Hawthorn effective against heart failure: double-blind study - crataegus - Literature Review & Commentary - Brief Article

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  May, 2003  by Alan R. Gaby

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Two-hundred nine patients (mean age, 68 years) with chronic congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class III) were randomly assigned to receive, in double-blind fashion, crataegus extract WS 1442 standardized to contain 18.75% oligomeric procyanidins (900 or 1,800 mg/day) or placebo for 16 weeks. After 16 weeks of treatment, the maximal tolerated workload during a bicycle exercise test had increased to a significantly greater extent in the high-dose crataegus group than in the low-dose crataegus group (p = 0.01) and the placebo group (p < 0.02). Symptoms of heart failure decreased to a significantly greater degree in the high-dose (p = 0.004) and low-dose (p = 0.04) crataegus groups than in the placebo group; the high dose was slightly but not significantly more effective than the low dose. No serious adverse events were reported, and the number of adverse events was nearly twice as high in the placebo group as in the crataegus group.

Comment: This study demonstrated that crataegus extract WS 1442 increased exercise capacity and reduced signs and symptoms of heart failure, without causing significant adverse effects, in patients with NYHA class III congestive heart failure. Hawthorn has been used for many decades by a minority of doctors to treat heart failure. Recently, several controlled clinical trials have been published that have confirmed its safety and effectiveness. Despite this evidence, conventional cardiologists have shown little interest in using this herbal treatment. Now that the American Heart Journal, a conventional cardiology journal, has published a positive study on hawthorn, perhaps more doctors will prescribe this herb for patients with heart failure.

Tauchert M. Efficacy and safety of crataegus extract WS 1442 in comparison with placebo in patients with chronic stable New York Heart Association class-III heart failure. Am Heart J 2002;143:910-915.

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