Hawthorn Tree

            Hawthorn is a name that applies to several different species of crataegus, but the title of Hawthorn has come to refer to the genus as a whole. The hawthorn species are in the family of Roseceae. This family consists of several species of trees and shrubs. The first common name of the hawthorn tree is known by is mayflower—as the hawthorn is often used as a symbol of hope and a prayer for prosperity it was chosen to be the inspiration for the name of the Mayflower; the very boat on which the pilgrims first sailed to the Americas. Thornapple, may-tree, whitethorn, and hawberry are other common names that are used to refer to the hawthorn tree. The etymology of crataegus is from the Greek word “kratos” meaning strength and the Greek word “akis” meaning sharp. The sharp in the name was given in reference to the distinctly large thorns that many of the hawthorn plant species possess. “Haw” is an old English term for hedge that is also used in reference to the fruit. The specific name that is used is dependent on the part of the world in which one resides. As stated before there are several different species of hawthorn that are very similar and their uses do not tend to vary drastically throughout the world. Hawthorn plants produce a colored berry that ranges from a brilliant yellow to a bright red berry that is often likened to a crabapple. The leaves are soft when young but grow thicker and tougher as they survive through several of the winter months. A notable feature of the hawthorn plants is the large thorns that grow on their branches.

            Hawthorn is most commonly found in literary works due to its rich folkloric history. This is more prominent than its direct medicinal uses. If anything, hawthorn is most commonly used as a culinary ingredient for the sweet taste of its berries. In modern literature it is represented in many different lights that play both good and evil roles in a variety of tales. These uses and representations go as far back as ancient times. It is presumed that it was commonly used in Christian mythology as well as figuring into the mythology surrounding magic and witchcraft. The hawthorn tree has a rich folkloric history that ranges from the gruesome to the blessed. For this reason the hawthorn tree is also called the tree of duality. The hawthorn tree is full of contradictions and considered a living juxtaposition. The Ancient Celts believed that the hawthorn tree was a bad omen to have in one’s possession. Branches of the hawthorn tree were never brought indoors and were likely detested for their smell once they were cut. The odor of the cut branches was claimed to be akin to that of a rotting corpse. Apparently the chemical components are similar to that of decaying flesh. However, the hawthorn bore associations with life as well as death. The flowers and berries were considered to contain the power of balance because the plant was still appreciated for its medicinal properties. The tree is also considered to be imbued with male energy and is seen as a universal symbol of fertility. If anything the hawthorn tree is a symbol of the union of opposites.

            The most common use for hawthorn is the treatment of heart-related issues. This treatment had been found to be beyond simple superstition and many have invested in arduous clinical trials to test the treatment options for helping prevent heart failure. That is a common medical use; however its berries are a common culinary ingredient or are simply eaten raw in some parts of the world. Hawthorn is native to the temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. As a result its uses vary depending on the area of the world in which it exists. The hawthorn berries taste similar to over-ripe apples and resemble crabapples. In China they are used to make a variety of snacks. In the United Kingdom hawthorn berries are considered a specialty and used for jellies and wines. The leaves of the Hawthorn tree are edible when still young and picked in the early spring. They are often eaten together with the flower buds and are known in the United Kingdom as “bread and butter.” On an island belonging to Canada known as Manitoulin Island the hawberries are eaten so regularly that the inhabitant have come to be nicknamed “haweaters.”

            Hawthorn still plays a role in modern day treatments of cardiac failure. In accordance with readily available material to the public from sites such as Web MD, hawthorn is said to be used to treat many diseases which involve the heart and blood vessels including high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, chest pain, atherosclerosis (or hardening of the blood vessels and arteries). People even claim to use hawthorn’s healing powers to treat digestive issues including constipation, indigestion, stomach pains, and diarrhea. Some even use hawthorn berries to treat anxiety and as a sedative. The reality is that most of these treatments have not been tested. It is difficult to say whether some are not simply placebo effects. People even further use hawthorn to rub on the skin in treatment for boils, sores, ulcers, rashes, itching, and frostbite. Hawthorn is one of those medicinal plants which have appeared to gather a reputation for being a cure-all sort of medicine. As a result it is unlikely that it actually has all of the abilities that people claim it to have.

            As hawthorn is widely respected as a cure-all plant that has been proven to have actual medicinal properties, it is difficult to dismiss the reality that it can be helpful in dire medical situations. The first obstacle was identifying which of its fabled properties the plant did indeed possess. The most common ailments that hawthorn is used for are heart related illnesses. It is primarily an herbal supplement. At the University of Michigan there was a clinical trial conducted that involved evaluating the success of hawthorn as a treatment for heart failure. The trial described is a Stage I trial that included testing the drug being developed on healthy individuals in order to determine a dosage as well as potential interactions with other drugs. The hawthorn extract used, known as WS 1442, consisted of a mixture of hawthorn leaves and flowers, It was found that hawthorn derived drugs tend to have negative interactions with drugs that contain P-glycoprotein substrates, including digoxin, another drug used to treat heart failure. It was determined that it could safely be administered in union with other drugs as long as the dosages were carefully followed. The trial itself took place over 72 hours and was followed by three weeks of careful observation. However, according to the trial it appeared that the hawthorn extract did not readily work better than the currently available drug used as treatment for heart failure.

