Hawthorn

Hawthorn — a plant from family of a rose family. It is eurysynusic on open spaces of our Homeland. The hawthorn finds application first of all in cardiology for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Hawthorns (and in their Russia about 40 types meet) — the average size bushes which it is possible even to call small trees. Distinctive feature of this plant — red or orange fruits of a hawthorn behind which and there is a wish to give a hand, but interfere with it acute prickles by which its stalks are densely covered. Not without reason in Germany he is called "a white prickle" (white — because of coloring of flowers of a plant).

Leaves at a hawthorn green, and from above are more dark, and from below — is lighter, with a bluish shade. A blooming period of "a white prickle" — from May to June. The places which are most preferred for growth — solar slopes of hills, the pine or deciduous woods, places along fences. It is used and as a component of hedges.

Structure

As medicinal vegetable raw materials the flowers, leaves and fruits of a hawthorn incorporating the whole scattering of useful substances are used: a number of the flavonoids which are natural antioxidants (meletin, витексин, гиперозид), triterpenovy saponins, ursolovy and oleanovy acids, acetylcholine, caffeic acid.

In addition contain in fruits of a hawthorn: ascorbic, lemon and tartaric acids, carotene, sugar, pectinaceous substances, coumarins, from flavonoids — anthocyans, гиперин, витексин. Ripening, fruits lose a part of ascorbic acid in favor of flavonoids.

Useful properties and use in medicine

The hawthorn and with enviable success is used long ago as cardiac. Use of a hawthorn and property of this plant are defined by its chemical composition. The range of cardiological diseases at which this medicinal plant is applied is rather wide. It is used at functional disturbances of cordial activity, angioneuroses, in an initial phase of a hypertension, at tachycardias, arrhythmias.

The hawthorn is applied also at diseases of the central nervous system, lowering her excitability (this property of a hawthorn with success is used at sleeplessness). It should be noted that it is not necessary to wait for any miracle effect of one-time reception of a hawthorn: it should be used it is long if it is not constant. Only in this case success is guaranteed.

Especially well heart of the elderly person responds on reception of a hawthorn, it in a literal sense gets stronger and comes to life. It is no secret that with age the cardiac muscle undergoes a number of degenerative changes, including atherosclerotic changes of the coronary arteries feeding it in which blood stream sharply decreases. In this case an ideal way out is course use of a hawthorn in the form of tea.

One more target group for a hawthorn — the persons testing constants physical (to a lesser extent — emotional) overloads that results in early wear of an organism and manifestation of the symptoms similar to so-called "senile heart". In such situations use of a hawthorn not only with medical, but also with the preventive purpose is justified. Of course, one hawthorn you will not cure coronary heart disease or heart failure (not to mention late stages of these diseases), but in the sources of developing of heart troubles use of a hawthorn seems extremely reasonable and correct.

The postponed serious infectious diseases often negatively affect cordial activity, so one more occasion to ask for the help a hawthorn is available. It will help to optimize functions of heart at arrhythmias, with the increased arterial pressure. Though to expect a hawthorn as on the only hypertension medicine is not necessary: cases when it even increased pressure are noted.

One more remarkable property of a hawthorn — rehabilitation. It helps to be recovered after the postponed myocardial infarction that is when it is vital to recover coronary circulation that cardiomyocytes received oxygen and nutrients in necessary quantities again.

Several words about hawthorn fruits. They are muchnist on a consistence, have sourish taste. Can be used in food. Dry flour from fruits of a hawthorn impacts to home-made pastries original fruit relish. Fruits of a hawthorn are good also as substitutes of coffee or tea. Pertinently will be to provide the recipe of the broth applied at a hypertension and cholecystitis, one of components of which are hawthorn fruits. It is necessary to extinguish in an oven and to wipe through a sieve of kilograms of fruits, then to prepare oat broth (for this purpose 300 g of flakes are filled in for night of 3 l of water, and are led up before boiling in the morning), to add to the cooled puree broth from hawthorn fruits. A daily dose — one glass.

Recently big distribution was gained by Tinctura Crataegi realized through pharmacy chain. She removes excitability of the central nervous system, tones up a myocardium, stimulates a coronary blood stream, eliminates tachycardia and arrhythmia, lowers pressure and helps to get rid of an asthma. And this tincture can be prepared with success and most. For this purpose it is necessary to take 10 g of leaves with flowers, then to infuse within 10 days in 100 ml 70% of alcohol (also usual vodka as a last resort will approach), to filter and pour in a bottle from dark glass. It is necessary to take the received product in number of 20-30 drops three times a day for half an hour before meal. Course duration — 1 month.

In a word, without flowers and fruits of a hawthorn it is difficult to present the home first-aid kit of the person who is fond of phytotherapy. Recently in a number of sources it was pointed out ability of a hawthorn to lose weight (at its reception in the form of tea). It is explained by its property to bring excess liquid out of an organism. It is hardly worth expecting from it lasting effect at correction of body weight, but, perhaps, readers will be interested in the recipe of such tea: two teaspoons of leaves with flowers (it is possible one flowers) are filled in with 250 ml of boiled water and infuse within 20 minutes. To drink on one mug 2-3 times a day. For giving to drink of more pleasant taste, it is possible to add sea-buckthorn juice with sugar to it or honey.

Contraindications

Individual intolerance (meets infrequently), pregnancy, the period of a lactation and children's age.