Hawthorn
Crataegus monogyna Jacq.Rosaceae // leaf and flower · fruit
Overview
Plant parts
leaf and flower, fruit
Known constituents
oligomeric procyanidins, flavonoids
Research corpus coverage
Chemistry notes
- CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include oligomeric procyanidins; flavonoids; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.
Uses & Evidence
Traditional / historical use
Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.
TRADITIONAL: Hawthorn has been used for heart weakness; palpitations; digestion; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.
MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Modern evidence
EVIDENCE: For the major use set (heart weakness; palpitations; digestion), the evidence assessment is limited/mixed: Limited/mixed evidence for adjunctive chronic heart-failure symptoms; insufficient for prevention or monotherapy.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph and mixed scientific literature · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Mixed findings, product heterogeneity, or indirect evidence are preserved in the detailed profile.
Preparation
Forms used traditionally
A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.
PREPARATION: The medicinal material is leaf and flower; fruit; traditional and modern forms include infusion/tea, tincture, powder/capsule, extract. No dose or potency is specified.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
Preparation-specific evidence should not be generalized across extracts, teas, oils, or whole herb.
Safety
Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)
Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.
SAFETY: Major issues include Dizziness, nausea, hypotension; cardiac symptoms require diagnosis. Contraindications/cautions include Unstable cardiac disease.
MODERATE · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements
SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include Potential additive effects with digoxin, nitrates, antihypertensives and other cardiac drugs.
MODERATE · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements
Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.
SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Insufficient pregnancy/lactation evidence.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance
Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.
Preparation × species risk matrix
Unknown means insufficient evidence was located — not that a form is safe.
Cats
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Dogs
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Identity
Botanical synonym
Crataegus oxyacantha auct.
Taxonomic identity note
- Hawthorn is treated here as Crataegus monogyna Jacq. in the family Rosaceae; recorded older names include Crataegus oxyacantha auct..
Sources
Research records are source-linked but may not yet be editorially reviewed.
- NCCIH Herbs at a Glance3 claims
NCCIH fact sheet
NIH LiverTox monograph
- Plants of the World Online1 claim
botanical taxonomy database
EMA monograph
WHO monograph