

Normalization of pressure

To normalize blood pressure, hawthorn is mixed with motherwort and cucumber. Brewed in proportion - 1 tbsp. l. healing collection for 250 ml of water.

The infusion is ready for use after cooling and straining. It is stored in the refrigerator and drunk 1 tbsp. l.

For heart diseases

Doctors are often asked the question: will using hawthorn decoction be beneficial for the treatment of heart ailments? And are contraindications too dangerous in this case? The fruits of the plant have long been successfully used to treat the heart and blood vessels. Often, to prepare them, the berries are mixed with medicinal herbs

. Below are a few recipes. To strengthen the heart, the fruits are ground and mixed with St. John's wort herb in equal quantities

. 3.5 tablespoons of herb are brewed with 500 ml of water and infused for 30 minutes. This amount is calculated for 1 day of administration. Heart failure is treated by taking an infusion of flowers 4 times a day.

Flowers (2 tbsp) are placed in boiling water and kept for 10 minutes.

To restore metabolism

With the help of decoctions and infusions of hawthorn, the body is cleansed, which improves metabolism. The organic substances and flavonoids contained in the plant have a choleretic effect and affect the thyroid gland. Used to improve metabolism healing tea. Blackcurrant, rosehip and hawthorn are mixed in equal parts

. 1 tbsp. l. The mixture is brewed in a glass of water. It is useful to add a teaspoon of honey to tea.

Hawthorn decoction for diabetes

Fructose is what benefits diabetic patients. There is a lot of it in hawthorn. Tea made from the flowers and fruits of the plant is used in the treatment of diabetes. To brew 1 glass of tea, you need to take 20 g of fruit and 1 tbsp. l. flowers.

This tea is consumed 2 times a day if there are no contraindications.

To restore strength after illness, a decoction of hawthorn will be beneficial. If you add valerian to this brew, it will relieve stress and tension.

A decoction of the fruit is prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. l. berries are boiled in water, in the amount of 1 cup, for 15 minutes. After straining, water is added to obtain the original volume. Drink 1 tbsp. l. for the reception.

For fatigue and stress relief For a wonderful sedative, Hawthorn berries are combined with valerian and motherwort herbs.

30 g of the mixture is poured with boiling water (250 ml) and brewed. Drink this decoction 0.25 cups. Hawthorn decoction will benefit. If you add valerian to this brew, it will relieve stress and tension.
Loss of strength is treated with hawthorn and viburnum. 30 g of the mixture is poured with boiling water (500 ml) and left for 1.5 hours. Add 4 tbsp to the drink. l. spoons of mint oil and 2 tbsp. l. honey

Hawthorn can significantly improve the health of the body. But only its correct use is beneficial.

Useful video about the benefits of hawthorn decoction and how to take it

What are the health benefits of hawthorn decoction and how to take it correctly:

ABOUT medicinal properties hawthorn, recipes from it and contraindications this video:

This shrub, well known to the residents of our country, is found almost everywhere. Hawthorn berries have long been used in traditional and folk medicine for the treatment of heart disease, insomnia. Decoctions, infusions, and syrups are prepared from hawthorn. Most Popular dosage form, which hawthorn is presented on the pharmaceutical market is hawthorn tincture, indications for use of which we will consider today.

Composition of the drug

Hawthorn tincture is very popular, as this drug has high efficiency, and at the same time affordable. It can be bought at any pharmacy.

The tincture contains substances that determine its effect on the human body. For example, it contains flavonoids, including quercetin, hyperin, hyperoside, and vitexin. It also contains carotenoids and tannins. Also included are the most important organic acids, including citric, oleic, ursolic, as well as crategusic, caffeic and chlorogenic.

The drug also contains fixed oils, pectins, glycosides, valuable choline, healthy sugars and vitamins.

All these substances together have the ability to eliminate spasms, strengthen capillaries and blood vessels, and significantly activate metabolic processes. Main Impact this drug aimed at the cardiovascular system. The tincture also has positive impact to the central nervous system human body.

Hawthorn tincture helps to normalize and improve blood circulation (coronary and cerebral), so after taking the drug it calms down headache, the dizziness goes away. The product restores heart rhythm.

Due to its composition, this drug has antispasmodic properties, selectively expands the walls blood vessels heart muscle and brain. The tincture also has antihypertensive properties. This is reflected in the ability to normalize blood pressure, improve the condition of the vein walls.

