HAWTHORN

                                                  HAWTHORN

                                       (Crataegus Laevigate DC)

Synonyms : Northern Chinese hawthorn ( c. pinnatifolia) or southern hawthorn (c. cuneata).

Hawthorn is dried leaves, flowers and false fruits of crataegus monogyna and crataegus laevigata (Rosaceae) and is official in EP, BP and BHP.

Crataegus monogyna is thorny shrub or small deciduous tree with branched twigs bearing red fruits, native to Europe and has a long medicinal and ethanobotanical  history.

         Crataegus laevigata is a spiny shrub, leaves mostly smooth obovate, three to five lobed serrulate, flowers white to pink with red anthers, fruit globose and deep red in colour.

       Plant found in woods from North-West to central Europe from England to Lativa.

 Crataegus pinnatifolia var. major and crataegus cuneata are source plant for the Chinese drug shanzha (dried hawthorn fruit).

Chemical constituents :

The fruit contains 1-3% oilgomeric procynidins, which appears to be partially ascertained  together with flavonoids principally heparoside. The leaves contain less heparoside  and more vitexin rhamnoside, about % pentacyclic triterpenes (0.5-1.4% in fruits), olanolic acid, ursolic acid, acantolic acid, xanthine derivatives, vitamins B1,B2 and C, calcium iron and traces of essential oils.

Cosmetics Uses :

Hawthorn extract or decoction is antibacterial against shigella flexneri, shigella sonneni, proteus vulgaris and Escherichina coli.

     It is also reported that water extract of crataegus pinnatifolia has free radical scavenging activity.

Its extract or decoctions used in skin formulations for sores, ulcers and antiageing preparations.

Commercial preparation

  Crude and extracts (solid and liquid) and purified form of flavonoids.