Hawthorn leaves beneficial properties and contraindications. Hawthorn flowers and roots: medicinal properties and use in folk medicine. Mask against hair loss

Since ancient times people have used healing power plants. Bright red fruits, which have truly wonderful healing properties, are still popular today, both among medical luminaries and among supporters unconventional methods, after all delicious berries carry healing from numerous diseases.

Common hawthorn is a plant whose lifespan is surprisingly long: reaching three hundred years or more. The tree has a hard wood feel, which allows it to withstand strong temperature fluctuations. The shoots are strewn with thorns. During flowering, the plant is densely covered with white or white-pink buds.

The fruits are fleshy, elongated, mostly red, but also purple, black, and orange.

There are a great many subspecies of hawthorn. For the most part, the place of growth is middle lane, but both in the subtropics and in cold regions you can find varieties of plants that have adapted to harsh conditions. With the arrival of winter, the shoots gradually lose their leaf cover.

Main places of growth:

  • edges
  • ravines
  • undergrowth
  • mountain slopes
  • river banks

Scientists in most countries of the world use hawthorn for medicinal purposes. Many plant varieties are officially recognized; these subspecies are also actively used by traditional healers.

There are countless species of hawthorn, up to 1500. Up to 40 subspecies of the plant can be found on the territory of the Russian Federation. The most useful of them is the blood-red hawthorn, which rightly occupies a leading position in medicine. IN medicinal purposes flowers and hawthorn bark are used, but berries are especially useful, sweet and pleasant to the taste, they are a storehouse of substances that are beneficial for the body.

The healing properties of the plant are due to the special composition of its berries, flowers and leaves:

  1. The fruits contain a lot of essential oils, flavonoids, starch, vitamins (A, C, E)
  2. a bunch of fatty oils seeds are successfully used in the treatment of dysentery
  3. source of acids and essential extracts – flowers

Organic acids, tannins composition makes it indispensable in the prevention and treatment of many diseases.

The most popular in medicine is blood-red hawthorn; the plant is used in the treatment of many diseases:

  • is a generally accepted means of preventing strokes
  • berries contain large reserves of ursulic acid, which enhances blood circulation in the vessels of the heart and brain
  • used as a means to help remove excess bile from the body
  • helps in the fight against cholecystitis
  • improves metabolic processes
  • helps normalize body weight (pectins in berries help activate metabolic processes in the body)

  • the occurrence of edema
  • allergic reactions
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • migraines, dizziness
  • sleep disorders
  • reduced immunity
  • diseases of the heart muscle and disruptions in its functioning
  • increased nervous excitability
  • depression, stress
  • epileptic seizures
  • hysteria
  • irritability
  • hypertension (as a means of normalizing blood pressure)
  • diabetes mellitus (normalizes blood sugar)
  • atherosclerotic manifestations (destroys cholesterol plaques and prevents their occurrence)

In addition, hawthorn fruits are used to prepare delicious compotes, mousses, preserves, jams, marmalade - an appetizing medicine that helps boost immunity.

Like any medicine, hawthorn, in addition to its benefits, can cause significant harm to the body. This will happen if the medicine is used uncontrollably, without following any treatment regimen, in increased dosages.

In such cases, the following unpleasant symptoms may occur:

  • Malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Low blood pressure
  • Renal dysfunction.
  • Cardiac arrhythmias.

Before use, you should visit a doctor and carefully read the instructions for use of the drug. Women during pregnancy and lactation should use only on the recommendation of a doctor!

The plant blooms profusely, but not for long (about four days). Before you start harvesting, you need to make sure that it is completely healthy. The flowering period begins in late spring (early summer) and at the same time you can begin to harvest hawthorn.

Dry weather (towards the end of October) is best for harvesting. The fact that the berries are ripe is determined by their color: deep red. In the leaves of a plant useful substances much less, however, they are also used in the preparation.

The following methods are used in the preparation:

  1. Drying.
  2. Freezing.

Before drying, you must:

  • rinse it thoroughly to remove dirt
  • place on prepared parchment
  • dry for several days, turning over from time to time

If the preparation takes place in special dryers, then the temperature in them should not exceed 60 degrees. You can also dry it in the oven, with the door open, maintaining a temperature of forty degrees. Another, most common drying method: simply lay it out on a surface protected from the sun with good air access until completely dry. You can determine whether the hawthorn is completely dried by squeezing a handful of fruits in your hand. The finished berries are easily separated from each other, have a slight bitter taste and a specific smell.

When dry, hawthorn should be placed in fabric bags, wooden boxes lined with parchment, foil or glass containers and thus stored. It is necessary to remove with a dry hand to avoid moisture penetration. The shelf life is no more than 2 years.

Some berry lovers store them in preparations:

  • jam
  • jam
  • tincture

Preparation of tincture:

  1. pour boiling water over the dried flowers (one to one)
  2. leave for half an hour
  3. strain and roll into glass jars

More information can be found in the video:

Juice preparation:

  1. Wash 1000g of fruits thoroughly, cook for 2 hours in a small amount of water
  2. grind through a sieve, add 0.5 kg of sugar, liter of water
  3. boil
  4. remove from heat
  5. pour into glass jars, roll up

Making jam:

  1. 1000 g of fruits pour 1 tbsp. water
  2. add 0.5 kg of sugar
  3. cook until thick
  4. cool, roll into prepared jars

The most difficult compote to prepare is:

  1. remove seeds from berries
  2. pour syrup with thirty percent sugar content
  3. leave for at least 10 hours
  4. drain the infusion
  5. boil
  6. soak the berries and place them in the bottom of sterilized glass jars
  7. pour in the resulting infusion
  8. roll up

If the necessary rules are observed, frozen hawthorn fruits do not lose their healing properties at all. Freeze the product quickly, placing it tightly in containers in the freezer.

Besides, good way: grind the fruits in a meat grinder or grind in a blender, and then put the resulting mass in cellophane or containers and freeze them. IN in this case, small portions are better - this factor affects the preservation of vitamins.

