H
HAWTHORN (Crataegus spp.) +++Synonyms: C. laevigata (Poir.) DC; C. oxyacantha L., C. monogyna Jacq. C. oxyacantha L. var.
praecox hort. ex Loudon.
Taxonomic Quagmire: A subset of American advocates of phytomedicine argue that we should
emulate the Standard of Excellence of the German Commission E. Which one? Two came out in
1998, purporting to be authentic English presentations of the Commission E conclusions. Blumen-
thal’s very careful book (KOM in my HDR) approves only “hawthorn leaf with flower” (defining
hawthorn as dried flowering twig tips of C. laevigata or C. monogyna, or other members of the
genus) and only for “decreasing cardiac output as described in functional Stage II of NYHA.” The
other, edited by Joerg Gruenwald, also an editor of Blumenthal’s Book, in his Herbal PDR (PHR)
approves Crataegus species (not specifying either C. laevigata or C. monogyna), “white thorn
flowers, leaves, fruit, and various mixtures of plant parts” for the same indication. My interpretation;
these two and a few other species of the huge and taxonomically difficult Crataegus genus which
contains some 200–300 species. But then we had sequelae to these first two volumes. In 2000,
Blumenthal et al. (BGB) say that “hawthorn refers to the fruit, leaf, and/or flower of the genus
Crataegus (usually C. laevigata syn. C. oxyacantha) and C. monogyna.” That can be interpreted
at least two ways, but I take it to mean both species. I refer those interested in the German gyrations
involved to the BGB. Conversely, Gruenwald in his Edition 2 (PH2) narrows his definition,
mentioning only English hawthorn, which the Herbal PDR Edition 2 equate to Crataegus laevigata,
with no discussion of the distinction between the species. I frankly doubt that the writers of these
Germanic gyrations can tell the difference between species of hawthorn, especially after they have
been reduced to powders or tinctures. I doubt that Gruenwald, nor anyone else, can prove that these
researches were done on C. laevigata. In citing my CRC Handbook (Duke, 1985), Gruenwald cites
an entry that was referred to C. oxyacantha. But I too, in 1985, was no surer of Crataegus taxonomy
than I am today, hence, they are combined.
Activities (Hawthorn) — Antiaggregant (1; PNC); Antianginal (1; CAN; SKY); Antiarrhythmic
(2; CAN; MAB; PH2); Antiatherosclerotic (1; MAB); Anticapillary Fragility (1; FNF; MAB;
PH2); Antiedemic (1; PNC); Antiinflammatory (1; COX; MAB; PH2; WAM); Antioxidant (1;
CAN; MAB; PH2; SKY); Antisclerotic (1; PNC); Antiseborrheic (f; MAB); Antithromboxane
(1; MAB); Astringent (1; MAB; CRC); Bitter (f; PED); cAMP-Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor (1;
MAB); Cardioprotective (1; MAB); Cardiotonic (2; APA; BGB; CRC; FAD; MAB; PH2; PNC;
WAM); CNS Depressant (1; CAN); Collagen-Sparing (1; MAB; PH2); Coronary Vasodilator (1;
FAD; PED; PH2); Cyanogenetic (1; CRC); Depurative (f; CRC); Digestive (f; PED); Diuretic
(1; APA; CRC); Fumitory (f; CRC); Hepatoprotective (1; MAB); Hypertensive (f; PED); Hypo-
cholesterolemic (1; APA; PH2); Hypoglycemic (1; APA); Hypotensive (1; BGB; CAN; FAD;