Hawthorn
Berry is from the rosaceae family, and is common throughout England in
hedgerows, woodland and scrub, on all but the poorest soils.
Chemical
constituents in Hawthorn include Vitamin C, flavonoids (quercitin,
quercitrin), glycosides, proanthocyandins, anthocyanidins, tannins,
saponins and cratetegin.
Today, hawthorn is used in many forms as a tea, tincture, capsules, paste, and syrup.
It
is used mostly for cardiovascular conditions and the effects are
believed to be the result of the flavonoids in hawthorn, which are
thought to have the ability to increase the integrity of the blood
vessel wall, improve coronary blood flow and circulation by decreasing
arterial resistance, and increase oxygen utilisation. Research also
suggests there may be a beneficial effect on blood lipids.
Hawthorn
has also been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and mild
astringent effects, and can be used to strengthen joint lining, collagen
and spinal discs.