A frozen product can be used for the same purposes as a dried product:

  • in the preparation of a variety of teas and medicinal infusions
  • as a component or main component of fruit drinks, compotes
  • as food additives, V various variations dishes

Hawthorn is a natural remedy, this is its main advantage compared to chemical analogues. However, this plant can have a strong effect on the body, so you should not use it yourself, without the supervision of your doctor.

Hawthorn belongs to the genus of deciduous, semi-evergreen shrubs or small trees. It belongs to the Rosaceae family. This plant has been known to people since ancient times. Today it is widely used in both traditional and folk medicine. What medicinal properties hawthorn and its possible harm?

Description of the plant

Hawthorn is classified not only as an ornamental plant, but also as a medicinal plant, widespread throughout the world, growing in temperate climates. It is found in forest clearings, in dense thicket and on the edges. This shrub is unpretentious to soil and therefore can grow in almost any soil.

Translated from Greek, hawthorn is translated as “strong”, since its wood has high hardness and strength. Hawthorn can reach a height of up to four meters, and its lifespan is 400 years.

The plant begins to bloom at the end of May with beautiful white or pink flowers. During its flowering period, hawthorn attracts many bees. In the fall, the berries are dark red or orange.

Chemical composition

Since ancient times, healing and beneficial features This plant has been successfully used to treat various types of diseases. Beneficial substances are found in berries, foliage and even the bark of shrubs. Hawthorn is rich in many vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

He contains:

Beneficial properties of fruits

Berries are very beneficial for human health, they unique properties used in the treatment and prevention of heart and vascular diseases, to regulate blood pressure and good functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. They are also used as a remedy for insomnia, stress and overwork of the body.

Despite the fact that in our time scientific and technological progress has rapidly “stepped” forward, scientists are still thoroughly unknown chemical composition, which would explain the effectiveness of this shrub. According to one version, the plant polyphenols contained in it – flavonoids – give it medicinal properties. These polyphenols give the walls of blood vessels strength and neutralize free radicals, located in the human body.

Flavonoids contained in hawthorn:

  • Vitexin - stimulates vasodilation and improves metabolism in the heart muscle.
  • Hyperoside - improves blood flow in the heart and enriches it with potassium.
  • Quercitrin – gives elasticity to the walls of blood vessels, improves cerebral circulation.

In addition to flavonoids, the fruits contain various acids necessary for the body:

  • Oleanolovaya – increases blood supply to the brain and heart, relieves spasm of arteries, fights bad cholesterol.
  • Ursolova – expands coronary vessels, reduces blood pressure, has an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect.
  • Chlorogenic – has an antioxidant effect, saturates cells with oxygen, improves liver and kidney function.

The berries contain a lot of carotene, vitamins A, C, E and K. Some varieties of shrubs compete with carrots and rose hips in carotene content. The fruits contain sorbitol, which is recommended for use when diabetes mellitus.

Berries also contain many elements such as:

Reception, tinctures and decoctions provide a comprehensive beneficial influence on various systems and human organs.

The fruits also have other beneficial properties..

Pharmacy products

The following varieties of berries are used for the manufacture of medicines:

  • ordinary;
  • barbed;
  • blood red, etc.

These species are better studied by scientists and contain substances that have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart, significantly large quantities than the rest.

Medicines are made from the berries in various forms:

Medicinal properties of flowers

The healing properties of hawthorn flowers are similar to those of the fruit. But for the treatment of diseases of various kinds, they are better than those of berries. For example, flowers differ from berries in the improved characteristics of substances for lowering blood pressure. But in some cases they are also harmful, as will be discussed below.

To enhance the usefulness of flowers, you need to consider a number of recommendations.

  • Flowers are harvested for the winter for later preparation of infusions, decoctions and alcohol tinctures.
  • The flowering period lasts about three days, during which you need to have time to prepare flowers for the winter.
  • Flowers that have fully opened during flowering are collected and carefully cut off along with a small part of the stem.
  • The collection is carried out in the morning, then the flowers are dried and stored in a dark, dry place.
  • For maximum preservation of nutrients, flowers should be collected in the morning and in dry weather in mid-autumn. They are then dried and can be stored for two years.

Contraindications and possible harm to flowers and fruits

Like any other plant, hawthorn will have beneficial effect on the human body only if the rules for its use are observed. Before using it for treatment various diseases, a mandatory consultation with your doctor is required.

IN in rare cases misuse medicines based on hawthorn can lead to dire consequences.

The use of medicines containing hawthorn after a stroke is prohibited. Infusion or tea from flowers is not recommended for those who suffer from kidney disease and disorders of the heart muscle.

When a doctor prescribes medications with hawthorn, strict adherence to the doctor's instructions is required. Doctors do not recommend taking berry decoctions for children, as they cause increased drowsiness.

With a moderate dosage, hawthorn has a small number of contraindications. The main thing is not to abuse it medicines, which contain hawthorn. Its main danger is that it acts rather slowly, gradually exerting its effect on the body. Thereby negative effect may appear after a few days.

Absolutely all medicinal plants, just like hawthorn, are dangerous to human health if you do not know how and in what dosages to use it.

Infusions for the heart and nerves

Tinctures from berries or hawthorn flowers, prepared independently, are very useful.

Universal tincture and tea

Thus, hawthorn is a plant carrying man great benefit. But at the same time, you need to treat it with caution and take into account the recommendations of doctors.

Nature in Russia is diverse, medicinal plants a large number of, hawthorn has more than 50 species. In May-June, lush flowers make themselves felt. Both inflorescences and leaves with fruits have beneficial properties. Hawthorn has many secrets, as well as useful properties.

Photo of hawthorn fruits

The chemical composition of hawthorn has not been fully studied, but there is an opinion that healing effect occurs thanks to plant polyphenols, the following elements help prevent vascular fragility, neutralize radicals in the body:

  • quercitrin - capillaries become denser, the substance also has an antitumor effect
  • Vitexin, this element helps to dilate blood vessels, improve metabolic processes in the heart muscles
  • hyperoside helps utilize glucose and enriches the heart with beneficial vitamins.

