Crataegus (hawthorn) has long been used as a folk medicine all around the world. Most of
the studies with Crataegus species focus on effects on heart failure and cardiovascular
disease. The pharmacological effects of Crataegus have been attributed mainly to the
content of flavonoids, procyanidin, aromatic acid and cardiotonic amines. The present study
investigated the blood pressure and the structure of the coronary arterial wall of L‐NAME‐
induced hypertensive rats given an aqueous leaf extract of C. tanacetifolia (100 mg/kg), for 4 …

Crataegus species (hawthorn) has been used traditionally since ancient times. Most of these
studies with Crataegus species focus on the heart and cardiovascular system (Ammon and
Haendel, 1981). For example, a Crataegus extract had a positive inotropic effect (Chen et
al., 1998) and a coronodilatator effect on coronary blood flow (Taskov, 1977). It also exhibits
an antiarrhythmic effect (Thompson et al., 1974). In Germany its extracts are used in the
treatment of mild heart failure, and it was shown that the extract blocks potassium current in …