American Family Physician

H awthorn, a Crataegus species, is part of a genus of spiny shrubs and trees native to temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia, and North America. Depending on the taxonomic interpretation, between 200 and 1,000 species of Crataegus have been recognized. Hawthorn is the oldest known medicinal plant in European medicine; its actions on the heart were first described by Dioscorides in the first century. Hawthorn is also a popular herbal supplement in the U.S. market. Hawthorn extracts have historically been derived from the flowers, leaves, and fruits of the plant. However, most of the data supporting the cardiac activity of hawthorn are based on evaluation of the dried flowering tops of the plants (specifically from Crataegus monogyna or Crataegus laevigata). There are fewer clinical studies on the extract of hawthorn berry alone. The dried fruits are traditionally used in Chinese medicine as a digestive aid and are often made into jam, jelly, candies, or wine.