Hawthorn also contains the following acids:

  • oleanolic acid helps dilate blood vessels and improve heart function;
  • caffeic acid helps speed up the production of bile;
  • chlorogen leads to normal condition of the kidneys, liver, and also drives bile
  • ursolic acid exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect

The composition of vitamins is as follows:

  • vitamin E -2 mg per 100 grams;
  • ascorbic acid – 90 mg per 100 grams, this is the main participant in the recovery processes;
  • carotene – 14 mg per 100 grams of berries, this vitamin helps the body to be protected;
  • vitamin A - 2.3 mg per 0.1 kg of hawthorn, regeneration skin occurs thanks to this vitamin;

Hawthorn also contains minerals; per 100 grams there are:

  • copper and zinc 0.35 mg;
  • 77.2 mcg boron;
  • 32.10 mg of potassium, it is a building material;
  • Iron and magnesium 0.25 mg

The pulp also contains the following substances: phytosterols, extractive compounds, oils, and a large amount of organic acids.

Per 100 grams, the calorie content of fresh hawthorn is 52 Kcal, dried - 142 Kcal. Hawthorn composition:

  • proteins - 0.8 grams;
  • carbohydrates – 14 g;
  • water – 82.4 g;
  • dietary fiber – 3.7 g;


  • first of all, hawthorn has beneficial properties on cardiovascular system, it prevents diseases such as: tachycardia, coronary insufficiency, the walls of blood vessels and the heart muscle become stronger, people who have had a heart attack recover faster if they use hawthorn;
  • hawthorn is useful for relieving pain in the gastrointestinal tract;
  • Hawthorn also helps treat atherosclerosis and hypertension;
  • Sugar levels are reduced thanks to this berry;
  • stress, depression, at the first symptoms, hawthorn and valerian infusions are prescribed;
  • the plant has a positive effect on the thyroid gland;
  • berries have a diuretic effect and help cope with swelling;
  • in urology, hawthorn is used for diseases of the genitourinary system;
  • allergies, dermatitis and other diseases, all of this can be treated with the help of the plant
  • blood vessels - a vitamin such as quercetin helps reduce capillary permeability, hawthorn fruits prevent the appearance of sclerosis;
  • hormonal disorders can be eliminated with the help of this product;


  • To prepare juice and nectar you only need fresh berries, and for infusions you need dry berries.
  • Juice can only be obtained by following the rules; you need to add it, otherwise you may end up with a thick puree.
  • An infusion of hawthorn berries is best added to green tea.
  • Hawthorn tincture is good for health.
  • A decoction is one of the popular ways to prepare hawthorn; it helps cope with nervous stress, asthma, and hypertension.

How to make drinks at home?

There are a large number of recipes, but here are the main ones:


Vodka tincture using rose hips and galangal. adds sourness, and galangal gives a “cognac” flavor. For 0.5 liters of vodka you will need:

  • 1.5 tablespoons of hawthorn;
  • 1 spoon;
  • half a spoon of galangal;
  • 1 tablespoon water and sugar to make syrup;

It is easy to prepare the tincture. Hawthorn berries and galangal are placed in a jar and filled with vodka and left for 3 weeks in a warm place. Afterwards, pour the liquid and strain the berries through cheesecloth. Syrup is needed to add sweetness to the drink. After the procedure, you need to let the tincture stand for some more time.

Preparation of hawthorn tincture: video


This drink will warm you up on cold evenings. There are several recipes, here is one of them:

Hawthorn leaves or flowers (1 tbsp), a glass of water. All products are poured with boiling water and infused for 5 minutes, then honey or some other sweetener can be added to the tea.


To prepare you will need 1 kg of hawthorn berries, a liter of water, 50 grams of sugar. You need to cook the broth for 40 minutes. The mass should be rubbed through a sieve and sugar should be added, brought to a boil, the juice should be poured into bottles, sterilized and rolled up.


During pregnancy, a woman's body is exposed to heavy load. Hawthorn will help cope with emotional stress. For pregnant women, sleep is an important part. Tea made from berries or just berries will help overcome insomnia and have a calming effect on the body. Many girls have problems with blood vessels, and in this case the plant will have a positive effect. Cholesterol decreases, coagulation normalizes, plaques do not appear.

Hawthorn flowers help relieve swelling and normalize digestive system. The heart muscle becomes stronger, because in the 2nd trimester the heart pumps blood actively, hawthorn fruits stimulate the heart and tone the walls of blood vessels. Active substances stimulate liver regeneration and improve organ health.


In some situations, the use of hawthorn by pregnant women is prohibited, as complications may arise. It is best to consult a doctor. You should not eat berries if:

  • atherosclerosis;
  • toxicosis;
  • individual tolerance;
  • first trimester;
  • tendency to allergies;
  • increased risk of miscarriage;
  • a sharp drop in blood pressure;

Should I eat berries while breastfeeding? controversial issue. Some doctors say that it is necessary to protect the child and mother from all risks, but there are other opinions, so first you should consult with a specialist.

Include in the diet of a nursing mother this product can be turned on at 7 months, since at this age the baby’s stomach is more or less formed. But you definitely need to monitor the body’s reaction. It is best to drink tea with petals rather than berries.

After 7 months of feeding, the baby can be given fruit jam. To do this you should:

  • Add 1 kg of berries to 0.5 kg of sugar and leave to simmer over low heat until the granulated sugar dissolves;
  • leave until the mixture has cooled;
  • then re-digest;
  • the jam is ready;

Beneficial features

  • hawthorn does not have any toxic properties;
  • the plant stimulates milk production;
  • helps with kidney diseases;
  • dilates blood vessels


In children aged 1 to 5, metabolic processes are fast, and the heart rhythm is not fully established. It is impossible to guess what effect a plant will have on a child, so you need to handle this product carefully. Doctors recommend that children take this remedy if:

  • there is a heart rhythm disorder;
  • poor sleep;
  • irritability appears

For preventive purposes, hawthorn is best given to children over 12 years of age; a weak infusion with 10 berries and a liter of boiling water is required; no more than 70 ml of decoction should be given per day.