Studies have proven that preparations based on hawthorn fruits, which contain triterpene glycosides, have a pronounced anti-atherosclerotic effect.

Indications for use

The tincture is usually recommended for people suffering from tachycardia (paroxysmal supraventricular), atherosclerosis, and hypertension. Take the drug for VSD, in the presence of atrial fibrillation, and for extrasystole. The tincture is recommended for people with digitalis intoxication and thyrotoxicosis. The drug is effective in the complex treatment of sleep disorders, insomnia, menopause, and asthenoneurotic syndrome.

How to prepare your own tincture?

Of course, you can buy the drug at the pharmacy, but you can prepare it yourself. I’ll tell you now how to do this:

First you need to wait for the season and collect the fruits of the blood-red hawthorn. Then wash the collected fruits and dry them well with a napkin. Now place 1 full glass of fruit in a ceramic or earthenware (glass) bowl, remember well with a wooden pestle.

Now transfer the mashed berries to liter jar, pour 1 glass of high-quality alcohol into it. It is best to use rectified alcohol for preparing tinctures, since hydrolytic alcohol is inferior in quality and, moreover, it contains more different impurities. The alcohol must have a strength of 70%.

Now put the jar with the future medicine somewhere darker, where they won’t penetrate Sun rays. For example, on a kitchen cabinet shelf. Let it sit there for 3 weeks. When the appointed time is up, strain the product through gauze. You need to take the tincture 20 or 25 drops no more than 3 times a day.

If you don’t have a tincture on hand, it takes a long time to prepare it, and you need to regularly take medications based on hawthorn, you can prepare a decoction. It can be made from either fresh or dried fruits(the latter are sold at the pharmacy).

Contraindications:

It must be remembered that tincture of hawthorn fruit is contraindicated for children under 12 years of age, pregnant women, and people who are sensitive to the components included in the drug.

How to prepare a decoction?

Place 2 tbsp in a small enamel saucepan. l. dry berries, add 200 ml there hot water, boil, and then cook over barely noticeable heat for 15 minutes. Now let the broth cool (it should be warm), strain. You should drink small sips throughout the day until it runs out.

Sedative

If you need to cook effective remedy, which will help you calm down, heal your nerves, and restore sleep, do the following: Pour an equal amount into a clean, dark bottle or bottle pharmaceutical tinctures hawthorn, valerian and motherwort. Then drink the mixture 20-25 drops per quarter cup clean water. This remedy is also indicated for maintaining heart muscle health.

When taking the medications described, some symptoms may occur. side effects, For example, allergic manifestations, severe decrease in blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, drowsiness, trembling of fingers. To avoid this, take hawthorn preparations only as prescribed. medical advice. Be healthy!

Self-medication can be harmful to your health.
You should consult your doctor and read the instructions before use.

Hawthorn tincture: instructions for use

Compound

Alcohol extract from hawthorn fruits 1: 10. Contains ethanol at least 65%.

Description

Transparent liquid from light amber to red-brown color, sweetish taste.

Indications for use

Included complex therapy: functional disorders cardiac activity, cardialgia, climacteric syndrome, astheno-neurotic conditions.

Contraindications

Carefully: liver disease, alcoholism, traumatic brain injury, brain disease.

Directions for use and doses

Inside. 20 - 30 drops 3 - 4 times a day.

Children over 12 years old - 10-15 drops, diluted in ¼ glass of water 3-4 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 20 - 30 days.

Side effect

Allergic reactions (urticaria, itching), arrhythmia, decreased blood pressure; rarely - dizziness, tremor, drowsiness.

Interaction with other drugs

When administered together with cardiac glycosides, the cardiotonic effect is enhanced; with beta-blockers - hypotensive effect. Concomitant use with antiarrhythmic drugs is not recommended.

Features of application

During treatment, monitoring of blood pressure and electrocardiogram is necessary.

Impact on the ability to drive a car and potentially dangerous mechanisms. Medicine contains alcohol! During the treatment period, it is necessary to refrain from driving vehicles and engaging in other potentially dangerous species activities that require increased concentration and speed of psychomotor reactions.

Release form

50 ml in a bottle. 1 bottle along with an insert in a pack.

Storage conditions

In a place protected from light, at a temperature not exceeding 25ºС. During storage, sediment may form. The tincture must be shaken before use.

Keep out of the reach of children.