Hawthorn, garlic and Cayenne - 3 herbs for health

Through research and results, herbalists and naturopathic physicians have come to know that certain botanicals have synergistic properties, and, so, work well together in a formulation. Common combos include: echinacea and goldenseal, dong quai and black cohosh, and hawthorn and garlic, which have well-known benefits for heart function.

HAWTHORN: FROM HEDGES TO SUPPLEMENTS

The city of Portland, Ore., is a wonderful visiting spot for anyone interested in observing medicinal plants in a natural setting. This lovely city was my home for 15 years, and I derived great pleasure from strolling around my northeast Portland neighborhood, known as Irvington. One of Portland's older neighborhoods, Irvington, many decades ago, was home to sea captains who sailed along the Columbia River and out to the Pacific. These captains built large, open houses, many with lovely gardens and hedges separating drives and yards.

I lived in the Irvington neighborhood during my years as a naturopathic medical student. Wandering around the blocks surrounding my home became a sort of treasure hunt for medicinal plants. Within a few steps, I found a corner planted with ginkgo trees, several hedges of hawthorn, hearty stands of lavender and yarrow, sage (with its pungent aroma), and, of course, innumerable backyard vegetable gardens planted with garlic.

The hawthorn hedges were the most fascinating to me. A member of the rose family, hawthorn, or Crataegus, is also known as "May blossom," "Whitethorn," "Haw," and "Bread and Cheese Tree." A thorny tree, in days gone by, it was considered sacred, most likely because it was thought to have been hawthorn from which Jesus' crown of thorns was made. Hawthorn was also highly regarded in historic England; legend had it that a small crown belonging to Richard III was found on a hawthorn tree after the battle of Bosworth.

One definition of "Haw" is hedge. Germans and other Europeans have traditionally used hawthorn to divide their properties. The thorny parts of the hawthorn are useful for deterring intruders; if carefully tended, the plant can grow to 30 feet in height and can live a long time. In admiring the Irvington hawthorn hedge in all seasons, I liked to think that a discerning sea captain had imported the concept of the hawthorn hedge from some charming European village.

Another definition of "haw" is fruit; in the case of the medicinal species of hawthorn, Crataegus oxyacantha (also known as Crataegus laevigata) and Crataegus monogyna, ripe haws, or berries, are a bright red, about the size of a rosehip. When dried, they shrivel up and turn a dark crimson color. Hawthorn flowers are white, and blossom, as one of its names predicts, in May. Over the centuries, boxes and combs were made from the hawthorn tree. Also, its timber had a reputation for exceptional heat production when burned.

Hawthorn: a cardiac tonic

Hawthorn has been used for centuries as a cardiac tonic. Research has shown that standardized extracts of this botanical can benefit coronary function. Specifically, hawthorn has a positive effect on the muscles of the heart. Long-term use of the herb results in a dilation of coronary vessels and an increased flow of blood through the heart. Hawthorn also affects intracellular calcium levels in the heart muscle, resulting in improved cardiac function and a lowering of spastic cardiac conditions. In my family practice, I find hawthorn to be of great use in treating elderly patients with cardiac arrhythmias and congestive heart failure, and in patients of all ages who have weakened or damaged hearts.

I do need to dispel a circulating myth. Hawthorn has a reputation as having hypotensive, or blood pressure-lowering, properties; this is not true. Unlike some specific, and toxic, herbs which can lower blood pressure in small doses and cause cardiac failure in large doses, this herb does not directly affect blood pressure. However, many knowledgeable herbalists and naturopathic physicians will correctly use hawthorn with patients who suffer with hypertension that is secondary to heart disease. Prescribers often find that, as cardiac function improves and stabilizes, blood pressure goes down.

It is essential to remember that hawthorn is not a quick-acting herb. One cannot expect to cut short an attack of angina by taking a supplemental dose of hawthorn. As a health-enhancing dietary supplement, hawthorn's effects are best realized when the plant medicine is utilized in the appropriate doses over a long period of time -- several weeks or months. It must also be unequivocally stated that no one should attempt to self-treat a cardiac problem with this botanical.

Cardiac disease is the number-one killer of American adults, male and female. Both the condition of heart disease, and any medications utilized for heart disease, including hawthorn and other herbal medications, must be taken seriously and should be managed with the help of a health-care practitioner. An accurate diagnosis is essential. Licensed naturopathic physicians and many herbalists are well versed in the use of cardiac herbs, and can work with both patients and cardiologists to combine the wisdom of herbal medicine with modern cardiology.