This drug has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system due to its beneficial components.

Hawthorn helps with arrhythmia, it has the property of reducing myocardial excitability, the preparation contains potassium, magnesium and others natural ingredients, this plant can be used for:

  • tachycardia;
  • mild forms of arrhythmia

The advantage of the fruit is its low toxicity; the dosage is determined depending on how much the rhythm is disturbed.

Infusions have a good effect on nervous system. Antispasmodic effect Helps relieve discomfort from angina pectoris.


Hawthorn in case of deficiency is useful for the patient, since it contains a large vitamin complex. Hawthorn and motherwort should be poured with boiling water and left in a thermos for 2 hours, drink a glass before meals.

For heart failure:

  • Drink an infusion of hawthorn fruits 2-3 times a day instead of tea.
  • Drink a decoction of hawthorn flowers (10 g per 200 ml of boiling water) 3 times a day, 0.5 cups.

Metabolic disease

Hawthorn normalizes metabolic processes, so it is often prescribed for metabolic disorders.


Ischemia, when the myocardium is poorly supplied with oxygen, heaviness in the chest may occur if this disease, then all this can cause a heart attack.

As a preventive measure, you should prepare an infusion of hawthorn and motherwort, taken in a ratio of 1 to 1; pour 200 ml of boiling water over the plant and leave for an hour, consume 70 ml before meals.

Does hawthorn increase or decrease blood pressure?

Hawthorn normalizes blood pressure.

Hawthorn. Vitamins on your table: video


To reduce pressure You can buy hawthorn tincture at the pharmacy. Hawthorn leaves are also used for hypertension; to do this, they need to be placed in a drying cabinet and dried at a temperature of 40 degrees; tea should be brewed from the leaves.

To increase blood pressure you will need 1 tablespoon of dried flowers and 250 ml of boiling water, the mixture must be infused for 2 hours, consumed 150 ml before meals.

Take a warm glass 5 times a day.

Treatment of vascular diseases and atherosclerosis with hawthorn

Hawthorn reduces the feeling of chest pain. An infusion of flowers is used specifically for atherosclerosis.

You need to pour boiling water over 1 tablespoon of the flower and keep it in a water bath for 16 minutes, then let it brew for 45 minutes, take 1/3 2 times a day.


To get a good sedative, you need to combine hawthorn berries with and drink 1 spoon.

Hawthorn varieties

  • Siberian - bright red round fruits;
  • semi-soft - this variety is used only as decoration;
  • single-pistillate - this variety has healing properties what deserves special attention;

Contraindications and possible harm

  • applying for a long time drug, heart rhythm may worsen;
  • a large volume of fruit can cause poisoning;
  • if a person has gastritis, then you should not take hawthorn;
  • if you have a tendency to low pressure, then you should treat the drug with caution

Doctors have different attitudes towards this remedy, since it all depends on the patient, because there are cases when you really need to include hawthorn in your diet, so there is no consensus.

On the use of hawthorn for medicinal purposes, in cosmetology and cooking.

The medicinal properties of hawthorn have been used since ancient times to restore health. Infusions, decoctions, extracts, tinctures are prepared from the fruits, leaves and flowers of the bush. This publication will introduce you to useful and medicinal properties hawthorn, its use in for cosmetic purposes and in culinary recipes.

Hawthorn indications for use

  • “Heart berry” - hawthorn was widely used by ancient Chinese healers for heart ailments. Russian herbalists also did not ignore the “heart bush”, using it for symptoms of heart heaviness and pain, angina pectoris, neurasthenia
  • Under Peter I, hawthorn was included in the medicinal register. It was grown in the “Apothecary Garden” and medicinal drugs were produced in the form of various decoctions, powders, and tinctures
  • “Maypole berries”, “boyarka”, “lady”, “glod” - popular names hawthorn. Two types of hawthorn are mainly used: blood red hawthorn (Crataegus sanguinea) and prickly hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha). Large-fruited hawthorn (Crataegus aestivales) is grown in gardens.

Surprisingly, but true: hawthorn is rightfully considered “ natural pharmacy"due to the content of a significant supply of vitamins, minerals, and organic acids.

Vitamins in hawthorn

Hawthorn is rich in vitamins and important microelements, necessary for life support. It contains vitamins:

  • ascorbic acid
  • vitamin A
  • vitamin P
  • vitamin E
  • vitamin K

In addition to these vitamins, an important plant pigment was found in hawthorn - beta-carotene, which is powerful antioxidant, protecting the immune system from free radicals.

Iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium are important macroelements present in the plant.

Hawthorn fruits contain a large number of microelements: cobalt, copper, molybdenum, zinc, chromium, boron, manganese, aluminum. According to some quantitative indicators of these elements, hawthorn is a leader among other fruit and berry bushes.


Hawthorn contains flavonoids that affect the active state of enzymes in the body. Scientists have proven positive impact flavonoids on the walls of blood vessels, their elasticity and permeability. The main flavonoid of hawthorn is hyperoside. It is this substance that has a gentle and targeted effect on the main motor in the human body, supporting and strengthening the heart muscle.

The composition of this prickly shrub includes fatty and organic acids, tannins, sugars, and saponins. Choline, which affects memory, is found in the fruits.

