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Herb

Hawthorn

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Hawthorn. Cardiotonic herb traditionally used for mild heart failure and mild hypertension.

How it works. Oligomeric procyanidins inhibit cAMP-PDE and enhance coronary blood flow.

What the research supports. 1 graded claims. Strongest: Improves symptoms in mild heart failure (NYHA I–II) (moderate).

How much to take. Typical dose: 300–900 mg WS 1442/d.

Side effects and interactions. 1 medication interaction listed. No serious side effects listed at normal doses.

Stacking. Pairs well with Omega-3, CoQ10.

Common forms. Available as WS 1442 standardized.

Key studies. 8 studies cited. The strongest are listed with links to PubMed.

Community. Experiences from people who have tried Hawthorn. Anecdotes are not medical advice.

Hawthorn. Cardiotonic herb traditionally used for mild heart failure and mild hypertension.

Key compound: vitexinC21H20O10 · 432.4 g/mol

What it is

Cardiotonic herb traditionally used for mild heart failure and mild hypertension.

Also called

Crataegus spp.

Food sources

Crataegus berry/leaf

Goals

Cardiovascular Health

How it works

Oligomeric procyanidins inhibit cAMP-PDE and enhance coronary blood flow.

Pathways

  • PDE inhibition
  • NO ↑

Effects

  • +Cardiac output supports

What the research supports

Improves symptoms in mild heart failure (NYHA I–II)moderate

Strong: consistent results across large trials or meta-analyses. Moderate: several trials, mostly positive. Limited: small or mixed studies. Preclinical: animal or cell research only.

Typical dose
300–900 mg WS 1442/d
TimingConsistent daily timing recommended; split larger doses if GI tolerance is a concern.
With foodEither with or without food.
Best formMost evidence is based on the ws 1442 standardized form.
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Side effects & interactions

Common side effects

  • Dizziness

Medication interactions

Digoxin / antihypertensivesmoderate

Additive effects.

Check any supplement–medication combination with your pharmacist before starting.

Combines with

Pairs well

  • Omega-3Anti-inflammatory cardiovascular synergy.
  • CoQ10Supports mitochondrial energetics in cardiac tissue.

Common forms

  • WS 1442 standardized

Key studies

8 studies cited in total.

Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure ↗
Meta-analysis · Cochrane Database · 2008

Significant improvement in symptoms and exercise tolerance vs placebo.

PubMed: Hawthorn — Improves symptoms in mild heart failure ↗
Systematic review · PubMed (NLM) · 2026

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Hawthorn and "Improves symptoms in mild heart failure". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

PubMed: Hawthorn — randomized controlled trial ↗
Systematic review · PubMed (NLM) · 2026

Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Hawthorn and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

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