            Herbal medicines are common all over the world and have garnered a reputation as alternatives to classical medicine. There are those that feel classical medicine is unnatural compared to traditional medicines. Due to the urban mythology that there is an inherent difference between pills and crushed plants, the herbal remedy industry does alright for itself raking in billions of dollars annually in sales. Hawthorn is one of the many popular herbal remedies that are used to treat various forms of heart disease. There are dangers to the use of hawthorn in unison with other prescribed drugs. This is not necessarily an issue for everyone as the interaction is unique to each person, however, a regular interaction with digoxin, derived from the foxglove plant (digitalis lantana), was observed and studied to see if the effects would be life threatening. The conclusion was it depends. Hawthorn contains numerous alkaloids that are very similar to digoxin structurally. Epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, isoquercitin, and hyperoside are the primary flavonoids of hawthorn and they bear an eerie resemblance structurally as digoxin because both molecules have a polycyclic ring structure. As a result hawthorn may interfere with the digoxin treatments. Digoxin is also used to treat heart disease and the particular study cited was testing the interference of hawthorn on serum digoxin measurements by immunoassays and pharmacodynamic interaction with digoxin. In this study it was recognized that the most common uses of both hawthorn and digoxin are to treat cardiovascular diseases such as hyperlipidema, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure is the most common reason people take hawthorn as a medicinal herb, or as a supplement. Hawthorn is often a preferred treatment because it does not required a prescription. It is easy to purchase it over the counter at most pharmacies or local drug stores. There are those who take it in addition to medications that have been prescribed hoping that additional medication with be more effective. This is a Stage IV clinical trial that deals with interactions solely in a laboratory setting responding to interactions with other drugs after hawthorn had been in use for many years. They concluded that the drug does indeed react with digoxin, but the serum digoxin does not appear to be affected in any significance when introduced to the hawthorn.

            Though there have been a few trials performed on the potential uses of hawthorn, the majority of the symptoms and conditions it is used to treat have gone untested. This may have something to do with its rich superstitious history. However, according to the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacology, hawthorn is still often used therapeutically. It has already known that hawthorn has a long history of being used medicinally for ailments including digestive issues, dyspnea, various cardiovascular conditions, and kidney stones. Today it is not often used outside of treating cardiovascular conditions by Pharmacies. The effects on the cardiovascular system are believed to be attributed to the resulting positive isotropic activity that comes from ingesting parts of the hawthorn tree. This means that the plant has the ability to increase the integrity of the walls of the blood vessels and oxygen utilization. Apparently it can also improve blood flow. The popular theory is that flavonoids are responsible for this effect. Hawthorn has shown promising results in the clinical trials performed by the New York Heart Association, or NYHA, in controlled and uncontrolled clinical trials studying its effect on the treatment of clinical heart failure.

            It can be safely determined that hawthorn may be useful as an alternative if other medications do not work, however, it would be best to avoid taking hawthorn as a medicinal herb to treat congestive heart failure and other forms of heart disease due to the large number of potential interactions that hawthorn possesses. There is little in the way of clinical trials concerning hawthorn as the plant did not prove to be significantly better than the pre-existing treatments. As a result most of the treatments based off of the hawthorn plant did not survive Stage I clinical trials. Hawthorn, does present an unusual circumstance however, since Stage IV tests were in need of being performed due to its wide use as a natural remedy. With hawthorn being so readily available, there eventually became the need to test the interactive nature of hawthorn with other drugs. Digoxin was one of these. The ending result is a recommendation that one avoid taking the hawthorn supplements available if one is on a prescription drug to treat a heart disease, particularly congestive heart failure as the effects would be radically unpredictable. Nevertheless, the hawthorn plant survives as a natural remedy in its many uses through folklore and rumor. It is unlikely that the plant will ever stop being used is some respect be it medicinally or as superstition would dictate.

References

Dasgupta, A., L. Kidd, B. J. Poindexter, and R. J. Bick

 2010 Interference of Hawthorn on Serum Digoxin Measurements by Immunoassays and

    Pharmacodynamic Interaction with Digoxin. Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine,

    134 (8): 1188-1192. Print.

Rigelsky, J.M. and B.V. Sweet

 2002 Hawthorn: Pharmacology and Therapeutic Uses. American Journal of Health-System

    Pharmacy, 59 (5): 417-422. Print.

Tanakow, R., H. Tamer, D. S. Streetman, S. G. Smith, J. L. Welton, T. Annesley, K. D. Aaronson, and B. E. Bleske.

 2003 Interaction Study between Digoxin and Preparation of Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha).

    Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 43:637-642. Print.

Various Authors

 N. d. Hawthorn: The May Tree. Thegoddestree.com. http://www.thegoddesstree.com/

    trees/Hawthorn.htm accessed 29 October 2015. Web.

Venefica, Avia

 N. d. Celtic Meaning of the Hawthorn Tree. What’s-Your-Sign.com. http://www.whats-your-

    sign.com/celtic-meaning-hawthorn-tree.html, accessed 29 October 2015. Web.