Beneficial properties of hawthorn fruits and berries

  • Hawthorn is not inferior to apples in terms of the amount of pectin. Pectin is a natural adsorbent that absorbs toxins from the intestines. Pectin affects metabolism and intestinal function, therefore use of hawthorn for obesity effectively and successfully used by nutritionists in weight loss techniques
  • Hawthorn berries have long been used to treat heart pain and high blood pressure. Moreover, decoctions, teas, and tinctures from fruits increase the strength and frequency of heart contractions. Hyperoside, a flavonol glycoside from hawthorn, dilates the lumens of the coronary vessels, improving blood circulation.
  • Preparations from hawthorn berries have a gentle effect on the heart without increasing the excitability of the heart muscle


  • Ursolic acid in hawthorn fruits has an anti-inflammatory effect, diuretic and antimicrobial effects. used to treat prostatitis
  • The natural components of the medicinal bush prevent blood stagnation, relieve inflammation and remove painful sensations. The use of hawthorn decoctions is a good preventive measure against prostatitis.
  • Hawthorn tincture is effective for dizziness, coronary insufficiency, improper metabolism, insomnia, cerebral vascular stenosis
  • Uses of hawthorn oil gives positive effect for heart diseases, high cholesterol, regulates hyperfunction thyroid gland, relieves shortness of breath and dizziness
  • Hawthorn berries have a gentle effect on the liver, improving it functional state. In addition, hawthorn causes a choleretic effect, enhancing the motility of the biliary tract
  • Hawthorn preparations relieve headaches and rheumatic pains and are effective against unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Cases of using hawthorn to prevent epileptic seizures have been described.
  • Hawthorn normalizes blood sugar, benefits for diabetes- undoubtedly with positive dynamics of the disease. When using hawthorn by diabetic patients, consultation with your doctor is required.
  • Hawthorn fruit infusion for allergies widely used by traditional healers


Important properties of hawthorn for men

Hawthorn is effective and indicated for a number of diseases of various etiologies. All parts of the bush have medicinal qualities and are suitable for making medicines. Hawthorn is used for the following indications:

  • neuroses and mental disorders
  • heart failure
  • angina pectoris
  • cardiovascular diseases
  • swelling of the legs
  • angioneuroses
  • hypertension
  • arrhythmia
  • rehabilitation of the post-infarction state
  • high sugar
  • allergic conditions


Contraindications to the use of hawthorn

  • Hawthorn is considered medicinal plant Therefore, it is recommended not to resort to uncontrolled intake of tinctures from fruits, infusions and decoctions. People with serious heart disease and blood pressure changes need medical consultation before taking hawthorn medicine
  • A hundred gram glass of fresh hawthorn berries is a daily intake healthy person. Exceeding the dosage may negatively affect your well-being
  • Motorists should not use hawthorn tincture. Even small doses of the drug can reduce concentration and cause drowsiness in the driver
  • Contraindications to the use of hawthorn are traumatic brain injury, brain diseases, hypotension, increased sensitivity and individual intolerance to individual ingredients of hawthorn-based medicines


Hawthorn recipes for blood pressure

For high blood pressure, complex medicinal fees in the form of infusions.

  • Adonis - part 1
  • hawthorn flowers - 1 part
  • birch leaf - 1 part
  • motherwort - 2 parts
  • dried cucumber - 2 parts
  • horsetail - 1 part

2 tablespoons of the collection are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water, wrapped well and left for 5-6 hours. Take 0.5 cups of warm infusion 3 times a day before meals.

  • Chopped hawthorn fruits
  • hawthorn flowers
  • crushed rose hips
  • motherwort grass
  • cudweed grass
  • cornflower grass


All herbal ingredients are used in equal proportions. 4 tablespoons of the collection are steamed with a liter of boiling water. Leave for 8 hours. Take 0.5 cups of infusion 3 times a day, an hour after meals.

  • Hawthorn fruits - 3 parts
  • hawthorn flowers – 3 parts
  • horsetail grass - 3 parts
  • mistletoe herb - 3 parts
  • chopped garlic cloves - 3 parts
  • arnica flowers – 1 part

A tablespoon of the mixture is steamed with a glass of boiling water and left for 6-8 hours. Take 1/4 of a glass 4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

How to brew hawthorn for the heart?

Exist different recipes preparing infusions for the heart from hawthorn.


Tonic tea from hawthorn leaves

Fresh hawthorn leaves are consumed in the form of tea. 2-3 green leaves of the plant are steamed with boiling water and infused. The tea has a pleasant specific taste and aroma. This herbal elixir has a stimulating effect on the heart.

An ancient recipe for hawthorn berry decoction for palpitations

10 hawthorn berries are boiled for 15 minutes in 1 liter of water over low heat. Take the decoction cooled, 100 ml 2 times a day.

Infusion for heart failure

1 tablespoon of hawthorn berries is steamed with a glass of boiling water. Leave for 2 hours. Directions for use: 100 ml 3 times a day before meals.


Benefits of hawthorn bark

Hawthorn bark and leaves are used by herbalists as a tonic. In ancient times, a decoction of the bark, leaves and roots of the shrub was used as a red, brown or yellow dye to dye fabrics.

The bark of the plant is steamed with boiling water and used for fever, diarrhea and shortness of breath.

Hawthorn in cosmetology

Hawthorn has been successfully used for cosmetic procedures. Ursolic acid promotes skin regeneration and restores collagen. A mask made from hawthorn fruits rejuvenates, nourishes and evens out the surface of the skin.

Hawthorn mask

  1. Grind two tablespoons of fresh hawthorn berries in a blender
  2. The mixture is diluted with a tablespoon of olive oil.
  3. The mass is distributed over the face and left for 20 minutes.
  4. The mask is removed warm water and the face is smeared with cream


Hawthorn tincture for hair

The use of hawthorn tincture in cosmetology holds for . Shampoos, masks, lotions with hawthorn remove dandruff, restore hair and prevent hair loss.

Homemade egg shampoo with calendula and hawthorn tinctures

  • Chicken yolk – 2 pcs
  • lemon - 0.5 pcs
  • calendula tincture - 2 tablespoons
  • hawthorn tincture - 2 table. spoons
  • purified water - 2 tables. spoons
  1. The yolks are thoroughly mixed with lemon juice. Add tinctures and water. The resulting shampoo is heated in a steam bath until the condition is comfortable for the scalp.
  2. Wet your head with warm water and apply shampoo, rubbing into the scalp. Then the shampoo is washed off and the hair is rinsed with water and lemon juice.


