Standardized extracts from hawthorn leaves and flowers in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders--preclinical and clinical studies.

Extracts from different parts of hawthorn plants (Crataegus spp.) are used worldwide for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. So far, almost all clinical studies have been conducted with standardized hydroalcoholic extracts from leaves and flowers. These trials with more than 4000 patients have provided evidence for clinical benefits in the therapy of mild chronic heart failure. Besides cardiotonic effects, recent pharmacological investigations indicate that hawthorn extracts also possess cardio- and vasoprotective properties. Thus, these extracts may also be employed in the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of such conditions as endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, or prevention of restenosis/reocclusion following peripheral endovascular treatment. In this review the pharmacological and clinical data relating to these standardized extracts are summarized.