The Library Brands All Products for Encyclopedia Health Concerns Vitamins, Minerals, etc. Hawthorn is commonly found in Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. Modern medicinal extracts use the leaves and flowers.
Traditional preparations use the ripe fruit.
Dioscorides, a Greek herbalist, used hawthorn in the first century A.D . Although numerous passing mentions are made for a variety of conditions, support for the heart is the main benefit of hawthorn. The leaves, flowers, and berries of hawthorn contain a variety of bioflavonoid-like complexes that appear to be primarily responsible for the cardiac actions of the plant. The action of these compounds on the cardiovascular system has led to the development of leaf and flower extracts, which are widely used in Europe. Hawthorn has numerous beneficial effects on the heart and blood vessels.