HAWTHORN
Source:Crataegus laevigata(Poir) DC (syn.
C.oxyacanthaL.),C.monogynaJacq.,C.
pinnatifidaBge.,C.pinnattifidavar. major
N.E. Br.,C.cuneataSeib. Et Zucc. and
otherCrataegus spp. (Family Rosaceae).
Common/vernacular names: Bei shanzhaor
northern Chinese hawthorn (C.pinnatifida),
nan shanzhaor southern Chinese hawthorn
(C.cuneata).
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The genusCrataegusincludes approximately
280 species primarily from northern temper-
ate zones in East Asia (20), Europe (20) and
Eastern North America (200þ).
C.laevigatais a spiny shrub; leaves mostly
smooth obovate, three to five lobed, serrulate;
flowers white to pink with red anthers; fruit
globose or ellipsoid, deep red; found in woods
from northwest and central Europe, from
England to Latvia, west to the Pyrenees and
northern Italy; naturalized in eastern North
America and India. Many smooth-leaved or
slightly pubescent species in Europe have
been treated asC.oxyacantha, a synonym
for the official European source, resulting in
much confusionin thebotanical andpharmacy
literature.
C.pinnatifida,C.pinnatifidavar.major,
and C. cuneataare source plants for the
Chinese drug shanzha (dried hawthorn
fruit).Crataegus pinnatifidais distributed in
northeast China, Shanxi, and JIANGSU pro-
vinces. Crataegus pinnatifida var. major
(“northern shanzha”) is distributed in
north and northeast China; supply mostly
cultivated, in Shangdong, Henan, and Hebei.
Crataegus cuneata “Southern shanzha,”
is grown the Changjian Valley in Guangdong
and Guangxi (TUCKER AND LAWRENCE;
JIANGSU).^1
The part used is the dried fruits (China); or
flowering tops, leaves, or fruits (Europe).
CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONC. laevigata and C. monogyna contain
flavonoids, including hyperoside (hyperin),
quercetin, vitexin, vitexin-4^0 - L-rhamno-
D-glucoside, vitexin-4^0 - L-rhamnoside, vitex-
in-4^0 -7-di-D-glucoside, rutin, quercetin-3-
rhamno-galactoside, 8-methoxykaempferol
malonylglucoside, C-glycosides of acetyula-
pigenin and acetyl vitexin, and others;1–8
pentacyclic triterpenes (0.5–1.4% in fruits),
including oleanolic acid, ursolic acid,
acantolicacid,neotegolicacid,2-a-hydroxyo-
leanolic acid (crataegolic acid);^9 xanthine
derivatives such as adenosine, adenine,
guanine, and uric acid;^1 amines, including
ethylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine,
isobutylamine, isoamylamine, ethanolamine,
b-phenylethylamine, choline, acetylcholine,
O-methoxyphenethylamine, tyramine, and
others;1,10proanthocyanidins;^11 plusb-sitos-
terol, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, (þ)-cat-
echin,()-epicatechin,vitaminsB 1 ,B 2 ,andC;
calcium, iron, phosphorus, fructose, traces of
an essential oil; and others (LIST AND
HO ̈RHAMMER).^1
Crataequinones A(1) and B(2) are two new
bioactive furo-1,2-naphthoquinones that have
recently been isolated fromC. pinnatifida.^12PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIESThe main effect of hawthorn is on the cardio-
vascular system. Pharmacological studies
report enhanced coronary blood flow and
myocardial perfusion;13,14 improvement of
cardiac muscle contractility;^14 increased left
ventrical output velocity; lowering of blood
pressure;15–18an antiarrhythmic effect;19,20
increased myocardium tolerance to oxygen
deprivation under hypoxic conditions; cardi-
oprotective effect against myocardial infarc-
tion;21,22and stimulation of revascularization
after myocardial ischemia (ESCOP 2).23,24
Various clinical studies reveal efficacy in
congestive heartfailure;25,26increased cardiac
performance; decrease in peripheral vascular352 Hawthorn