Lotion that strengthens hair follicles

  • Red pepper tincture - 2 tablespoons. spoons
  • hawthorn tincture - 1 table. spoon
  • Eleutherococcus extract - 1 tablespoon

The tinctures are mixed and applied with a piece of sponge to the partings. Wrap your head in plastic wrap and insulate it with a towel. Leave for 30-40 minutes and wash off the lotion. The procedure is repeated 1-2 times a week. For dry hair, add a spoonful of castor, olive or burdock oil to the lotion.

Anti-dandruff lotion with hawthorn

  • Lemon – 0.5 pcs.
  • hawthorn tincture - 2 tablespoons
  • castor oil - 1 tablespoon

Apply lotion to hair roots an hour before washing your hair.

Mask against hair loss

  • Aloe leaves - 30 g
  • hawthorn berries – 30 g
  • vodka – 100 ml
  1. Aloe leaves kept in the refrigerator for biostimulation are crushed. Hawthorn and aloe berries are placed in vodka. The solution is kept for a week in a dark place
  2. Treat the scalp thoroughly with lotion, massaging the hair roots.
  3. Put on a shower cap and insulate it with a towel on top
  4. Leave the mask on your head for 40-60 minutes
  5. Then wash your hair without shampoo
  6. The hair restoration procedure is carried out every other day for a month.


Foot baths with hawthorn

Infusions of leaves, fruits and flowers of hawthorn in combination with others herbal ingredients used in foot baths. Such procedures are pleasant, the legs become well-groomed, blood circulation improves, and painful cracks disappear.

Foot baths with hawthorn to improve blood circulation in the feet

  1. 50 g of hawthorn flowers are steamed with a liter of boiling water
  2. The infusion is cooled and filtered
  3. Alternately keep your feet in a warm decoction of hawthorn flowers, then in cold water
  4. Procedure duration 10 minutes

Foot baths for “heat” in the legs

  1. Chamomile flowers, nettle leaves, string grass, hawthorn flowers, St. John's wort herb, calendula flowers are mixed in equal proportions
  2. Two tablespoons of the mixture are steamed with a liter of boiling water and left for 30 minutes.
  3. Soak tired feet in a warm infusion for 20 minutes.

Foot baths for cracks

  1. Chopped hawthorn fruits, chamomile flowers, pine needles are taken in equal parts
  2. 3 tablespoons of the collection are steamed with 1.5 liters of boiling water and left for 20 minutes.
  3. The feet are immersed in a warm infusion for 15 minutes.
  4. The feet are wiped dry, lubricated with nourishing cream and socks are put on.

Pregnant women and children: use of hawthorn

Infusions, teas, decoctions of hawthorn fruits and flowers have a mild cardiotonic and calming effect. Therefore, the question often arises: “ Can pregnant women drink hawthorn decoction? and breastfeeding women?

Hawthorn preparations are used to relieve nervous tension and stress in pregnant and lactating women, but only on the recommendation of a doctor. The doctor selects individually dosage form(decoction, tea, infusion, extract), dose and course of therapy.


Can hawthorn be given to children?

  • Parents often resort to treating their children with medicinal herbs as an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs. Herbal infusions and infusions are widely used in children's practice and help in the treatment of many ailments. But remember: everything medicinal herbs should be given to children according to a doctor's prescription and in a dosage calculated for the child's age
  • Hawthorn medicinal preparations are used in pediatric practice to relieve child hyperactivity, heart failure, and heart rhythm disorders. As a rule, pediatricians prescribe hawthorn decoctions as additional remedy to drug treatment and in a dosage that takes into account children's age

The instructions for hawthorn tincture contain a strict contraindication for pregnant and lactating women, as well as children.

At what age should children start giving hawthorn decoction?

After three years old Children can be given compote from fresh garden hawthorn berries. Decoctions should not be concentrated. Fruits for compote are selected fully ripe and intact. The drink is consumed freshly brewed. This compote is very beneficial for the child’s body.


Folk recipes with hawthorn

Traditional healers use many different recipes based on hawthorn. Herbalists readily use flowers, leaves, fruits, and bark of medicinal plants in their medicines.

Video: Rosehip and hawthorn protect health

Hawthorn and rosehip tea recipe

Tea made from hawthorn and rose hips is considered the “gold standard” of traditional medicine. The fruits of these plants complement each other very well and enrich the tea with a wonderful taste and aroma. And what are the benefits of such tea! This herbal elixir will strengthen the immune system, strengthen the heart and spirit, and saturate the body with vitamins.

Place 1 tablespoon of fruit in a thermos flask. Steam with two glasses of boiling water and leave overnight. Drink half a glass 3 times a day.

Collection for relieving heart heaviness and anxiety

  • Hawthorn fruits - 4 parts
  • motherwort grass - 4 parts
  • dried cucumber - 4 parts
  • chamomile - 1 part

Pour a tablespoon of the mixture into a glass of boiling water. Take a tablespoon three times a day.


Recipe for recovery after myocardial infarction

Place a tablespoon of hawthorn, rose hips, red rowan, raisins, etc. in a thermos. Pour in a liter of boiling water. They insist overnight. The entire portion of the infusion is taken in parts per day. The course of treatment is 3 months.

Hawthorn in cooking: fruit drinks, compotes, pie fillings, hawthorn jams

Hawthorn fruits have valuable nutritional quality. Fresh hawthorn berries are mainly used in cooking, but crushed dry fruits are used in baking. They give the dough a unique fruity aroma.

Benefits of hawthorn juice obvious and beyond doubt. The fruits contain a lot of pectin and making hawthorn juice is not easy. In cooking, they usually resort to preparing nectar from hawthorn berries.

Hawthorn is crushed in a blender and spring or purified water is added to the puree until it reaches the consistency of nectar. If desired, the taste of the drink can be improved by adding honey and lemon.


