H
MAB; PH2); Hypotriglyceridemic (1; MAB); Myocardioprotectant (1; MAB); Negative Bath-
motropic (2; KOM); Negative Chronotropic (1; PH2); Nervine (1; WAM); Pancreaprotective (1;
MAB); Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor (1; MAB; PH2); Positive Chronotropic (2; KOM); Positive
Dromotropic (2; KOM); Positive Inotropic (2; KOM; PH2); Sedative (1; CAN; PHR; PH2; PNC);
Stomachic (f; CRC); Tonic (f; CRC); Vasodilator (1; APA; BGB; CAN).
Indications (Hawthorn) — Acne (1; MAB); Alzheimer’s (1; COX); Anemia (1; MAB); Angina
(2; APA; FAD; FEL; PH2; SKY); Atherosclerosis (2; BGB; FAD; CRC; MAB; SKY); Arrhythmia
(2; APA; CAN; MAB; PH2; WAM); Arthrosis (1; COX; PH2); Bradycardia (1; BGB; PHR; PH2);
Buerger’s Disease (f; BGB; CAN); Cancer (1; COX); Capillary Fragility (1; FNF; MAB; PH2);
Cardiopathy (2; MAB; PH2); Cardiovascular Insufficiency (2; CAN; SKY); Cor Pulmonale (1;
PH2); CVI (f; FEL); Dermatosis (1; WAM); Dropsy (f; CRC); Dyspnea (1; APA; CRC; MAB;
PNC); Edema (1; APA; PNC); Erythema (1; MAB); Fatigue (1; BGB); Gingivosis (1; WAM); Heart
(f; CRC); High Blood Pressure (2; BGB; CAN; CRC; FAD; MAB; PH2; SKY); High Cholesterol
(1; APA; MAB; PH2); Hyperactivity (1; WAM); Hypertrophy (f; CRC); Inflammation (1; COX;
MAB; PH2; WAM); Insomnia (1; APA; CAN; PHR; PH2; PNC); Ischemia (1; PH2); Low Blood
Pressure (f; PED); Myocardiosis (f; CAN); Nephrosis (f; CRC; MAB); Nervousness (1; CAN;
PHR; PH2; PNC); Palpitation (1; APA); Seborrhea (1; MAB); Sore Throat (f; CRC; MAB); Stasis
(f; PH2); Stress (1; BGB; WAM); Swelling (1; PNC); Tachycardia (f; CAN; MAB); Valvular
Insufficiency (f; CRC); Water Retention (1; APA; CRC). Interpretations by both Blumenthal et al.
and Gruenwald et al. (1998) of Commission E are simple, and almost identical for a change, for
decreasing cardiac output as described in functional Stage II of NYHA. Nothing more, nothing less.
Dosages (Hawthorn) — 1 tsp (1.8 g) chopped leaf and/or flower 2–3 ×/day, for a few weeks (APA);
1.5–3.5 g dry flower, leaf, fruit/day (MAB); 4–5 g fruit/day (SKY); 2–6 tsp fresh fruit (PED); 1–3 g
dry fruit (PED); 0.3–1 g dry fruit, or in tea, 3 ×/day (CAN); 2 g dry fruit:10 ml alcohol/10 ml water
(PED); average daily dose (5 g) in 1-g increments or 160–900 mg extract (standardized to flavonoids
or procyanidins) in 3 doses (PH2); 0.5–1 ml liquid extract (PNC); 0.5–1 ml liquid extract (1:1 in 25%
ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 3–6 ml fluid leaf extract (1:2) (MAB); 3–7 ml fluid fruit extract (1:2) (MAB);
4–5 ml tincture 3 ×/day (SKY); 1 tsp tincture morning and night for several weeks (APA); 7.5–15
ml leaf tincture (1:5) (MAB); 7.5–17.5 ml fruit tincture (1:5) (MAB); 1–2 ml herbal tincture (1:5 in
45% ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 2–3 (450 mg) capsules (StX to contain 100 mg certified potency
hawthorn extract with a minimum of preferred 1.8 mg vitexins, including vitexin-2′′-O-rhamnoside,
synergistically combined in a base of Hawthorn Berry powder) with a large glass of water (NH);
80–160 mg StX 3 ×/day; 80–500 mg StX 2–3 ×/day 2.2% bioflavonoids, or 18.75% OPCs (SKY).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Hawthorn) — Class 1 (AHP). May potentiate
digitalis (AHP) and other cardiac medicines (WAM). Can interfere with cardiac, hypertensive, and
hypotensive therapies. “Not suitable for self medication” (CAN). Contrast that with Lininger et al.,
“Hawthorn is extremely safe for long term use ... No known interactions with prescription cardiac
medications or other drugs ... No known contraindications ... during pregnancy or lactation” (SKY).
“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). Not for children
under 12 years old (PH2). CAN cautions that because of uterine activity, in vivo and in vitro, its
use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Not for use during first trimester of pregnancy
(PH2). LRNP (January 1994), admitting that low doses are usually devoid of adverse effects, says
that high doses may induce hypotension (that can be good in hypertension) and sedation (which
can be good in insomnia). Side effects reported include fatigue, nausea, rash, and sweating (CAN).
The tyramine content might suggest avoidance of MAOIs. High dose may be arrhythmogenic,
hypotensive, sedative, tremorigenic, and vertigogenic (PH2). Still, in combination with beta-block-
ers “may cause a hypertensive effect” (PH2). May potentiate other cardiac drugs! Here’s a specu-
lative template that could double the size of any nitpickological compilation, “Herbs with this
activity (and count the activities in my compilation) may or may not potentiate pharmaceuticals