Tassell Mary C, Kingston Rosari, Gilroy Deirdre, Lehane Mary, Furey Ambrose
Team Elucidate, Department of Chemistry, Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), Bishopstown, Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Pharmacogn Rev. 2010 Jan;4(7):32-41. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.65324.
The medicinal properties of hawthorn (Crataegus spp., a genus comprising approximately 300 species) have been utilized by many cultures for a variety of therapeutic purposes for many centuries. In the Western world cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become one of the single most significant causes of premature death. Echoing this situation, more recent research into the therapeutic benefits of hawthorn preparations has focused primarily upon its cardiovascular effects. This review covers research into the various mechanisms of action proposed for Crataegus preparations, clinical trials involving Crataegus preparations, and the herb's safety profile.Clinical trials reviewed have been inconsistent in terms of criteria used (sample size, preparation, dosage, etc) but have been largely consistent with regard to positive outcomes. An investigation into data available to date regarding hawthorn preparations and herb/drug interactions reveals that theoretical adverse interactions have not been experienced in practice. Further, adverse reactions relating to the use of hawthorn preparations are infrequent and mild, even at higher dosage ranges. A recent retrospective study by Zick et al. has suggested a negative outcome for the long-term use of hawthorn in the prognosis of heart failure. These findings are examined in this paper.Although further research is needed in certain areas, current research to date suggests that hawthorn may potentially represent a safe, effective, nontoxic agent in the treatment of CVD and ischemic heart disease (IHD).
山楂（山楂属，约含300个物种）的药用特性在许多文化中已被用于多种治疗目的达数百年之久。在西方世界，心血管疾病（CVD）已成为过早死亡的最主要单一原因之一。与此情况相呼应的是，最近对山楂制剂治疗益处的研究主要集中在其对心血管的影响上。本综述涵盖了对山楂制剂提出的各种作用机制的研究、涉及山楂制剂的临床试验以及该草药的安全性概况。所综述的临床试验在使用的标准（样本量、制剂、剂量等）方面并不一致，但在积极结果方面基本一致。对目前有关山楂制剂及草药/药物相互作用的现有数据进行的调查表明，理论上的不良相互作用在实践中尚未出现。此外，即使在较高剂量范围内，与使用山楂制剂相关的不良反应也很少见且轻微。齐克等人最近的一项回顾性研究表明，长期使用山楂对心力衰竭的预后有负面结果。本文对这些发现进行了研究。尽管在某些领域还需要进一步研究，但目前的研究表明，山楂在治疗心血管疾病和缺血性心脏病（IHD）方面可能是一种安全、有效、无毒的药物。