Refreshing hawthorn fruit drink

  1. Two glasses fresh fruits hawthorn is poured with a liter of boiling water and boiled at low boil until the fruit is soft
  2. Wipe the hawthorn, add sugar or honey to taste. Add lemon juice to add sourness
  3. Pour the chilled decoction over the mashed hawthorn puree.
  4. Fruit drink is served with ice cubes and a mint leaf

Hawthorn and quince compote for the winter

  • Hawthorn fruits - 500 g
  • quince - 500 g
  • sugar - 250 g
  • water - 1 l
  1. Prepared seedless hawthorn fruits and peeled quince slices are placed in sterile jars up to the shoulders
  2. Dissolve sugar in boiling water and cook the syrup for about 5 minutes.
  3. The syrup is poured into jars with fruits and sterilized

Hawthorn jam

  • Hawthorn berries – 1 kg
  • cranberries or black currants - 1 cup
  • sugar - 1 kg per kg of pureed berry puree
  1. The berries are sorted and washed with running water. Add a little water to the pan with the berries and simmer over low heat until the fruits are soft.
  2. Berries are ground
  3. Add sugar to the mixture and cook until it reaches the consistency of jam.
  4. The finished jam is placed in sterile jars

Hawthorn and apple pies filling

  • Hawthorn berries – 500 g
  • apples – 500 g
  • sugar - 100 g
  • nuts - 50-100 g
  1. Hawthorn and apple pieces are boiled until soft with a small amount water
  2. Grind the puree through a colander
  3. Add sugar and boil for 10 minutes, stirring so that the puree does not burn.
  4. Chopped nuts are added to the fruit mass after cooling.


Hawthorn marshmallow

A healthy dessert is prepared from hawthorn - marshmallow. This delicacy will appeal not only to children, but also to their parents. Since hawthorn contains a lot of pectin, such a dessert does not need thickeners.

  1. Fresh fruits hawthorn is ground in a blender and a little sugar is added to the mixture (about 10% of the resulting mass)
  2. Cover the baking dish with paper and spread with a thin layer of hawthorn puree and sugar.
  3. Pastila is kept in the oven at a temperature of 80-90 degrees until dry
  • It is impossible to overestimate the benefits of hawthorn. The plant has deservedly received recognition in medicine, cosmetology, and cooking.
  • Medicines made from the fruits and flowers of hawthorn are especially popular among men and women over 50. This is evidenced by numerous reviews. Positive and gentle effect on heart function - main feature this natural healer
  • Cultivated varieties of hawthorn with large fruits make it possible to prepare a variety of healthy dishes with excellent taste
  • Finally, I would like to remind you: although the medicinal properties of hawthorn have been tested for centuries, you should not forget about timely consultation with a doctor if you have to resort to treating your ailments according to the recipes of traditional healers.

And be healthy!

Video: Hawthorn: benefits, use and recipes

A long time ago, hawthorn was used as a medicine for various cardiovascular diseases, which happens quite often these days. To successfully cure such diseases, you need to drink a whole course of hawthorn, and not limit yourself to one glass and wait until everything goes away. And for some diseases you need to take it all the time, without stopping, just don’t be afraid of different negative consequences for Your health. It is especially useful for older people, because hawthorn will not only support fragile health, but also strengthen it and breathe new life into it.

Hawthorn tea is an excellent remedy treatment and prevention of symptoms such as sclerotic changes in the coronary heart vessels, with degeneration of the heart muscles. This tea will also be very useful for those people who constantly experience overload, which may soon cause wear and tear on the body or signs of wear on the heart. However, hawthorn is still used in more uncertain cases - for symptoms and unpleasant sensations, which are not at all definite and full-fledged diseases, but which cannot be left without any attention.

In addition, you need to think about using hawthorn for various (especially serious) cases infectious diseases when there is weakening of the heart muscle. And thanks to this plant, you can achieve greater efficiency of the heart and normalize blood pressure. Hawthorn will not help directly in case of high blood pressure, there are even cases when it, on the contrary, raised it rather than lowered it.

It is especially recommended to use hawthorn when there is a deterioration in coronary circulation. Hawthorn will help improve it in most cases when there have been myocardial infarctions, and even when there has been blood flow in the heart vessels. It also has a very positive effect on heart muscle cells; it not only increases their activity, but also significantly improves their nutrition.

However, we advise you not to expect instant results from hawthorn, you need to be patient and have strong endurance, you need to use this remedy for a long time so that it leads to an improved and stable state of your health.

Today you can find quite a lot in pharmacies modern drugs, which contain highly effective substances of this plant. However, we should not forget that this is still chemistry, so freshly prepared tea from hawthorn flowers is in no way inferior in its effect to these drugs.

Hawthorn - contraindications.

There are cases when the use of hawthorn is not recommended, that is, contraindicated. For example, you should not use it for diseases such as atherosclerosis, tachycardia, vegetative-vascular dystonia, CHF, arterial hypertension, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, digitalis intoxication, extrasystole, with insomnia, with asthenoneurotic syndrome, with climacteric syndrome, thyrotoxicosis.

Hawthorn during pregnancy.

People believe that the use of herbs is not only always harmless, but also always benefits the body. This is absolutely not true, because infusions and decoctions are primarily medicine, so if you decide to take some kind of decoction or infusion, you must first consult a doctor. Doctors recommend strictly limiting the use of even time-tested and proven folk remedies. herbal tea up to two mugs per day.

Use in folk medicine.

In folk medicine, the fruits, flowers and leaves of hawthorn are used, mainly as cardiac remedies for heart palpitations. After taking them, pain and a feeling of heaviness in the heart area are relieved, increased blood pressure, sleep improves and general state, cholesterol levels in the blood decrease.

The positive effect of hawthorn is observed in cases of dizziness, fainting, insomnia, as well as when used in menopause. In folk medicine, hawthorn is used for rheumatism, edema of cardiac origin, nervous diseases accompanied by pain, epilepsy, hypertension.

The fruits are also used for acute and chronic gastritis, flatulence, diarrhea, dyspepsia in children. Flowers and fruits of the plant reduce the permeability of blood vessels and capillaries. Flowers are stronger than fruits.

