Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus monogyna)
Medicinal Profile of
Hawthorn Berry
(Crataegus monogyna)
Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus monogyn), from the flowering hawthorn tree, has been treasured in European, Chinese, and Native American traditions as a heart-strengthening remedy. Often called a “cardiac tonic,” it gently supports circulation, strengthens the heart muscle, and balances blood pressure over time. Unlike acute stimulants, hawthorn works slowly and deeply, making it a terrain-rebuilding ally for hypofunctional or weakened cardiovascular states. Its rich flavonoids and oligomeric procyanidins also provide antioxidant and vascular-protective benefits.
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👉 Tastes describe the initial impression a herb leaves on the tongue, and they reveal its deeper actions in the body, shaping digestion, circulation, and tissue response.
Sweet – Nourishing and building; promotes tissue strength, stability, and energy.
Sour – Digestive stimulant; mildly heating and awakening; enhances circulation and appetite.
Bitter – Clearing and detoxifying; reduces excess heat and stagnation; stimulates digestion in a cooling way.
Astringent – Drying and tightening; tones tissues, reduces excess moisture, and creates firmness.
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👉Qualities describe the felt nature of a substance or practice, and how it acts in the body beyond nutrients or chemistry.
In medicinal/therapeutic doses:
Drying – Reduces excess fluids or dampness.
Circulating – Increases warmth, stimulates circulation and metabolism.
Light – Easy to digest, uplifts, reduces heaviness.
Liquefying – Loosens stagnation, thins mucus, improves flow.
In food-like doses, hawthorn feels nourishing and moistening (sweet aspect) → gently restorative, tissue-building, and harmonizing.
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👉 Terrain patterns describe the body’s functional state, showing when a herb is most helpful or aggravating, while affinities identify the organ systems or tissues where its actions are most directly felt.
👉 To learn more about these patterns in depth, read this blog.Hypofunction (Primary Indicated Terrain Pattern) – Low energy, slowed metabolism, weak digestion or immunity.
Cardiovascular System (Affinity) – Terrain-rebuilding: strengthens heart muscle, improves circulation, enhances resilience.
Nervous System (Affinity) – Supportive: calms tension-related palpitations, soothes nervous heart.
Warranted: Berry decoction, syrup, or capsule. Dose: 3–5 g dried berry daily as decoction or in capsules; syrup 1–2 tsp daily.
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Fluid Congestion and Stagnation (Secondary Indicated Terrain Pattern) – Accumulation of dampness, mucus, or waste causing heaviness, swelling, or blockage.
Cardiovascular System (Affinity) – Terrain-rebuilding: improves venous return, balances blood pressure.
Renal System (Affinity) – Supportive: aids in relieving fluid stagnation when linked to weak heart function.
Warranted: Long-term daily use as tea, decoction, or capsule. Dose: 2–3 g dried berry daily. -
👉 Nutritional values give the measurable nutrients that a food contributes to the diet.
(per 100 g fresh berry)
Calories: ~80 kcal, Carbohydrates: ~20 g, Dietary fiber: ~3 g, Vitamin C: ~18–20 mg, B-vitamins: trace amounts (B2, B3, B6), Minerals: calcium (~20 mg), iron (~1 mg), magnesium (~13 mg), potassium (~120 mg).
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Tea / decoction – Dried berries simmered gently.
Syrup – Classic cardiovascular tonic preparation.
Capsules / tablets – Standardized extracts for long-term use.
Tincture – Berry extract for convenience; often combined with leaf and flower.
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👉 Medicinal actions describe the specific ways a food influences organ systems and body functions.
Cardiovascular System
Cardiotonic – Strengthens and nourishes the heart muscle.
Vasodilator – Improves blood flow, reduces vascular resistance.
Hypotensive (gentle) – Helps regulate high blood pressure.
Antioxidant – Protects vascular tissue from oxidative damage.
Antiarrhythmic (mild) – Stabilizes irregular heartbeats.
Nervous System
Nervine supportive – Calms anxiety linked to heart palpitations.
Adaptogenic (mild) – Supports resilience under stress.
Digestive & Metabolic Systems
Hypolipidemic – May reduce cholesterol and triglycerides.
Digestive tonic – Traditionally used for sluggish digestion.
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👉 Constituents are the natural compounds in a food that give rise to its actions in the body.
Flavonoids (vitexin, hyperoside, rutin) – Antioxidant, vasodilatory.
Oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs) – Cardioprotective, vessel-strengthening.
Phenolic acids – Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant.
Triterpenes – Supportive in vascular integrity.
Pectin – Gentle digestive support.
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Second Degree – Gentle but systemic, requires consistent use over time for best results.
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Cardiac glycosides (digoxin) – May potentiate effects.
Beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, diuretics – May enhance or alter action.
Antihypertensives – Additive effect on lowering blood pressure.
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Generally safe – Well tolerated with long-term use.
Children – Safe in food-like doses.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding – Limited safety data; best avoided in concentrated extract form.
Heart medications – Should be monitored by a practitioner to avoid overlap.
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Traditional Sources
European folk medicine – Long used as a “heart berry” and circulatory tonic.
Chinese medicine – Shan Zha (Crataegus pinnatifida) used for digestion and circulation.
Modern Sources
Tadi, P. P., et al. (2018). “Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.): Cardiovascular health benefits.” Planta Medica, 84(1), 12–26.
Walker, A. F., et al. (2002). “Hypotensive effects of hawthorn for hypertension: a randomized controlled trial.” Phytotherapy Research, 16(1), 48–54.
USDA FoodData Central (2024). Nutrient data for hawthorn berries.
