Hawthorn (medicinal shutter)

the hawthorns used at ends pharmacological are the Hawthorn with a style (Crataegus monogyna) and the thorny Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) ( the latter being regarded as less effective ). Both are usually small trees of 2 with 4m, kind Crataegus and of the rosacée family of the S very frequent in the Haie S of the European campaigns. Their white flowers open out in May.

The hawthorn is the plant of the heart by exellence.

Description

Form: small thorny tree which can reach 2 to 4 m in height (more rarely with the top of 4m).
Sheets: of color dark green shining, ovals and lobed
Flowers: white agreeably scented, joined together in bouquet
Flowering: April at May
Fruit: bays bright red persisting a long time.
Habitat: very common in Europe, the bushes of hawthorn push without problem on all the grounds, in particular in hedges along the ways.
Toxicity: not, medicinal plant
protected Plant: not

NB : Confusion is frequent between the Hawthorn and the Blackthorn or wild Prunellier (Prunus spinosa). Contrary to the Hawthorn, this other thorn-bush flowered well before carrying its sheets, and its fruits are small black plums.

Medicinal use: the plant of the heart par excellence

About uncommon formerly , one employed the bark of young branches like Fébrifuge and the fruits like Astringent, a little with the manner of the let us cynorrhodons.

The astonishing properties of this plant started to be discovered in the end of the 19th century , where she knows a sudden celebrity following research of the American doctors Jennings (1896) and Clement (1898). In 1897, Doctor Leclerc, leader of the French school of Phytotherapy, decided to try out substances resulting from the hawthorn on its patients. It prescribed its use during thirty years and could thus discover that it regularized the movements of the heart, helped with well sleeping and drove out the anxiety.

Today , in Phytotherapy, the hawthorn, or rather the flowers of the hawthorn, is appreciated for their qualities of regulation of the Cardiac rhythm, of improvement of the coronary Circulation and the nutrition of the cardiac Muscle. It is a Hypotenseur, a Cardiotonique and a Antispasmodique, which calms palpitations, decreases the stress and facilitates the sleep, thanks to the Flavonoïde S, with the Stérol S and the Triterpènes which the plant contains. Not poison, it could, with excessive amounts to have a depressive action on the heart and to harm the hepatic cell. It is thus necessary to avoid the too prolonged cures and cut intervals idle.

The flower of the hawthorn enters the composition of more than two hundred proprietary medical products… and a score of clinical studies made it possible to check its effectiveness for some turbid cardiac, in particular arterial hypertension.

The fruits , as for them, are slightly astringent, and gets busy in gargarism against the words of throat.

Lastly, in Gemmothérapie, one uses the bud sheet which has at the same time the properties of the flower and the properties of the fruit.

Indications traditional

Anxiety, Nervousness, Insomnia, puffed out heat, irritability, excessive emotivity, giddinesses, buzzes of ears;
turbid of the cardiac rhythm, Palpitation S;
Hyper blood-pressure, prevention of the coronary disorders.

The infusion of flowers of hawthorn is of a pleasant taste. One generally uses 1 to 2 spoonful (S) with soup of flowers by ebullient water cup, 2 to 3 times per day, 3 weeks per month.

Components of the flowers

Terpenic pigments flavonic, amines, derivatives, histamine, tannin, vitamin C.

Gathering of the flowers of hawthorn

The period of flowering must be made profitable to make the harvest of bouquets of flower of hawthorn. The selected bush must be preferably far away from the pollution (treated roads, highways, factories, fields…).

The flowering is very short and the gathering must be carried out when the flowers are in button, or with the whole beginning of their blooming (indeed, the petals would be detached with drying). One picking only of the small bouquets with the least possible of wood and sheets (Though herb trade sells them not cleaned).

The harvest thus made will have to be put to dry in a dry and aired place. The flowers must hardly yellow with the desiccation and preserve their odor. Once dried , the flowers of hawthorn will be preserved in one limps out of paperboard or in quite closed paper bags rather than in glass or metal.

This operation will have to be renewed each year.

The dried flowers can also be found in the stores of natural products or in Pharmacie. One finds also gélules or bulbs containing a concentrated extract.

Bibliography and Sources

the grass pound good, Pierre Lieutaghi, southern Acts, 1996
the gemnothérapie, Philippe Andrianne, Editions AMYRIS, 2004
ethnobotanic Guide of Phytotherapy, Gerard Ducerf, Promonature Editions, 2006

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