Crataegus oxyacantha
The heart tonic remedy. Cardiac weakness, irregular pulse, and myocardial failure. Acts as a heart muscle tonic without side effects. Insomnia from heart conditions. Useful in arteriosclerosis and fatty heart. Mother tincture widely used.
Source
Prepared from the ripe berries of Crataegus oxyacantha/monogyna (Rosaceae).
Available Potencies
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Keynote Symptoms
Cardiac tonic — strengthens heart muscle, regulates pulse, improves coronary circulation. Irregular, feeble pulse. Myocardial weakness after acute illness. Insomnia of heart patients. Dyspnoea from cardiac failure. Arteriosclerosis. High or low blood pressure. Fatty degeneration of heart. Edema from cardiac failure. Mother tincture 10-15 drops 3x daily for cardiac support.
Mind & Emotional Symptoms
Apprehensive about heart. Irritable. Cross. Despondent from heart condition.
General Symptoms
Heart and circulation. Worse from exertion, warm room, emotions. Better from rest, fresh air, quiet.
Physical Symptoms
Chest
Heart weakness — the chief indication. Pulse irregular, feeble, intermittent. Cardiac asthma. Pain under left clavicle. Myocarditis. Fatty heart. Aortic disease. Cardiac dropsy. Angina. Blood pressure regulation.
Respiratory
Dyspnoea from cardiac failure. Cannot exert.
Extremities
Edema of feet and ankles from cardiac failure. Cold extremities.
Urinary
Scanty urine in cardiac failure. Diabetes (adjunct).
Sleep & Dreams
Insomnia of cardiac patients. Restless.
Modalities
Better From
Rest, fresh air, quiet
Worse From
Exertion, warm room, emotions
Constitutional Type
Cardiac patients of any type. Elderly with failing hearts. Convalescents from heart disease. Not strongly constitutional — an organ tonic.
Clinical Indications
Cardiac failure, irregular pulse, myocardial weakness, arteriosclerosis, angina, cardiac dropsy, blood pressure regulation, fatty heart, cardiac insomnia
Comparative Materia Medica
Digitalis has cardiac action but more toxic and cumulative. Adonis vernalis acts similarly but shorter-acting. Cactus has constricting heart pain. Convallaria has cardiac weakness but more irritable heart.
Safety Information
Not well established. Complements Digitalis.
Hawthorn is one of the safest cardiac herbs. Non-toxic. Extensive clinical research supports its use for heart failure (NYHA class I-III). No significant drug interactions at normal doses. Safe in all potencies and mother tincture.
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