1. Fruits in fresh can be eaten. Pour 3 tablespoons of flowers with 3 cups of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Take 1/2-1 glass 3 times a day. 2. Pour 100g of ripe hawthorn fruits crushed in a meat grinder into 500ml of 70% alcohol or vodka and leave for 8 days, filter and squeeze out the remainder. Take 30-40 drops 3 times a day; vodka tincture - 50 - 60 drops.

3. Take the juice of fresh flowers, 10-20 drops of Zraza per day after meals.

4. In Tajik folk medicine, flowers, leaves and especially fruits are widely used for hypertension, as a hypoglycemic agent for diabetes. The fruits are usually used fresh, 50-100 g 3-4 times a day after meals, always on a full stomach. Add 50 ml of water to 100 g of crushed fruits, boil over low heat for 30 minutes, cool, strain, take 50-100 ml 3 times a day.

5. Infuse hawthorn flowers as tea at the rate of 1:10 (1 tablespoon per 100 ml of boiling water) for 30 minutes, strain, take 2 - 4 tablespoons 3 times a day.

6. Brew a tablespoon of fruit in 1 cup of boiling water, leave in a sealed container for 2 hours on a hot stove, without bringing to a boil, strain. Take 1/3 cup 3-4 times a day before meals.

7. To treat angina pectoris (angina pectoris), take: 6 tablespoons of hawthorn and 6 tablespoons of motherwort per 1.5 liters of boiling water, infused for 24 hours. Drink 1 glass in 30 minutes. before meals. Store the finished infusion in a cool place. Do not sweeten. To improve the taste, you can mix it with rosehip infusion brewed in the same way.

8. As a sedative for nervous excitement: pour 2 tablespoons of dry mashed fruits into 1.5 cups of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes. Drink in 3 doses over 30 minutes. before meals.

9. Infuse a tablespoon of hawthorn flowers or fruits in 200 ml of vodka in a closed container for 7 days, strain. Take 20-25 drops with water 3-4 times a day.

10. Take 50 ml of hawthorn fruit juice with a tablespoon of honey Zraza per day. atrial fibrillation. Pour 2 tablespoons of hawthorn flowers into 200 ml of water, boil for 10 minutes, drink 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day before meals for atherosclerosis.

11. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over a teaspoon of dried hawthorn flowers, leave for 8 minutes, strain. Take 200 ml of this tea daily in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before bed if you have heart rhythm disturbances.

12. For heart block, the juice of fresh hawthorn flowers is prescribed, 10 - 20 drops 3 times a day after meals.

13. When cardiovascular failure They drink tea from the leaves and especially the fruits of hawthorn without the norm. Pour 2 tablespoons of dried hawthorn leaves and flowers into 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain. Take one glass 3 times a day for 30 minutes. before meals with angina pectoris.

14. For thyrotoxicosis (enlarged thyroid gland): Infuse 10 g of hawthorn flowers for 20 days in 100 ml of vodka and take 20 drops 3 times a day before meals. Pour 2 tablespoons of hawthorn flowers into 600 ml of boiling water and leave for 1 hour. Drink during the day. 15. Fruit decoction: 20g of dry raw materials per 1 glass hot water, boil for 30 minutes, strain, squeeze, bring the volume to the original volume. For hypertension, take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. Fresh fruits can be eaten in any form.

15. Fruit decoction: 5 g of dry crushed raw materials per 1 glass of hot water, boil for 30 minutes, strain, bring the volume to the original volume. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for menopausal neuroses.

16. Fruit decoction: 5 g of dry crushed raw materials per 1 glass of hot water, boil for 10 minutes, leave for 30 minutes, strain, bring the volume to the original volume. Take 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day for dyspepsia in children.

17. Liquid extract (pharmaceutical preparation): 20 - 40 drops per 1 glass of water 3 times a day before meals. Increases lactation and eliminates dyspeptic symptoms in infants. Take 50-100g of fresh fruits after meals for diabetes.

IN last years The antitumor effect of hawthorn fruits was revealed. So, for example, their use has a beneficial effect on leukemia. Hawthorn does not give side effects even with long-term use. Hawthorn fruits can be eaten as additives to bread, fillings for pies, bases for marshmallows, jelly, jam, and also as a coffee substitute (in ground form). Hawthorn inflorescences have long been used in North America, England, France for heart diseases. In Russia, for the first time in 1887, the doctor E.M. Zhdanko reported at a meeting of the society of doctors about the positive effect of hawthorn preparations. Scientific background medicinal use Hawthorn preparations were given by English scientists at the end of the 19th century. They were watching positive action hawthorn for many patients whose treatment with other medications was unsuccessful. Scientists considered hawthorn “the most valuable discovery of the XIX centuries." One of the prominent German herbalists, G. Madaus, came to the conclusion that “hawthorn is an excellent remedy, almost unsurpassed for the onset of weakness of the heart muscle, mainly in old age...”. Preparations from hawthorn fruits do not accumulate in the body. Precautionary measures Prolonged and uncontrolled use of hawthorn or medicines developed on its basis can cause depression of the heart rate, so treatment with hawthorn must be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

Taking hawthorn fruit on an empty stomach often causes intestinal spasms. Therefore, they should not be taken on an empty stomach. Do not drink after eating the fruits cold water, which also contributes to the emergence intestinal colic. Hawthorn extract - important component popular complex drug cardiovalene, which is used for various cardiovascular diseases, in particular for cardiac neuroses.

Peculiarities of harvesting medicinal raw materials Hawthorn flowers are collected at the beginning of flowering, when some of them have not yet opened, by cutting off corymbose inflorescences and individual flowers. You should not harvest inflorescences with completely unopened flowers: such raw materials dry slowly and often turn brown. Hawthorn fades quite quickly, sometimes in 2-3 days, especially in hot weather. Dry them in dryers at 40° C, in attics, in rooms with good ventilation, spreading them in a thin layer on paper or fabric. Hawthorn fruits are harvested during the ripening period from the end of September until frost, tearing off entire scutes with fruits or individual fruits. They are dried in the sun or in dryers at temperatures up to 70°C. Drying usually lasts 7-8 days.